…”you were placed on probation for helping him steal from the retirement community you both managed. You were ordered never to handle anyone else’s money again.”
The room went completely silent. The HOA president, who called herself Diane Mercer, gripped the edge of the table.
My husband, Harold, spoke slowly. The stroke had taken some of his speech, but none of his memory. Twenty years earlier, as a county judge, he had presided over the case of Richard Voss, who had stolen nearly two million dollars from elderly residents of a retirement community. His wife, Diane Voss, had been the community’s office manager. She testified against her husband in exchange for probation. One of the conditions of her sentence was that she could never again serve as a financial officer for any organization.
“I never forget a face I’ve sentenced,” Harold said. “And I remember the residents who lost their savings. Most of them were about my age now.”
My attorney turned to the three board members. “Who handles the HOA’s bank account?” They looked at each other. Diane did. She had insisted on it.
The board requested an emergency audit that night. It found that more than $47,000 in fines and fees had been moved into an account labeled “legal reserve,” controlled only by her. She had been fining elderly and disabled residents in particular, people she assumed wouldn’t fight back.
Diane resigned the next morning. The police opened an investigation, and her probation records were sent to the district attorney. The money was eventually returned to the homeowners, and the board apologized to every family she had fined.
My $1,500 fine was withdrawn. The board also passed a new rule, unanimously: medical and emergency vehicles may park anywhere in the neighborhood, any time, for as long as needed.
Harold is getting stronger every month. He can walk short distances with a cane now. On his last trip to physical therapy, the same paramedics came to pick him up. They parked in our driveway, and three neighbors came outside just to wave at them.
One of the paramedics laughed and asked if we had a fan club. Harold said, “No. Just neighbors who finally got their HOA back.”
