- NEWS
- Chapman adds $204 million to O.C. economy 2 hours & 12 minutes ago
- Man stabbed outside home in Costa Mesa 1 hour & 18 minutes ago
- 1-in-4 O.C. offices to be empty next year 1 hour & 49 minutes ago
- Got an extra toy or can of food?
- SPORTS
- UCLA takes advantage of Arizona State 1 hour & 56 minutes ago
- Bruins tailgate: 11-21-09 1 hour & 53 minutes ago
- Fundamental error sinks Ducks
- Ducks are running on empty
- BUSINESS
- Here's what $1 million will buy you in Irvine
- Got an extra toy or can of food?
- 1-in-4 O.C. offices to be empty next year 1 hour & 49 minutes ago
- Twitter, Facebook, etc.: 11 thank yous 1 hour & 23 minutes ago
- ENTERTAINMENT
- LIFE
- TRAVEL
- OPINION
LWV calls police on rebel Mike Curtis after he refuses to leave meeting
July 8th, 2009, 1:18 pm · 21 Comments · posted by Teri Sforza, Register staff writer
We have been inundated with emails and phone calls from Laguna Woods Village folks, saying that recall election organizer Mike Curtis was arrested while trying to attend a “closed corporate members board meeting.”
In fact, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department responded to a disturbance at LWV’s El Toro Road community center at 11:20 A.M., and Curtis was questioned, but not arrested, officials said.
Curtis - a perennial thorn-in-the-side of the LWV governing boards - is the driving force behind the recall election of four LWV board members which will take place next month.
Some residents see him as a hero, daring to speak truth to power and question how things have been done for decades. Others complain that Curtis is a troublemaker who needlessly creates conflict in their once-peaceful community.
Curtis won a seat on the governing board of United, one of the Village’s homeowners associations, last fall. Since then, he has been banned from the second floor of the LWV community center because his presence was intimidating to female workers, Laguna Woods Village officials have said; and he has also been banned from attending closed sessions of United, the very board he sits on. That ban came after Curtis made public an internal email detailing the Village management company’s controversial $5.4 million employee incentive program.
Wednesday’s meeting was for the directors of all the Village’s various homeowners associations, apparently to discuss tightening internal controls, among other things. Curtis was called to the front of the meeting room and told to leave, citing the ban. He refused. There were threats of a citizen’s arrest, and then charges of trespassing. When the sheriff’s deputy arrived, Curtis agreed to step outside to talk, and then did not re-enter the board room.
“As a properly elected member of United, he had right to be there,” said Curtis’s attorney, Peter Nietzke.
“It’s really disenfranchising,” Curtis said.
Village officials said - well, nothing, at least not to us, and not by deadline, as they’ve apparently been advised not to respond to our questions.
We urge those who continually get on our case at The Watchdog’for “not showing both sides” to get on the cases of their board members! We cannot provide the other side’s perspective unless the other side tells us what that is.
More Watchdog:
- Is toll road agency shielding a criminal? Spooked driver in ‘whodunnit?’ says yes
- Watchdog roundup: Paintings, doctors, livers, for sale…?
- Anaheim police chief’s gun disappears. Twice.
- Dog fancier objects to ‘gonad police’ and Snip-the-Roamers bill
- A quarter-million dollars: Average compensation for water district GMs
- Seniors’ recall election may end up in court - before it even happens!
- Why TrueBallot won’t conduct LWV election, in its own words
- LWV’s take on why TrueBallot won’t be election czar
- State slaps water district with $204,000 fine
- ‘Mandatory spay-neuter doesn’t work!’ Or…does it?
- High-flying water board member resigns amid turbulence
- Controversial pet spay-neuter law gets closer to governor’s desk
- California’s $3 billion stem-cell experiment suffers from appearance of self-dealing
- Showdown on statewide spay/neuter law for pets slated for Tuesday
- Airplane whisks OC water official to ceremony in, er, Riverside
- OC air marshal - fired for revealing bad plan - is denied whistleblower protection
- Some water officials use office for personal gain, report says
- Tax prep giant must stop deceptive ads and pay more than $1 million
- Fair gets slapped for promotional cartoons
- No, San Onofre is not closing down any time soon!
- County pays $250,000 in sheriff car accident
- Charitable giving down more than $6 billion as economy tanks
- Saddleback College defends senior fitness classes
- Is college cheating state for seniors’ fitness classes?
- All systems go for contentious, first-ever, recall election in Laguna Woods Village
- LWV weighs in with official statement on first-ever recall election
- Candidate OKs $10 million for execs of bankrupt bank
- Secret extremist agenda: To outlaw dogs as pets, says spay/neuter law critic
- Grand jury: Street’s big bet ‘imprudent’
- As OC Fair graduates from cattle drive to film production, some are outraged
- OC Fair executives accept gifts worth thousands
- Great Park tries to keep contamination info under wrap
- Drought-induced building freeze not necessary - yet, officials say
- Is ’severe drought’ just a chance to hike water rates? Residents wonder
21 Comments
Leave a Reply
-
ADVERTISEMENT
-
Follow this blog:
-
More from OC Watchdog reports-
ADVERTISEMENT
You can follow this blog: on 
Yeah, I understand. I live in a condo community and it’s run by a bunch of idiots (www.rdta.org). They are turning my community into a 55+ and people do get passionate about taking a stand. But if you get too passionate then your considered a nutjob…but if you don’t do anything, then you end up living in a miserable community! They should have like a CCR’s BOARD or something for the state of California, that you can complain too? Cause sometimes these Board members think their Bush or God when their really a bunch of old people with too much time on their wrinkly hands! : (
I like this guy. When they call you a “troublemaker”, you’re probably on the right track.
THANK GOD FOR PEOPLE LIKE MIKE CURTIS
WE NEED MORE “OPEN-NESS”
The only problem Mike Curtis has is asking questions that the Management Co does not want the Residents to know or understand. They want us to be mushrooms, stay in the dark and feed us BS. How can they exclude a duly elected Director from attending meeting, something to hide????
There’s an old saying that goes like this: “Give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves.”
PCM and many board members are running scared these days and trying all sorts of antics to shut up Mike Curtis, and all other residents who dare question what they are doing with our money. They have attempted many frivolous lawsuits against residents, then turn around and accuse residents of costing us money because we file what they consider “frivolous lawsuits” against them. This is the game they play. File a lawsuit against so-and-so to shut him/her up, because they are getting close to the truth. But just before it gets to court, they drop the suit. They know they don’t have a leg to stand on.
They have shut up several residents in this manner, but not all.
They don’t want residents to know what’s going on. Otherwise they would welcome a forensic audit which we’ve been begging for. A forensic audit would clear them of any wrongdoing if they are as innocent as they claim to be. The fact that PCM talks the boards out of a forensic audit, with what SEEMS to be good reasons, makes us even more suspicious of what’s really going on behind the scenes.
It’s totally unacceptable and appalling that they will not let Mike Curtis attend all the closed meetings which involves United Mutual Directors. Mike Curtis was elected by a large majority of residents. We voted for him to represent us at these meetings. How can he represent us, if they try to get him arrested because he attempted to attend any of these meetings?
The whole bunch of them should be arrested for attempting such an abominable act.
Mike Curtis is not the only one who the management co. and board members have tryed to escort out of meetings. In fact it is getting to the point that you need a camera and a tape recorded to protect yourself just to walk in our community center to go into a board meeting. It seem like they want to push residents into trying to look like trouble makers just to built up a file so they discourage people from coming to meeting and asking questions about the budget, costs and bonuses… and many of these residents are in their 70’s & 80’s just trying to ask where their money is going!
Mike Curtis for GOVERNOR
Curtis knows very well why he is banned. He wants to control the narrative and he has a one-sided support group here.
Hey, Watchdog, if he has every right to stay and has done nothing wrong, why did he leave the meeting after the Sheriff arrived? What does the Sheriff know that Curtis doesn’t want you to know?
There’s your story, since you don’t seem to believe Curtis is capable of wrongdoing and LWV/PCM is incapable of doing right.
GOPNinja is advocating that people guilty of something if questioned by Sheriffs? Shheesh you probably also believed Bush when he lied about Iraq’s about to posses nukes them WMDs. Hey what fdo you know today’s news is headlining that the CIA lied to congress. CURTIS IS SHEDDING LIGHT ON LIES AND HIDDEN TRUTHS I guess with a name like GOPNinja I should expect CREEP like tactics
Wow - Time to oust all of them for holding illegal meetings and doing things that exclude members that are elected. Time to take the matter into the Courts.
HOW TO GET HEADLINES—–
Take a lesson from Mike Curtis, He knows why he is not allowed in close session board meetings and yet he goes to get his picture in the paper.
He is not allowed in the closed sessions because he does not know how to keep information confidential and leaves the United Board open to lawsuits. He does not care about our MONEY and this is so obvious such as spending our money on this RECALL (just one example). If you think he cares about the residents best interest please THINK AGAIN..
Come to our meetings and ask your questions and get real answers not the unproven information he gives.
Read it all and get the correct answers on out website http://www.recallno,com. and then you will understand why he is banned from closed session meetings.
He is an elected Board Member and as such has the right to attend the meeting.
Any action taken during that meeting can be nullified by a Court. It is time to shake up that Village and get people in there that are NOT hiding things from their members.
Sorry, Sandie, you have it wrong again. Mike actually brought the resolution banning him from United closed sessions and passed it out. Let me stress, he is banned from UNITED meetings, not corporate meetings. And he was asked to leave while he was just sitting there. He was not speaking, expressing any opinions whatsoever. Reminiscent of certain kinds of profiling in many big cities. He was not trespassing, not creating a disturbance of any kind. Apparently you must believe that we have no right to listen to either side.
I went to the http://www.recallno.com Web site. A few points:
Mike Curtis is not “spending our money on this recall.” The required signatures were obtained. That means there is dissent besides Mr. Curtis. The blatant intimidation attempts to stifle democracy are appalling. Yes, democracy is that voting thing and includes recalls, elections and the like.
The current board members are obviously putting their egos and feelings ahead of the corporation. To make a blanket accusation of breaching confidentiality without due process and incontrovertible evidence mocks the democratic process. Mr. Curtis was duly elected. The other board members may not like his tactics or him personally but that does not give them the right to become the sole arbiter of fact and mete out “consequences.” It does not matter who was on the board at what time. The corporation’s actions are managed by the board at all times.
Look at it another way - if you heard your company/stock/other was mishandling money, wouldn’t you investigate? If you found out a vendor received “incentive” payments and there was no supporting documentation, would you be suspicious? I think you would. Take a look at the headlines — from the Madoff scheme to Enron.
Spelling, grammar and punctuation errors aside — your argument is purely emotional and not based in fact. The email posted on the http://www.recallno.com Web site is not a ’smoking gun.” A board engaging in the tactics reported “leaves the United Board open to lawsuits.” In fact, it looks as if that is where the matter is headed.
There is no aspect of the association’s or PCM’s actions that make logical sense. While there may be two sides to every story, the untold story from the association and PCM makes Mr. Curtis’ side that much more credible.
In this difficult economy, fiscal responsibility is imperative. It seems the ones wasting money are those who voted to approve the ridiculous ballot. Take a look at the corporations code. A director may be recalled with or without cause. It’s probably part of the governing documents, too. Adding “without cause” in prominent type on a ballot is misleading voters.
This is yet another reason why homeowners’ associations run by lay people without training and/or experience are allowed to run corporations. It’s disgusting and makes me wonder why anyone would want to live here, knowing there are few places not governed by associations. The likelihood of the legislature doing anything meaningful to help homeowners is nill given the state’s current financial crisis. That means activist members like Mr. Curtis are necessary.
It’s stories like this that made me get out of the property management business after only 8 months: nutty homeowners.
Having read some of the comments, it seems that the homeowners are upset with management about financial issues. If so, all they have to do is read the budget that is distributed annually. The budget is approved by the BOARD. Otherwise, they can press board members to hire a new community management team.
Here’s what I do NOT understand:
Mike Curtis is an ELECTED board member. Note the highlighted word — ELECTED — state law gives him an “absolute right” to association records and any meeting of the board of directors has to include him — as a duly ELECTED board member.
LWV’s and PCM’s tactics are distasteful and likely illegal. However, the community apathy is more appalling. I assume LWV distributed a yearly budget as required by law. I’m also sure it’s likely quorum was not made the first time at any board of directors election in the past ten years. I’m also fairly certain communications to members were minimal, particularly with regard to all aspects of finances. It’s all fine and good to write a newsletter reminding members to take care of their property but how many communities take the time to write a newsletter that educates, encourages and supports new volunteers and tries to build future leadership? I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to say there are very, very few associations.
Mike Curtis took the time to recruit volunteers and review the association’s documents. His findings are disturbing and seem to be supported by actual financial records. I’m unclear on whether Curtis has been allowed full access to corporate records as required by law. That being said, the law does not seem to matter to the board members who are the subject of the recall.
I think board members forget their individual feelings, biases and prejudices should interfere with their BOARD MEMBER duties. Clearly, their egos and feelings are fueling the ridiculous ballot, call to law enforcement and other craziness reported. PCM’s business tactics are equally appalling. I can’t believe their conduct is sanctioned by the California Association of Community Manager’s code of ethics. Yet somehow I think an ethics complaint would be “brushed under the rug.”
It is very, very sad one person brave enough to question the status quo was needed to increase community participation. It is even more sad PCM and LWV’s board members are not fulfilling their respective duties. If you do not like criticism, don’t get elected to any board. You become a public official and everyone has every right to question and criticize your actions.
Finally, the most pathetic aspect of this affair is that it happens every day in many associations. “Spend him/her down” tactics are the usual response to any dissent. It’s a disgusting commentary on legislated “democracy” in homeowners’ associations.
I hope the LWV board is recalled and PCM fired. To those homeowners who are upset the “once peaceful” community is now controversial, I highly doubt you regularly voted in elections just as I highly doubt you understand the assocation’s budget, reserves and spending habits.
Good luck Mr. Curtis and supporters!
Another reason to not buy a home that is trapped into an owners association. Would not even want if it was free, can never do what you want with your own home that you paid for
RECALL AND MONEY
We have a recall because our boards do not want to carry out their fiduciary duty concerning the incentive plan. Our management company [without the resident’s knowledge] took 5.4 million dollars from the residents and used it for their incentive plan. It’s the same thing as if you have a bank account and someone takes money out of your bank account without your knowledge—– When you find out you would want them to pay it back. We simply want our boards to make the management company pay us our money back. Some of us backing the Yes on the recall have no desire to see all this happening here because it would have been so much easier for the board members to investigate this incentive plan but they refused. We felt our hands were tied and didn’t know what else to do because our boards do not want to carry out their fiduciary duties. This is why the recall is taking place not because of any one particular person.
Concerning SPENDING MONEY:: I think our boards especially GRF need a reality check. LWV has a total of 12736 manors. For every $ 1,000,000 dollars GRF spends our monthly assessment goes up $7.00 Dollars per manor per month. That’s 12,736 manors times $7.00 dollars per month equals $89,152 dollars more per month per manor that the residents are paying out. $89,152 times 12 months equals $1,069,824 dollars more per year the residents are paying out. Too many millions being spent is the reason are assessments are skyrocketing. Residents, attend the meetings, contact and E mail your directors, give them the message we do not want you to spend, spend, spend. We want you to get up to speed of whats happening in todays economy, cut back and save for a rainy day.
Incentive is a bonus—in your working career did you or someone you know receive a bonus? What is all the fuss about–I am aware that alot of corporations use this same incentive plan (even the IRS). Lets get off the incentive plan complaint as it is old news and even stopped in 2007. Let us think in future terms and not the same old same old.
Mike Curtis is a detriment to this community not an asset and this type of behavior needs to stop as it only bad publicity and this is all Mike is about.
If you want the truth please go to the website http://www.recalllno.com.
Sandie, do you work for PCM or what?
Incentive plans for non-profit corporations are a big no-no. Read IRS tax laws. So are pension plans. Our HOAs are non-profit. We residents pay all the bills for wages and special benefits which PCM helps itself to.
PCM is a for-profit corporation. If PCM wants to pay bonuses and pension plans and all types of employee benefits, they need to do it at their own expense, not ours.
And quit dumping on Mike Curtis. He stumbled upon fraud, and you and most board members are trying to cover it up.
I appreciate and applaud Mike Curtis. He has the guts that most board members lack. In spite of all the persecution he is getting from the likes of you, he has the courage to go on fighting for the residents who overwhelmingly elected him.
We need more directors like Mike Curtis.