Mike Ates – List of Violations

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Governance and Procedural Violations

1. False Representation of Board Membership/Impersonation

  • Texas (Online Impersonation):
    Engaged in electronic communication to falsely present himself as a legitimate board member, with intent to harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten.
  • Texas (Harassment):
    Engaged in threatening or intimidating communications, including emails, targeting board members or homeowners.
  • Texas Business Organizations Code (TBOC) Chapter 21 & Common Law:
    Acted outside authorized powers, violating the Duty of Loyalty by misrepresenting his role and creating conflicts of interest.

2. Misrepresentation to a Uniformed Officer

  • Texas (False Report to a Peace Officer):
    Provided false information to a uniformed officer by misrepresenting himself as the Vice President of the HOA.
  • Texas (Tampering with a Governmental Record):
    Commissioned an officer under false pretenses to act against association members and enforce an illegitimate directive.

3. Preventing Member Participation in Meetings

  • Texas Property Code § 209.0051(e):
    Interfered with the right of members to attend the November 19, 2024, meeting, violating open meeting requirements.
  • PCA Bylaws Article VI, Section 3:
    Used misrepresentation to prevent members from participating in scheduled meetings, a breach of governance standards.

4. Unauthorized Participation in Board Activities

  • Texas Property Code § 209.0051:
    Participated in unauthorized board meetings or actions without proper quorum or notice.
  • PCA Bylaws Article IX, Section 1:
    Engaged in financial or operational decisions without competitive bidding or due process as required by the bylaws.

Privacy and Recording Violations

5. Unauthorized Recordings

  • Texas (Unauthorized Recording of Oral Communications):
    Recorded private board meetings or conversations without consent, violating privacy protections under Texas law.
  • Cited Case Law:
    • O’Rourke v. State (1981): Established expectation of privacy in informal private settings.
    • Huffman v. State (2015): Affirmed that unauthorized recordings of private meetings violate privacy laws.
    • Cantu v. State (1991): Reinforced the expectation of privacy in non-public organizational settings.

6. First Amendment Misuse in Private Settings

  • Texas Case Law:
    • Dawson v. State (2003): Ruled that First Amendment protections do not extend to surreptitious recordings in private settings.
    • Ramos v. State (2007): Confirmed that free speech rights do not justify unlawful recording of private communications.

Financial and Property Violations

7. Unauthorized Financial Actions

  • Texas Property Code § 209.0051(e):
    Participated in or approved financial transactions without proper notice, quorum, or competitive bidding.
  • PCA Bylaws Article IX, Section 1:
    Breached bylaws by engaging in financial decisions without following the required procedures.
  • TBOC Chapter 21 & Common Law:
    Violated the Duty of Care through financial mismanagement and unauthorized expenditures.

8. Improper Handling of HOA Property or Funds

  • TBOC Chapter 21 & Common Law:
    Unauthorized access to or misuse of HOA funds, constituting a breach of fiduciary duties, including the Duty of Loyalty and Duty of Care.

Membership and Transparency Issues

9. Exclusion of Board Members and Homeowners

  • Texas Property Code § 209.0051:
    Participated in actions that excluded other board members and homeowners from meetings, violating transparency and open governance requirements.
  • TBOC Chapter 21 & Common Law:
    Breached the Duty of Loyalty by denying equal participation and misrepresenting decisions as legitimate.

10. Misrepresentation to the Community

  • TBOC Chapter 21 & Common Law:
    Provided misleading information to the community, violating the Duty of Good Faith and the Duty of Loyalty.

Additional Violations: Misrepresentation to Prevent Member Attendance

11. Restricting Member Attendance at Meetings

  • Texas Property Code § 209.0051(e):
    Prevented members from attending a duly scheduled meeting on November 19, 2024, by commissioning a uniformed officer under false pretenses.
  • PCA Bylaws Article VI, Section 3:
    Violated bylaws by actively interfering with member participation.
  • Texas (Abuse of Official Capacity):
    Misused law enforcement resources for personal or illegitimate purposes, causing harm to association members’ rights.

Legal Actions and Remedies

Civil Actions

  • Claims for breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation, and negligence.
  • Potential restitution for damages caused by procedural violations or financial mismanagement.

Criminal Charges

  • False Representation: Charges under for misrepresentation to a peace officer.
  • Unauthorized Recordings: Charges under for recording private communications.
  • Harassment: Charges under for intimidating communications.

Board Remedies

  • Removal from any official or de facto role within the HOA.
  • Prohibition from participating in future HOA activities or meetings.