Chapter 6

Then I called Sandra. She advised against a defamation fight for the moment; instead, she recommended something cleaner: release the documents.So, I made a post of my own. No accusations, no speech-making, just the deed, the assessor's record, the relevant CC&R language, and one sentence: I purchased parcel APN 2847 through legal public process. All documentation is on file with Harlow County and available for verification.That post started to fracture the story Phyllis had built. Some people still sided with her, but others started asking the question that should have been asked from the beginning: if the HOA owned the lake, where was the paperwork?The morning after I posted, I called the security company and had them quote a perimeter camera system for the property: six cameras, full boundary coverage, cloud storage, visible notice signs, no blind spots. The cameras went live on a Thursday night.At 2:17 a.m. the following Friday, my phone buzzed with a motion alert. I opened the app and watched two people moving across my property in dark clothing: one was trying to pull up a boundary stake; the other was heading toward the main sign with a can of spray paint.I called 911 and reported a trespass in progress. I didn't go outside; I sat on the edge of my bed and watched the live feed. When they passed under a path light, I recognized the first figure immediately: Gerald Finch, the HOA secretary. The second man was Tyler Sims, the 24-year-old son of board member Carol Sims.Two patrol cars arrived without sirens. Their headlights swept the path and caught both men in the open. Gerald tried to run and made it about 30 feet before tripping over a raised willow root and going down hard. Tyler froze with the spray can still in his hand.After the officers secured the scene, I brought out my laptop and showed them the footage: six synchronized feeds, timestamped, stored off-site, unalterable. Both men were charged that night with criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

HOA Fined Me $550 For Fishing — So I Legally Bought The Lake And Banned Them!

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HOA Fined Me $550 For Fishing — So I Legally Bought The Lake And Banned Them!