Frank immediately leaned toward his microphone.
“Before we call it routine, who authorized the contractor?”
“I did under emergency enforcement authority.”
“What emergency?”
“The plantings obstructed community sightlines and created maintenance concerns.”
Frank stared at her.
“You cut eleven healthy trees because of a sightline?”
“They were noncompliant.”
Priya Shah opened the covenants.
“Show us where.”
Beverly pointed toward Article Seven.
“Exterior modifications are subject to association authority.”
“The board,” Priya said. “Not the president acting alone.”
“There are situations requiring decisive action.”
“Then show us the emergency-action clause.”
Beverly’s jaw tightened.
Martin raised his hand.
“I found something else.”
He turned his laptop toward the room.
“An invoice entered into the accounting portal this afternoon. Seven thousand eight hundred forty dollars. Vendor: Crane Outdoor Services.”
The room went silent.
Crane.
Beverly’s last name.
Frank looked at her.
“Who owns Crane Outdoor Services?”
“My nephew manages it.”
A woman behind me muttered:
“You have got to be kidding.”
Beverly raised her voice.
“The vendor relationship has been disclosed.”
Martin shook his head.
“Not to me.”
“It was discussed.”
“When?”
“Prior sessions.”
“I keep the minutes.”
Beverly looked at her papers.
No answer.
I stood.
“I’d like to speak.”
“Homeowner comments are at the end.”
Frank said:
“Let him speak.”
I kept my voice level.
“The trees were approved.”
I held up the letter.
“They were part of a municipal stormwater project.”
Then the city agreement.
“And the contractor received this work order signed by Beverly as authorized representative for my property.”
The document went through the board.
Priya’s eyebrows rose.
Beverly insisted she had signed as an HOA representative.
“That isn’t what the line says.”
I continued.
“The city’s preliminary restoration estimate is more than eighteen thousand dollars. The investigation remains open.”
Beverly scoffed.
“One city employee cannot assign liability.”
“That’s true.”
I paused.
“So I’m not asking for money tonight.”
That disturbed her more than a demand would have.
“What do you want?”
“Records.”
I placed a written request on the table.
“All board minutes involving my property. Communications with Crane Outdoor Services. Landscaping-enforcement invoices for the last two years. Emergency authorizations. Conflict disclosures.”
Martin picked it up.
Beverly said:
“This is harassment.”
“No.”
I looked at the request.
“This is bookkeeping.”
Someone laughed.