The dispute began publicly in Fate, Texas, when I was accused by Councilwoman Codi Chinn’s husband, William Marcus Chinn, of concealing material facts. WM Chinn asserted that I “knew” that Mayor Andrew Greenberg was responsible for placing Chief of DPS Lyle Lombard into executive session long before a controversial letter ever surfaced, and (he asserts) that I was deliberately lying to protect him … as well as shedding false light on his wife.
So I did what journalists are supposed to do when confronted with claims that purport to be factual. I pulled the records.
What those records show is not a cover-up or collusion, but a collapse of a narrative. Click here for further information regarding the timeline of events.
The Claim
Mr. Chinn asserted that Mayor Greenberg initiated an executive session involving Chief Lombard on or before November 10, 2025, well before later events that have since become the subject of political dispute. He further claimed the mayor supported Lombard’s firing, and accused me of knowingly concealing those facts.
Those are serious allegations against a sitting mayor and a journalist. They are also verifiable.
The Records
On January 15, 2026, I filed an open records request with the City of Fate seeking all emails from Mayor Greenberg calling for an executive session to discuss Lyle Lombard prior to November 11, 2025. The City of Fate Public Records Office acknowledged the request and produced responsive documents through its public records portal.
The emails produced do not support the accusations made by Mr. Chinn.
Instead, the correspondence shows a discussion in late September 2025, specifically September 22 and 23, between City Manager Michael Kovacs, Councilman Mark Harper, and Mayor Greenberg. The topic was not the discipline, termination, or performance of Chief Lombard. It was regarding the DPS as a whole, and whether or not it should be separated into distinct divisions.
The email exchange centered on “Executive Session Meeting for DPS“, not Lyle Lombard. Under Texas law, such matters are commonly discussed in executive session due to personnel and strategic considerations. Kovacs even goes further to include that “IF” the discussion moves into discussing Lombard, they will have to make changes to the forum.
There is no evidence in the records that Mayor Greenberg sought to discuss Lombard personally, or that he anticipated the executive session would involve anything beyond the DPS split.
On the Record Confirmation
To remove any ambiguity, I spoke directly with Mayor Greenberg, on the record. He confirmed that his sole interest in the executive session discussion was the potential separation of the DPS into standalone Police and Fire departments. He stated he did not believe, at the time, that the executive session would be used to address Chief Lombard personally.
His statement aligns with the documentary evidence.
What Changed, and Who Changed It
Email we received on November 25, 2025 from Shelbi Stofer, PIO Officer for the City of Fate, states the facts, “Below you will see the press release regarding our leadership change at the City of Fate. Additionally, you asked about the councilmembers that [sic: who] asked for the agenda item and they were Councilmember Chinn and Councilmember Kelley (2nd).” Referring to the councilmen who requested that the chief be placed into executive session.
The email concluded with the public “Announcement of Leadership Transition” (Lyle Lombard)
The records show no mayoral email initiating an executive session for the purpose of discussing Lombard. The testimony and sources indicate the executive session was desired by Councilwoman Chinn, seconded by Councilman Kelley. The records reviewed do not substantiate the accusations made by WM Chinn or Councilwoman Codi Chinn that the Mayor had any involvement. By association, Pipkins Reports can’t have had any other knowledge to the contrary.
The Rhetoric Behind the Scenes
Politics is rarely polite, and Fate is no exception.
According to sources, after the council meeting in October 2025, Councilman Mark Harper referred to Mayor Greenberg as a “sellout” during internal discussions, a remark that reflects political frustration rather than documented fact. Separately, in a later recorded conversation with Pipkins Reports, Councilwoman Chinn referred to the mayor as a “Ken Doll,” adding a crude remark and referencing the doll’s genitalia as a metaphor regarding the mayor’s lack of courage. (We are paraphrasing, of course.)
Those statements are not evidence of wrongdoing. They are evidence of animus against the Mayor for his desire not to be involved with an employee dispute, which falls under the purview of the City Manager.
Opinion and Analysis
Here is where interpretation belongs.
What this episode reveals is not a secret scheme, but a familiar tactic. Make a claim forcefully enough, shout it into a microphone in a city hall meeting, and hope the accusation itself becomes the evidence. When challenged, attack the journalist. When records contradict the story, change the subject.
Texas open records law exists to protect the public from exactly this kind of political fog. When the documents are pulled, narratives either stand or fall. In this case, they fell.
No evidence has emerged showing Mayor Andrew Greenberg initiated an executive session to target Chief Lombard. No records show he supported Lombard’s termination prior to the events already publicly known. Those facts matter, regardless of personal grievances or political alliances.
If Councilwoman Chinn, her husband, or anyone else possesses documentary evidence to the contrary, it should be produced. Until then, accusations remain accusations, and the record remains clear.