HOA Fined Me for Idling My Truck to Defrost It, So I Stopped Plowing Their Parking Lot…
I never thought a $5 fine would cost an entire community thousands of dollars in damages. But here we are standing in the aftermath of what can only be described as the most expensive power trip in suburban Colorado history. My name is Connor Reeves and I have been living in the Meadowbrook Commons development in Boulder, Colorado for the past 8 years.
I run my own small snow removal and landscaping business, which means I am up before dawn most winter mornings. And my Ford F350 with the plow attachment is basically my office, my livelihood, and my pride and joy. The truck is not just transportation. It is how I feed my family, how I pay my mortgage, and how I have been quietly helping out my neighbors for years without asking for much in return.
The morning everything went sideways started like any other February day in Colorado. I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to find 6 in of fresh powder had fallen overnight with another storm system rolling in by noon, according to the weather report. I threw on my thermal work gear, grabbed my thermos of coffee, and headed out to my truck parked in my driveway.
The temperature had dropped to -8° Fahrenheit overnight. And when I turned the key, my diesel engine groaned to life with that characteristic rumble that sounds like an angry bear waking from hibernation. Anyone who knows anything about diesel engines in cold weather knows you cannot just start them and immediately drive off.
The fuel needs to warm up. The engine needs to reach operating temperature. And if you want your defroster to actually clear your windshield instead of just blowing cold air at the ice, you need to let the truck idle for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This is not laziness or inconsideration. This is basic vehicle maintenance and safety.
You cannot drive a truck with a windshield covered in ice, and you cannot scrape the inside of a windshield when it is frozen solid. So, I did what I have done every cold morning for 8 years. I started my truck, turned the heat to maximum, and went back inside my house to finish my coffee and check my route for the day. I had 12 commercial clients expecting their parking lots cleared before their businesses opened, plus my regular residential driveways, and I needed to get started soon if I wanted to finish before the next wave of snow hit.
15 minutes later, I walked back outside with my work gloves and my phone, ready to spend the next 10 hours behind the wheel of my plow truck. The windshield had cleared nicely. The cab was warm and the engine was running smoothly. I was climbing into the driver’s seat when I saw her marching across the street toward me like a heat seeking missile locked onto its target.
Brenda Newkerk, president of the Meadowbrook Commons Homeowners Association, was wearing a puffy purple coat that made her look like an angry grape, and her face was already twisted into that particular expression of righteous indignation that I had learned to dread over the years. Brenda was 53 years old, had never worked a day in her life thanks to her husband’s tech industry money, and had devoted the past decade to making our HOA the most restrictive, nitpicky organization outside of a military base.
“Conor Reeves,” she called out in that shrill voice that could strip paint off a fence. “I need to speak with you immediately.” I considered pretending I had not heard her and just driving away, but I knew that would only make things worse. Brenda had a vindictive streak a mile wide, and crossing her was like poking a hornet’s nest with a stick.
Instead, I climbed back out of my truck and faced her with what I hoped was a neutral expression. Morning, Brenda. What can I do for you? She stopped about 3 ft away from me, close enough that I could see the broken capillaries in her cheeks from the cold, and pointed an accusatory finger at my still running truck.
That That right there is what you can do for me. You can turn off that monstrosity immediately. I blinked at her, genuinely confused. My truck, I am about to leave for work. I just needed to let it warm up. I am well aware of what you are doing, Brenda said, her voice dripping with condescension. You have been idling that truck in your driveway for the past 20 minutes, creating noise pollution and air pollution in direct violation of Metobrook Commons HOA bylaws section 7, paragraph 3, which clearly states that no vehicle shall be left idling in a
residential area for more than 5 minutes. I felt my jaw tighten. Brenda, it is -8° outside. It is a diesel engine. It needs to warm up and I need to be able to see out my windshield. This is a safety issue. That is not my concern, she said, pulling out her phone and tapping at the screen. The rules are the rules, Connor.
They apply to everyone equally, regardless of occupation or personal convenience. I am documenting this violation right now and you will be receiving a formal notice of fine in the mail within 3 business days. A fine. Are you serious?For warming up my work truck. Completely serious. The fine for firsttime violations of the idling ordinance is $250.
If it happens again, the fine doubles. And before you argue, I suggest you review your HOA agreement that you signed when you purchased your home. You agreed to abide by all rules and regulations, and ignorance is not an excuse. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, but I forced myself to take a deep breath.
Getting into a screaming match with Brenda would accomplish nothing except giving her more ammunition to use against me. This is ridiculous. Everyone in this neighborhood warms up their cars in the winter. Are you going to find all of them, too? If I observe them violating the 5-minute rule, absolutely. But so far, you are the only resident who consistently leaves their vehicle running for extended periods.
I have been monitoring the situation for several weeks now, and this is not an isolated incident. The creepy reality of what she was saying hit me then. She had been watching me, timing me, waiting for the opportunity to nail me with a violation. The thought made my skin crawl. You have been spying on me.
I have been performing my duties as HOA president, Brenda corrected primly. Ensuring that all residents comply with the rules that keep our community pleasant and property values high. Now, if you will excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. Have a good day, Connor. Try not to break any more rules.
She turned on her heel and marched back toward her house, leaving me standing in my driveway, staring after her in disbelief. $250 for warming up my truck in negative degree weather during a snowstorm. I climbed back into my cab and slammed the door harder than necessary, making the whole truck shutter. My phone buzzed with a text from my first client of the day, asking if I was still coming to clear their lot.
I texted back a quick confirmation and put the truck in gear, my mind racing as I pulled out of my driveway. The thing about Metobrook Commons that made Brenda’s power trip even more infuriating was that I had been doing the HOA a massive favor for years. And apparently nobody except me realized it. Our development had a large shared parking area near the community clubhouse and pool about 2 acres of asphalt that served as overflow parking for residents and guests.
When I first moved in, the HOA had a contract with a commercial snow removal company that charged them $800 per plow with a minimum of three plows per major storm. After my first winter watching them struggle with scheduling and budget issues, I approached the HOA board and offered to plow the community lot whenever I was already out doing my commercial work.
I told them I would not charge them anything, just consider it my contribution to the neighborhood. They were thrilled, of course, and for the past seven winters, I had kept that parking lot clear through every storm, sometimes plowing it twice a day during heavy snowfall, never sending them a bill, never asking for anything in return.
I did it because it was the neighborly thing to do. I did it because my equipment was already out and adding one more lot to my route cost me maybe 15 minutes of time and $10 in fuel. I did it because I actually liked most of my neighbors and wanted to help out. But as I drove toward my first paying customer that morning, I found myself wondering why I was bending over backwards to help a community whose president was watching my house with a stopwatch, waiting to find me for warming up my work vehicle.
The next 3 days passed in a blur of snow removal and regular work. The storm I had been tracking dumped another 8 in on Boulder, and I spent nearly 14 hours a day keeping up with my client’s needs. Every morning, I made sure to set a timer on my phone before starting my truck. And every morning, I sat in a freezing cold cab with ice still coating my windshield after exactly 4 minutes and 59 seconds, then scraped and cursed my way to visibility before heading out.
On the fourth day, the promised HOA violation notice arrived in my mailbox. It was printed on official looking letterhead with the Metobrook Commons logo at the top and written in the kind of formal bureaucratic language designed to make you feel like a criminal. Dear Mr. Reeves, it began. This letter serves as formal notification that on February 14, 2026 at approxima
tely 4:45 a.m. you were observed in violation of Metobrook Commons HOA bylaws. Section 7, paragraph 3, vehicle idling restrictions. Your vehicle, a 2019 Ford F350, was left idling in your driveway for approximately 18 minutes, exceeding the maximum allowable idle time of 5 minutes by 13 minutes. Per the established fine schedule, you are hereby assessed a penalty of $250 payable within 30 days of the date of this notice.
Failure to remit payment will result in additional late fees and potential legal action. Please remit payment to I crumpled the letter in my fist and threw it across my living room.My wife Rachel picked it up from where it had landed near the couch and smoothed it out, reading it with increasingly wide eyes.
“$250 for warming up your truck. That is insane.” That is Brenda Newkerk, I said bitterly. She has had it out for me for years because I would not support her stupid proposal to ban all commercial vehicles from being parked in residential driveways. She wants me to park my work truck somewhere else, even though it is registered to this address, and I need it for my business.
Rachel set the letter down on the coffee table and looked at me with concern. Are you going to pay it? I do not know. Part of me wants to fight it, but you know how HOAs are. They can put leans on your house if you refuse to pay fines. We could end up in court spending thousands in legal fees over a $250 fine.
But it is the principle of the thing, Rachel protested. You were not doing anything wrong. You were warming up your truck so you could safely drive it. That is not noise pollution or air pollution or whatever she wants to call it. That is common sense. Tell that to Brenda in her rule book. I spent that evening reviewing my HOA agreement, reading through page after page of mindn numbing regulations about lawn height and fence colors and holiday decorations.
Sure enough, buried on page 47 was the vehicle idling restriction. No vehicle shall be left idling in any residential area of Metobrook Commons for more than five consecutive minutes except in cases of emergency or when actively loading or unloading passengers or cargo. The rule had apparently been added 3 years ago as part of a green initiative that Brenda had spearheaded.
I vaguely remembered getting an email about updated bylaws, but like most people, I had not actually read through all the changes. Who has time to memorize 47 pages of HOA regulations? I was still fuming about the fine 2 days later when another snowstorm rolled through Boulder. This one was bigger, meaner, and dropped a solid 10 in of heavy, wet snow that was hell on equipment and backs.
I was up at 4 in the morning again, and this time I did not even bother starting my truck until I was completely ready to leave. I climbed into a freezing cold cab, turned the key, and immediately put the truck in gear. Driving off with my windshield still frosted over and my breath visible in the air inside the vehicle.
I made it about two blocks before I had to pull over because I literally could not see through the ice. I spent 10 minutes scraping both the inside and outside of my windshield while my truck sat running in a grocery store parking lot, my hands going numb, even through my work gloves. When I finally got back on the road, I drove past the Metobrook Commons Community parking lot out of habit, and something made me slow down.
The lot was completely buried under 10 in of unplowed snow. No tire tracks, no footprints, just a pristine expanse of white that would make parking impossible for anyone who needed to use the space. For 7 years, that lot would have been clear by 6:00 in the morning, thanks to me. I would have swung through after my first commercial client, made a few quick passes with my plow, and left it clean and accessible.
But as I sat there idling at the entrance to the lot, my truck’s plow blade catching the orange glow of the street lights, I made a decision. I drove past without turning in. If Brenda wanted to find me for warming up my truck, she could handle her own snow removal. I was done doing favors for an organization that treated me like a criminal for following basic cold weather vehicle maintenance procedures.
I finished my route that day without giving the community lot another thought. By evening, I had cleared 23 driveways and 12 commercial parking lots, earned close to $2,000, and felt the satisfied exhaustion that comes from a hard day of physical work. When I got home, I was too tired to do anything except eat dinner, take a hot shower, and collapse into bed.
The next morning, my phone started ringing at 7:30. I groaned and rolled over, grabbing it from my nightstand and squinting at the screen. Unknown number. I let it go to voicemail. 30 seconds later, it rang again. Same number. I ignored it again. By the time I dragged myself out of bed at 8, I had six missed calls and three voicemails.
I put the phone on speaker while I made coffee and listened to them. The first one was from a neighbor named Tom who lived three houses down. Hey Connor, it is Tom. Just wondering if you are planning to hit the community lot today. I have some family coming in this afternoon and they will need somewhere to park. Give me a call back.
Thanks, man. The second one was from another neighbor. Susan Connor. Hi, this is Susan Martinez from Willow Drive. The parking lot is still completely snowed in and I am supposed to host book club tonight. Is there a problem with your equipment? Let me know if you need help with anything. The third voicemail made me smiledespite myself.
It was Brenda’s voice, tight with barely controlled irritation. Mr. Reeves, this is Brenda Newkerk. The community parking area has not been plowed despite significant snowfall yesterday. As you have historically maintained this area, I am calling to inquire about the delay. Please contact me at your earliest convenience.
I deleted all three voicemails and poured myself a cup of coffee. My phone rang again immediately. This time it was a number I recognized. My neighbor Gerald from two streets over. I answered, “Hey, Gerald.” Connor, thank God. Listen, I hate to bother you, but what is going on with the community lot? My daughter is visiting with my grandkids and she could not find anywhere to park.
The whole thing is buried. Yeah, I know, I said, keeping my voice neutral. I am not plowing it anymore. There was a long pause. You are not. What? Why not? Because I have been doing it for free for 7 years. Gerald and the HOA just find me 250 bucks for warming up my truck in my own driveway. So I figured if they want to play hard ball with petty violations, they can handle their own snow removal.
They find you for warming up your truck. That is ridiculous. Tell me about it. But that is what happened and I am done volunteering my time and equipment for an organization that treats me like that. Gerald was quiet for a moment. I get it, man. I really do. But a lot of people rely on that parking lot.
Is there any way you could reconsider, Gerald? You are a good guy, and I am sorry this affects you, but this is not about you or the other neighbors. This is about Brenda and the HOA board thinking they can find people for madeup violations while taking advantage of free services. if they want the lot plowed, they can hire a company like everyone else does.
We talked for a few more minutes, and Gerald was understanding, even though he was clearly frustrated by the situation. After I hung up, I felt a small twinge of guilt. Gerald was right that regular residents would be inconvenienced by my decision, but I pushed the feeling aside. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself even when it is uncomfortable.
The phone calls continued throughout the morning. Some neighbors were sympathetic once I explained the situation. Others were annoyed and acted like I was being petty. I got two more voicemails from Brenda, each one more demanding than the last. Around noon, there was a knock on my front door.
I looked through the peepphole and saw Brenda standing on my porch along with another woman I recognized as Janet Morrison, the HOA vice president. I considered not answering, but I knew that would only escalate things. I opened the door, but did not invite them in. Connor, Brenda said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.
We need to discuss the community parking lot situation. What situation would that be? Her smile tightened. Do not play games. You know exactly what I am talking about. That lot should have been plowed yesterday and it is still sitting there under nearly a foot of snow. Multiple residents have complained. That is unfortunate, I said.
Have you contacted a snow removal company? We do not have a snow removal company. You have been plowing that lot. I was plowing that lot. Past tense. I am not doing it anymore. Janet stepped forward, her expression concerned rather than angry. Connor, I understand you are upset about the fine, but this is affecting the entire community.
Can we talk about this reasonably? I am being completely reasonable, I said. The HOA decided to find me for warming up my work truck, which is something I have to do in order to safely operate my vehicle and run my business. That same truck is what I was using to provide free snow removal services to the HOA. Since the organization has decided that my truck is a problem that needs to be fined, I have decided that the organization can handle its own snow removal going forward.
Brenda’s fake sweetness evaporated. This is childish and spiteful. You are punishing innocent residents because of a legitimate rule violation. I am stopping a volunteer service that was being taken for granted. I corrected. There was never any contract requiring me to plow that lot. I did it out of the goodness of my heart and I am choosing to stop.
That is my right. We could take legal action, Brenda threatened. For what? Not volunteering to plow your parking lot. Good luck with that. There is no law that says I have to provide free services to the HOA. We stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, Janet touched Brenda’s arm. Let us go.
We need to figure out an alternative solution. This is not over, Brenda said to me, her eyes narrowed. You are still responsible for paying that fine. And if you continue to idle your truck in violation of HOA bylaws, the fines will continue to increase. Then I guess you better start budgeting for snow removal, I said, and close the door in her face through the window.
I watched them walk back to Brenda’ssilver Lexus and drive away. My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking slightly. I do not like confrontation, but something about Brenda’s entitled attitude had pushed me past my breaking point. Rachel came downstairs, having heard the whole exchange from the second floor. That was intense.
Yeah, I think I just declared war on the HOA. Good, she said firmly. I am proud of you. Someone needs to stand up to that woman. Over the next week, the situation deteriorated rapidly. Another storm rolled through and dumped six more inches on top of the already buried parking lot. The pile of snow in the community lot grew higher and higher, and the complaints to the HOA apparently became a flood.
I heard through the neighborhood grapevine that Brenda had called an emergency HOA board meeting to discuss the parking lot crisis. Meanwhile, I kept working, kept earning money, and kept setting my timer for 4 minutes and 59 seconds every freezing morning before driving away in a truck that still had ice on the inside of the windshield.
I was making my point, but I was also making myself miserable in the process. 10 days after I stopped plowing the community lot, I received another letter from the HOA. This one informed me that due to my refusal to maintain common areas, I was being assessed a $500 fine for failure to fulfill community obligations. I actually laughed when I read it.
The legal logic was so twisted it bordered on impressive. They were trying to claim that because I had been plowing the lot voluntarily for years, I had somehow created an obligation to continue doing so, and stopping was a violation. I called my buddy Marcus, who is a real estate attorney in Denver, and rid him the letter.
He laughed even harder than I had. Connor, this is the dumbest thing I have ever seen an HOA try to pull. And I have seen some stupid HOA tricks. They cannot find you for stopping a volunteer service. There is no legal basis for that whatsoever. So, I can ignore this. Absolutely. In fact, if they try to enforce it, you could probably sue them for harassment.
Do you have any documentation showing that your snow removal was voluntary and not part of a contract? I have emails from 7 years ago when I first offered to do it, making it clear it was a free service I was providing out of neighborly goodness. Perfect. Keep those. If this escalates, you will need them.
But honestly, I think they are just trying to intimidate you. Most HOAs back down when they realize they do not have legal ground to stand on. I thanked Marcus and hung up, feeling vindicated. That evening, I drafted a response letter to the HOA, keeping my tone professional but firm. I explained that my snow removal services had always been voluntary, that I had documentation proving this, and that any attempt to find me for discontinuing a volunteer service would be met with legal action.
I sent it certified mail the next day. The following week brought a warm spell, and the massive pile of snow in the community parking lot began to melt. But melting snow creates its own problems, and the lot quickly became a lake of icy slush with nowhere to drain. The storm drains were blocked by snow, and the whole area turned into an impassible mess.
I heard from multiple neighbors that people were having to park on the street and walk several blocks to their homes because the community lot was unusable. The HOA apparently contacted three different snow removal companies for quotes, and the numbers were not pretty. Because the snow had been sitting unplowed for weeks and had compacted and partially melted and refrozen, it was now much harder to remove than it would have been if it had been plowed after each storm.
The first company quoted $1,200 just for the initial clearing. The second company wanted 1,500. The third company took one look at the frozen mess and declined the job entirely. The HOA board meeting that month was apparently explosive. I did not attend because I knew it would just be an ambush, but several sympathetic neighbors filled me in on the details.
Brenda had opened by ranting about my unprofessional and vindictive behavior for 20 minutes. She proposed that the HOA should sue me for the cost of snow removal, claiming I had created a verbal contract by providing the service for multiple years. About half the board seemed to support her. But then Tom, my neighbor from down the street, stood up and gave a speech that apparently changed the room’s mood.
He pointed out that I had been saving the HOA thousands of dollars every winter for 7 years, never asked for compensation or even a thank you, and was only stopping because the HOA had fined me for warming up my work truck. He asked how many other board members warmed up their cars in the winter and what made my truck different.
Someone else pointed out that the cost of the snow removal the HOA now needed to pay for would exceed $10,000 by the end of winter while my fine had been for$250 bucks. The math did not make sense. Janet Morrison, the vice president, apparently sided against Brenda for the first time in years.
She proposed that the HOA should resend my fine, formally apologize, and ask if I would be willing to resume snow removal services. Brenda shot that down immediately, saying it would set a dangerous precedent and show that rule breakers can get their way by refusing to cooperate. The meeting ended with no resolution, and the community parking lot remained an unusable disaster.
February turned into March, and Boulder’s unpredictable weather delivered two more significant snowstorms. Each time, I plowed my commercial clients and residential customers, drove past the community lot without slowing down, and watched the snow pile higher and higher. The lot had basically become a snow storage area at this point with walls of plowed snow from the streets getting dumped there by the city crews.
The breaking point came on March 15th. We got hit with a late season blizzard that dumped 18 in of heavy wet snow in less than 24 hours. It was the kind of storm that makes national news and shuts down highways. I worked for nearly 20 hours straight, catching a few hours of sleep in my truck between runs, keeping my client’s properties accessible.
When I finally made it home on the evening of March 16th, exhausted and sore, I saw emergency vehicles at the entrance to Metobrook Commons. An ambulance, two fire trucks, and several police cars were clustered around the community parking lot area. I slowed down as I passed, my stomach dropping.
A crowd of neighbors stood behind police tape and I could see MS loading someone into the ambulance. I pulled over and called Tom. What happened, Connor? It is bad. Mrs. Henderson from Oak Street fell in the parking lot. She was trying to walk across it to get to her car and she stepped into a hole that was hidden under the snow.
Broke her leg in two places. Maybe her hip, too. The ambulance took her away about 10 minutes ago. I closed my eyes, feeling sick. Mrs. Henderson was 78 years old and lived alone. Is she going to be okay? I do not know, man. She was in a lot of pain, but Connor, people are talking. Some people are saying this is the HOA’s fault for not keeping the lot maintained.
Others are saying it is your fault for refusing to plow. I never refused to plow, I said, anger flaring. I stopped volunteering to plow for free after the HOA fined me for warming up my truck. There is a difference. I know that, and a lot of people know that, but Brenda is telling everyone that you abandoned your responsibilities and this is the consequence.
I thanked Tom for the information and sat in my truck for a long time watching the emergency vehicles and trying to process my feelings. I felt terrible about Mrs. Henderson. I genuinely did. But I also could not shake the anger at being blamed for a situation that the HOA had created by being petty and vindictive.
The next morning, I was woken up by pounding on my front door at 7 in the morning. I stumbled downstairs in my pajamas and looked through the peepphole to see two police officers standing on my porch. My heart rate immediately spiked. I opened the door. Connor Reeves. Yes, that is me. What is this about? The older of the two officers, a woman in her 40s with Sergeant Stripes, consulted a notepad.
Sir, we are investigating an incident that occurred yesterday at the Metobrook Commons community parking lot. An elderly woman was injured in a fall. We have received a complaint alleging that you were responsible for maintaining that lot and failed to do so, resulting in hazardous conditions. We would like to ask you some questions.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. Officers, I would be happy to answer your questions, but I need to make something very clear first. I was not and am not responsible for maintaining that parking lot. I voluntarily plowed it for several years as a free service to my neighbors, but there was never any contract or legal obligation for me to do so.
I stopped providing that service after the HOA fined me for an unreasonable violation. The sergeant’s expression shifted slightly. So, you are saying there was no agreement for you to maintain the lot, correct? I was doing it out of the goodness of my heart, and I have emails and documentation proving that it was always voluntary.
The younger officer spoke up. Why did you stop? I explained the whole situation from warming up my diesel truck to Brenda’s fine to my decision to stop volunteering my time and equipment for an organization that was treating me like a criminal. The sergeant took notes and I could see her expression growing more skeptical as I talked about the idling fine.
“So, let me make sure I understand,” she said. The HOA find you $250 for warming up your work vehicle for longer than 5 minutes? Yes, madam. Despite the fact that I need to let my diesel engine warm up in freezingweather and despite the fact that I need visibility to safely drive, she exchanged a glance with her partner.
And after they find you, you decided to stop providing free snow removal services. Correct? I did not think it was fair to be penalized for basic vehicle maintenance while simultaneously being expected to donate my time, fuel, and equipment to maintain HOA property. The sergeant nodded slowly. Mr.
Reeves, based on what you are telling me, I do not see any criminal negligence here. If you were not under contract to maintain the lot, you had no legal obligation to do so. The HOA’s failure to arrange for proper snow removal is their problem, not yours. That is what my attorney said, too, smart man. However, I would recommend that you get something in writing that clearly establishes you have no maintenance obligations for HOA property just to protect yourself.
HOAs can be vindictive and civil liability is different from criminal liability. I promised I would and the officers left. I immediately called Marcus and filled him in on everything that had happened. He agreed to draft a formal letter to the HOA establishing that I had no maintenance obligations and demanding that they cease making any claims that I did.
But the damage to my reputation in the neighborhood was already done. Over the next few days, I became aware that the community was splitting into two camps. About half of my neighbors understood my position and agreed that the HOA had created this situation through their own petness. The other half seemed to believe Brenda’s narrative that I had abandoned my responsibilities and was partially to blame for Mrs. Henderson’s injury.
I started getting dirty looks at the grocery store. Someone left an anonymous note on my truck, calling me a selfish coward. Two of my long-term residential customers canled their contracts, saying they did not want to support someone who would endanger elderly neighbors over a petty dispute.
Rachel found me sitting in my garage one evening, staring at nothing. You okay? No, I admitted. I feel like I am being punished for standing up for myself. I did not do anything wrong, but half the neighborhood hates me now. She sat down next to me and took my hand. You did not do anything wrong. The HOA created this situation by being unreasonable.
You have every right to stop providing free services. I know that. But Mrs. Henderson is still in the hospital with a broken leg and hip because that parking lot was a death trap. Even if it is not legally my fault, I still feel responsible. That is because you are a good person, Rachel said. But you cannot set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.
The HOA has money. They could have hired a snow removal company at any point. They chose not to, probably because they were waiting for you to cave and come back to plow for free. She was right, but it did not make me feel much better. A week later, I received a certified letter from an attorney representing the Metobrook Commons HOA.
My stomach sank when I saw the return address. I opened it with shaking hands. The letter was a formal demand to pay the original $250 fine, plus the $500 failure to maintain fine, plus an additional $1,000 community harm fine they had apparently just invented. The total came to $1,750, and they were threatening to place a lean on my property if I did not pay within 15 days.
I forwarded the letter to Marcus who called me back within an hour. Connor, this is harassment, plain and simple. They have no legal basis for any of these fines except maybe the original idling violation, and even that is questionable given the circumstances. I am going to draft a response that makes it very clear that if they continue down this path, you will sue them for harassment and abuse of process.
Do you think they will back down? Honestly, I do not know. Some HOAs are reasonable when confronted with actual legal consequences. Others double down and end up costing themselves tens of thousands in legal fees defending indefensible positions. Brenda Newkerk sounds like she might be in the second category.
Marcus was right. When his strongly worded response letter arrived at the HOA’s attorney’s office, instead of backing down, they escalated. I received another letter two weeks later informing me that the HOA was filing a civil lawsuit against me for breach of implied contract and negligent failure to maintain common areas seeking damages of $15,000.
$15,000 for stopping a volunteer service. I met with Marcus in person this time and he walked me through what would happen next. We would file a response denying all claims and likely file a counter suit for harassment and abuse of process. The case would probably take a year or more to whine through the courts, during which time both sides would spend thousands on legal fees.
Even if we won, which Marcus was confident we would, the process itself would be expensive and stressful. Unless, Marcus said, leaning back in hischair, they majorly screw up and give us something we can use to make this go away quickly. What do you mean? I mean, if they keep escalating and start doing things that are clearly illegal or in bad faith, we can potentially get the case dismissed with prejudice and possibly even recover our legal fees.
But we have to document everything carefully. I left his office feeling like I was trapped in a nightmare. All I had wanted was to warm up my truck and do my job. Now I was facing a lawsuit and watching my reputation in my own neighborhood get destroyed. The lawsuit moved slowly through the preliminary stages. Discovery requests went back and forth.
Marcus subpoenaed records from the HOA showing their budget and their decision-making process around snow removal. We provided all of my documentation showing that my services had been voluntary. As part of discovery, we got access to HOA board meeting minutes. And that was when things got interesting.
Marcus called me on a Thursday afternoon in midappril and I could hear excitement in his voice. Connor, I need you to come to my office. I found something. I drove to Denver immediately and Marcus spread out several documents on his conference table. They were meeting minutes from HOA board meetings over the past 3 years.
Look at this, he said, pointing to a section from a meeting in January 2024. This is a discussion about your snow plowing services. Brenda is quoted as saying, and I am reading directly here, Mr. Reeves free services save the HOA approximately $8,000 annually. We should encourage him to continue this arrangement as long as possible to avoid budget impacts.
I stared at the document. She knew exactly how valuable my services were. It gets better. Look at this one from February 2025. He slid another document across the table. This is a discussion about updating the idling regulations. Someone on the board, a guy named Frank Peterson, raises concern that the 5-minute limit might be unreasonable for commercial vehicles that need to warm up.
Brener responds, quote, “The rule will apply equally to all vehicles. If certain residents find this inconvenient, perhaps they will reconsider having commercial vehicles at their residences. She targeted me on purpose. That is what it looks like. She wanted you to stop parking your truck at your house, and when you would not, she used the idling rule to penalize you.
Then when you stopped plowing as a result, she turned around and sued you for stopping. Marcus pulled out one more document, but this is the smoking gun. This is from an emergency board meeting on March 20th, 4 days after Mrs. Henderson’s accident. Brenda proposed filing the lawsuit against you, and Janet Morrison, the vice president, objected.
According to these minutes, Janet said, quote, “Filing suit against Connor Reeves for stopping a volunteer service is legally dubious and morally wrong. He was providing us a free service that saved thousands of dollars, and we find him for warming up his work truck.” “This is retaliation, and I will not support it.” I looked up at Marcus.
“What happened?” Brenda called for a vote. Three board members voted yes, two voted no. The motion passed. But here is the thing, Connor. Janet Morrison resigned from the board at that same meeting. And according to this resignation letter that was attached to the minutes. She resigned specifically because she believed the HOA was acting in bad faith and abusing its authority.
Marcus grinned. I already called her. She is willing to testify on your behalf if this goes to trial. For the first time in months, I felt hope. We filed an amended response to the lawsuit that included all of this evidence and a strongly worded motion to dismiss based on bad faith and abuse of process.
We also filed our counter suit seeking damages for harassment and legal fees. The HOA’s attorney must have realized how bad the optics were because we got a settlement offer within a week. They would drop the lawsuit if I dropped my counter suit and we would both walk away with no money changing hands. Marcus advised me to reject it.
We have them dead to rights. If we go to trial, you will almost certainly win and you will likely recover your legal fees. Do not let them off the hook for this. But I was tired. I was tired of fighting. Tired of being the neighborhood pariah. Tired of lying awake at night worrying about leans and lawsuits. I told Marcus to counter offer.
I would drop my suit if they dropped theirs, rescended all fines, and paid $20,000 to be split evenly between me and Mrs. Henderson for her medical expenses. They will never go for that, Marcus said. Then we go to trial. He sent the counter offer and I waited. 3 days later, we got a response. The HOA rejected the $20,000 payment, but offered a compromise.
They would drop the lawsuit, resend all fines, issue a formal apology, and pay $10,000 to Mrs. Henderson’s medical fund. They would pay nothing to me. I thoughtabout it for exactly 10 seconds and told Marcus to accept. I did not want their money. I just wanted to be left alone and for Mrs. Henderson to get something to help with her medical bills.
The settlement was finalized in early May. As part of the agreement, Brenda Newkerk had to send me a formal letter of apology on HOA letterhead acknowledging that the idling fine had been unreasonable and that my snow removal services had always been voluntary. Reading that letter gave me more satisfaction than any amount of money could have.
But the story was not quite over. Two weeks after the settlement, I was working on a landscaping job for a client when I got a call from Tom, my neighbor. He was laughing so hard he could barely speak. Connor, you need to hear this. There is a special HOA meeting tonight. Brenda is being removed as president. What? How? Apparently, after the settlement became public knowledge, about 40 residents signed a petition calling for her removal.
They got enough signatures to trigger a special election for the board. The meeting is at 7 tonight at the clubhouse. You should come. I told him I would think about it, but Rachel convinced me I needed to be there. You have to see this through, she said. You earned this. So that evening, we walked to the Meadow Brook Commons clubhouse, which was packed with residents.
Every chair was taken and people were standing along the walls. The energy in the room was electric. The meeting was called to order by Frank Peterson, the board member who had originally objected to the 5-minute idling rule. He explained that per the HOA bylaws, a petition signed by 20% of residents could trigger a special election for any board position.
The petition against Brenda had been signed by 43% of residents. Brenda sat at the front table, her face pale and pinched. She looked smaller somehow diminished. When she was given a chance to speak in her own defense, she stood and gave a rambling speech about how she had always acted in the community’s best interests, how rules needed to be enforced fairly, and how she was being unfairly scapegoed.
Then Tom stood up and read a statement signed by 28 residents detailing their grievances with Brenda’s leadership. The unnecessary fine against me was just the beginning. Over the years, she had fined people for lawn heights being a/4 in too tall, for Christmas decorations being left up one day past the arbitrary deadline for having the wrong shade of beige paint on their fences.
She had created an environment of fear and pet, and people were done with it. The vote was not even close. Brenda was removed as president by a margin of 62 to11. She gathered her papers with shaking hands and walked out of the meeting without another word. As she passed my seat, she glared at me with such hatred that I actually felt a chill.
But then she was gone and I realized I probably would never have to deal with her again. Frank Peterson was elected as the new HOA president on the spot. His first official act was to propose eliminating the five-minute idling restriction and replacing it with a more reasonable rule that allowed for vehicle warm up in cold weather.
The motion passed unanimously. His second official act was to formally thank me for the seven years of free snow removal I had provided and to ask if I would be willing to consider resuming the service on a voluntary basis with the understanding that I could stop at any time without penalty. I stood up feeling the eyes of the entire room on me.
I appreciate the sentiment, I said, and I appreciate the apology, but I think it would be better for everyone if the HOA had a formal contract with a snow removal company going forward. That way, there is no ambiguity, no expectations that might not be met, and no more situations like the one we just went through.
There were murmurss of agreement. Frank nodded. That is probably wise. But on behalf of the community, I want to officially thank you for everything you did. You saved us a lot of money over the years and you asked for nothing in return. That was good of you and I am sorry it ended the way it did. People started clapping.
It started with just a few residents, but it built until the whole room was applauding. I felt my face get hot and Rachel squeezed my hand. It was not quite vindication, but it was close. As we walked home that night under a clear May sky, I felt lighter than I had in months. The lawsuit was over, the fines were rescended, Brenda was out, and my reputation was mostly repaired.
“It was not a perfect ending, but it was good enough.” “So, would you ever consider plowing for them again?” Rachel asked as we reached our driveway. “Even if they paid you?” I looked at my truck sitting in the driveway with the plow attachment still mounted from the season. Honestly, probably not. Some things once they are broken, they do not get fixed.
I will stick with my commercial clients and residential customers, the people who actuallyappreciate the work. She smiled. Good. You deserve better than to be taken advantage of. The summer passed quietly. I focused on my landscaping work, built up my client base, and tried to repair relationships with the neighbors who had believed Brenda’s version of events.
Some came around once the full story became public. Others never did, and I made my peace with that. In August, I heard through the grapevine that Brenda and her husband had put their house on the market. They moved to a different development across town in September. I never saw her again. The next winter, Metobrook Commons had a contract with a professional snow removal company that charged them $900 per plow.
After a particularly heavy December with six major storms, several residents commented wistfully about the days when I used to do it for free. I just smiled and said nothing because here is what I learned from the whole experience. People will take advantage of your generosity as long as you let them.
They will accept your help, your time, your expertise as if it is their due and then turn around and penalize you for the smallest perceived infractions. Standing up for yourself might be uncomfortable and it might cost you in the short term, but in the long run it is the only way to maintain your self-respect. I never regretted stopping the snow plowing. Not once.
Even when Mrs. Henderson got hurt, even when my reputation took a hit, even when I was facing a lawsuit I did not ask for, because the alternative was continuing to let myself be used while being treated like a problem to be managed. On a frigid morning in January, almost exactly a year after the idling fine that started everything, I woke up early to another snowstorm.
I went outside, started my truck, and let it idle for a full 20 minutes while I drank my coffee inside my warm house. The engine rumbled steadily in the pre-dawn darkness, warming up properly, defrosting the windshield completely. When I finally climbed into the cab, the interior was toasty warm.
The windshield was crystal clear, and the engine was running smoothly. I pulled out of my driveway and headed toward my first commercial client of the day, driving past the Meadow Brook Commons parking lot without even glancing at it. The lot had been plowed by the contracted company and it looked fine, professional, efficient, not my problem anymore.
I cranked up the radio, took a sip of my still hot coffee, and headed out to do the work I was actually getting paid for. The morning stretched ahead of me, full of parking lots to clear and driveways to plow, full of customers who appreciated my services and paid me fairly for them. It was a good day.
They were all good days now. And if my truck idled a little longer than strictly necessary while I waited at stop lightss or grabbed breakfast from the drive-thru, well, there was nobody around to find me for it anymore. The freedom was worth more than any amount of money the HOA could have paid me.
Sometimes the best revenge is not revenge at all. Sometimes it is just living your life on your own terms, doing good work for people who appreciate it, and walking away from situations that do not serve you. I learned that lesson the hard way through months of stress and conflict and self-doubt, but I learned it and I would not change a thing.
