September 2009  

We do not make jokes, we simply watch the LA Times, the Orange County Register and CID/HOA board of directors and report the facts

   

WMP, the Neutralizer to HOA's Legal Counsel

- Weapons of mass persuasion, that is

Posted By CotoBlogzz  |  08-08-2009  09:00 AM  

 Orange Count, CA – The massive amounts of serotonin observed in and around the City of Laguna Woods recently, is cause for alarm.  What with the global economic crisis, North Korea baiting the US, Russia’s Vladimir Putin horse-back riding shirtless, Israel has been pushed to the brink of launching a pre-emptive strike against Iran, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believes he is the last Shiite Prophet – the Mahdi,  the twelfth imam of Shiite Islam, who Shiites believe disappeared more than a thousand years ago and who will return one day to usher in a new era of peace and harmony, after the world is first cleansed.  

In a paper in the 2009-01-30 edition of the AAAS magazine Science, Anstey & Rogers et al. showed that when desert locusts meet up, their nervous systems release serotonin, which causes them to become mutually attracted, a prerequisite for swarming.  Locusts can breed rapidly under suitable conditions and form bands as nymphs and swarms as adults—both of which can travel great distances, rapidly stripping fields and greatly damaging crops.

So naturally speculation has been that soon the community would be invaded by swarming locusts, not unlike the eighth plague of Egypt.   As with previous plagues, Moses came to Pharaoh and warned him of the impending plague of locusts. Pharaoh's officials begged him to let the Israelites go rather than suffer the devastating effects of a locust-swarm, but he was still unwilling to give in. He proposed a compromise: the Israelite men would be allowed to go, while women, children and livestock would remain in Egypt. Moses repeated God's demand that every last person and animal should go, but Pharaoh refused.

While the locust concerns may be warranted given the facts, the mostly likely scenario is that a good number of Laguna Woods residents (we counted over 400 names in the Recall United Board website for instance)  have said, enough to their local governance.  Serotonin is found not only in animals  but also in  about 80 to 90 percent of the human body, where some is  synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) where it has various functions, including control of mood and anger.  The CotoBuzz Journal has been swarmed with copies of letters  addressed to the United Mutual board and or PCM, demanding  the Laguna Woods Village United board of directors cease and desist from using the community’s media and facilities to mislead residents about the reasons as to why there is a movement to have the board recall.  We have asked  PCM’s Robert Merritt and PCM’s/United board’s legal counsel Bill Hart if there is a compelling reason why requests for equal time have been ignored.   We also wanted to know if the order to not grant equal access is coming from the property management company PCM, the board and or legal counsel. 

We did hear from Mr. Hart, with  “.. the same critically unfiltered nonsense,” as he may say.    However, Mr. Hart had some questions for us:  "What is the CotoBuzz Journal and why the interest”, he asked.   Our response to Mr. Hart:  The CotoBuzz Journal - Watchdog community journalism with a focus on stewardship, public safety, HOA/CID, senior advocacy, advocacy , voice to the voiceless. You like the Who is Who list in Orange County and state lawmakers and captains of industry can follow us on Twitter and or Facebook

Then a Miracle Happens  

And it is not only equal time that is the issue. According to Mr. Michael Curtis, the leader of the Recall the United board movement,  the board’s legal counsel  “..has positioned himself between the 6,323 voting members of United Laguna Hills Mutual and our Inspector of Elections” and he adds   “..the poor IOE doesn't know which way is up, and will not return any calls …and says he works for Bill Hart and PCM - that's right, NOT the United Board” and concludes saying that legal counsel  “..is doing everything he can to delay the Recall, Regular Election, Annual Meeting, and Election to fill any recalled seats.  In the mean time, he was quickly paid approximately $20,000 for the month of June, and continues running up his bill just as high each month.  He knows United has deep pockets, and he's reaching as far down as he can”. - click here for copy of Mr. Curtis'  entire message and here for copy of Mr. Curtis' legal counsel

As of Friday, August 07, 2009 11:43 am, Mr. Curtis was making arrangements with the community’s Channel 6 to run paid advertising.  United Board’s legal counsel in accordance with Mr. Curti’s request for equal time on TV6, agreed that Mr. Curtis would “ be provided with a 10 minute segment at no charge to address his position on the recall..”

But Wait, there is more:  The Toll Roads Save Time and Facilitate Crime!

On 3/29/09, at approximately 0005, on the Southbound 241 Toll Rd, the driver of a speeding white car hit Patti Pattison’s car three times apparently intentionally resulting in Ms. Pattison having to schedule eye surgery.  Even though the accident happened in front of the Toll Road Camera’s,  the agency was not able to provide useful information to the CHP, and the CHP closed the case, noting no personal injuries, according to CHP spokesperson.  We filed a PRA with the agency, which has gone unanswered.

Soon after we published the story Toll Road, Tolled Mind: An Argument for Bureaucracy Realignment Initiative, the CHP spokesperson mentioned that the case could be re-opened in light of the new information contained in the published reports.  Ms. Pattison has now been interviewed by a CHP investigator who pledged to aggressively pursue the matter.

The Moral of the Story:

When all else fail, use weapons of mass persuasion.  Not unlike what Mr. Curtis and Ms. Pattison have done.

Going Forward

We are collecting a number of lawyer-letters, including threats of temporary restraining orders and or California Bar complaints, which clearly establish a pattern of  using  legal resources by homeowners association board of directors,  to stifle public discourse through intimidation.  

Take for instance the board’s efforts to shut down the SaveMarinaHills.org  website or even  the CotoBuzz Journal.

This  free-speech forum initiative  is designed  for HOA residents and board members who have had any experiences  with abusive directors or  the legal system. Take for instance  efforts to silence 70-year old public safety expert Ed Caruso by having legal counsel draft a ridiculous agreement in order to be able to even attend open board meetings!  Wisely, Mr. Caruso countered with an agreement of his own. Then there is the intimidating Mutuals' resident,  73-year old Ms. Lou Skogen, who apparently is such a threat to property management company employees, that a temporary restraining order was sought - then dropped. If that is not enough, then there is former Third Mutual Director Katie McDaniel, who was terminated by the board without cause, and later such board was forced to re-instate her.

   

 


The triggering event to equal access? 

--- On Wed, 8/5/09, Michael W. Curtis <mwcurtis47@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Michael W. Curtis 
Subject: Re: Bill Hart: Manipulating and Tampering With Recall Election Procedures and Ballots ...
To: cotobuzz@yahoo.com
Cc: "Bill Hart", Peter D Nitschke",  "Dan Pabich", "Teri Sforza" "Donie" , "County DA" 
Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 2:04 PM

I think you're right with the first part .... you might ask Mr. Hart himself for the bigger picture.
 
Mr. Hart has positioned himself between the 6,323 voting members of United Laguna Hills Mutual and our Inspector of Elections (IOE)(Martin&Chapman's Dan Pabich).  According to the Davis-Stirling Act, Hart can't do this, but he has.  He just keep giving us his runaround routine, and is absolutely irresponsible.  For example, he is directing all activities of the IOE, including directing that the IOE send the hundreds of undelivered ballot packages to PCM.  This is a breach of ballot security and custody.  Remember TrueBallot, Martin&Chapman's predecessor?  I believe TrueBallot would not play this game, and that's the real reason they pulled out a few weeks back.
 
We have asked for an accounting of the returned ballot packages and details regarding the protocol being followed (attached).  Since the ballot packs contain member names, it is an easy process for someone to open them, fill out the ballot, and fill out and sign the outside mailing envelope, and then submit the fraudulent ballot.  Since there are no signature records on file and they will never be checked, no one will know if a signature is forged or not.  Again, we are trying to work with Hart to get details of how ballots are being handled.  He only says he needs case law from my attorney before he might do the right thing.  Hart knows the law - he's just trying to delay past the end of the Recall Election.  All the time, the poor IOE doesn't know which way is up, and will not return any calls (side note: the IOE says he works for Bill Hart and PCM - that's right, NOT the United Board).
 
Hart is not only is trying his best to protect the four directors being recalled, he also knows this is a referendum on him and his firm too.  I can envision Hart's firm being replaced if new directors forming a majority are elected.  So, he is doing everything he can to delay the Recall, Regular Election, Annual Meeting, and Election to fill any recalled seats.  In the mean time, he was quickly paid approximately $20,000 for the month of June, and continues running up his bill just as high each month.  He knows United has deep pockets, and he's reaching as far down as he can.
 
I must go for now ... let me know what you might find out.
 
Mike C
--- On Wed, 8/5/09, Buzz wrote:
From: Buzz
Subject: Re: Bill Hart: Manipulating and Tampering With Recall Election Procedures and Ballots ...
To: "Michael W. Curtis" 
Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 12:49 PM

To make sure I get this right:  Is Mr. Hart saying that unless a prima facia case is made, the United Board does not respond to requests?

Can I then safely infer that this means that any client of Mr. Hart will proceed likewise?

 

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