Fate Power Play: Councilman Threat That Led to DPS Chief’s Sudden Firing
FATE, Texas — The abrupt firing of Fate’s longtime Director of Public Safety, Lyle Lombard, has sparked intense scrutiny over the political maneuvering inside city hall, and raised serious questions about whether Fate City Manager, Michael Kovacs was pressured into removing a respected public-safety leader without cause.
City officials publicly announced on Nov. 21 that Lombard was no longer employed with the Department of Public Safety.
Under Lombard’s leadership, Fate rose to recognition as one of the safest cities in Texas, a point frequently highlighted in city communications and by elected officials. Yet behind the scenes, tensions were building.
Through an inquiry to the City of Fate, Pipkins Reports confirmed that it was Councilman Codi Chinn who formally requested that Lombard’s employment be discussed in executive session. Her request was seconded by Councilman Scott Kelley, triggering the closed-door meeting that preceded Lombard’s dismissal.
Neither the Council, nor the City, has publicly disclosed why the discussion was initiated, nor what concerns Chinn or Kelley raised during the session. What happened afterward, however, has become the center of the controversy. Although the executive session gave the appearance that the council played a decisive role, Fate’s city charter makes one fact unmistakably clear: only the City Manager can terminate city employees, including the Director of Public Safety.
The council has no legal authority over city staff. Despite this, multiple individuals familiar with internal discussions describe a far more aggressive dynamic playing out in private.
According to sources with direct knowledge of the situation, Councilman Chinn pressured City Manager Michael Kovacs to fire Lombard, allegedly threatening his own position if he refused. These sources say the push came suddenly and forcefully.
[Update: As of 01/05/2026 – additional information has been presented that exonerates Councilman Chinn. Statement from Michael Kovacs instead implicates Councilman Mark Harper. Story: https://pipkinsreports.com/secret-recordings-rock-fate-city-manager-admits-council-pressure-as-anonymous-letter-triggers-police-chief-firing/ ]
City Manager Kovacs ultimately executed the termination, and the city has offered no explanation for the decision. Kovacs has remained silent during and after the executive session, even as community concern mounted. Pipkins Reports reached out to Kovacs for comment, and he has declined to respond. For many Fate residents, that silence is difficult to reconcile with Lombard’s long service record and the department’s stable performance.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Mark Hatley publicly opposed the firing, stating he had spoken with Kovacs and an executive staff member and, “heard nothing that any reasonable person would interpret as justification.” As reported by Maci Smith (WFAA), Hatley credited Lombard’s leadership for Fate’s strong public-safety metrics and high resident confidence.
The involvement of councilmembers in a personnel matter has also raised legal and procedural questions. City councils generally have no authority to direct, influence, or interfere with employee-related decisions. This boundary is designed to prevent political targeting of staff and to keep personnel matters within the city manager’s professional purview.
Even more concerning for residents is the absence of any public accusation, documented performance issue, or allegation of wrongdoing against Lombard. The lack of transparency and the appearance of political motivation have fueled widespread speculation about the true reason for the chief’s removal. The firing also arrives at a time when debate over the structure of Fate’s Department of Public Safety has intensified.
Some city leaders have pushed to dismantle the unified DPS model and separate police and fire operations into distinct departments. While no official link has been made between that debate and Lombard’s termination, the timing has not gone unnoticed. Following Lombard’s removal, the city designated Ryan Ragan to oversee police operations and Captain John Taylor to oversee fire services.
Some citizens have called for the public to express their concerns TONIGHT, Monday, December 1st, during the council meeting. Social media is buzzing about holding City Manager Michael Kovacs, Councilman Codi Chinn, and Councilman Scott Kelley accountable. Calls are now growing for the termination of Kovacs and a recall election for Chinn. Kelley is up for reelection in May, and his participation in this event may put that plan in jeopardy.
Michael Kovacs’ fate will ultimately be determined by the City Council … Pipkins Reports (Fate Tribune) has published multiple articles outlining various controversies surrounding the City Manager. But citizens will have to engage and demand that the City Council take action and restore justice to Chief Lombard.
*This is an ongoing story, and Pipkins Reports has requested additional information as part of an open records request which is still pending review. We continue to interview multiple witnesses with knowledge of the facts. As we obtain more information, we will provide updates to this story.
FATE, TX – Fate voters are heading into a May 2 election that could fundamentally rearrange the city’s governing body.
Two City Council seats are open, with no incumbents seeking reelection. At the same time, residents will weigh a recall question targeting sitting Council Member Codi Chinn. If the recall succeeds, the newly seated council, whatever its composition after the election, would appoint someone to fill the resulting vacancy.
Taken together, the ballot presents more than routine municipal housekeeping. It presents a potential structural reset.
Who Is On The Ballot
For Council Member, Place 2, voters will choose between Lorna Grove and Ashley Rains. The seat is currently held by Mark Harper, who opted not to run for another term.
For Council Member, Place 3, Melinda McCarthy faces Allen Robbins, a former Fate councilman. That seat is currently held by Scott Kelley, who also chose not to seek reelection.
In addition, the ballot includes a recall measure concerning Council Member Codi Chinn. Under Texas municipal law, recall elections allow voters to decide whether an elected official should remain in office before the end of a term. If a majority supports removal, the position becomes vacant.
What Happens If The Recall Succeeds
If voters approve the recall, the City Council would be responsible for appointing a replacement to serve out the remainder of the term, unless the city council calls a special election. In Fate’s case, the council has authority to fill a vacancy by appointment.
That means the composition of the council immediately after May 2 will matter significantly. The same body that voters help shape at the ballot box would select the individual who fills the recalled member’s seat.
In practical terms, voters are not only choosing two new council members. They may also be indirectly influencing who could become a third.
Fate, TX
City of Fate Audio and Video Files Released Under Open Records Law Now Available for Public Review
PipkinsReports.com is posting a collection of audio and video files released by the City of Fate in response to a formal Open Records Request submitted by a private resident of Fate.
Pipkins Reports was not the requesting party. The materials were obtained from the resident who filed the request under the Open Records Request. Since we have a server able to handle such large files, in the interest of transparency, we are making the files publicly available in a single location.
These files are posted exactly as we received them. We have made no edits, no cuts, no redactions, and no alterations of any kind. The content, format, filenames, and timestamps remain unchanged from the versions we received. Furthermore, these files represent the entirety of the files we were provided in association with the open records request. We are not withholding any files that were released by the city.
Under the Texas Public Information Act, government records are presumed to be public unless an applicable exception applies. The City of Fate released these materials in response to that statutory request.
Pipkins Reports has not independently verified whether any redactions were made by the City prior to release. We are not asserting any conclusions regarding the content of these recordings. The files are provided for public review in their entirety.
Readers are encouraged to review the materials directly and reach their own conclusions based on the full record.
Note: Some of the files are in Video Format, but contain only audio. This is how they were provided to us.
Mayor Greenberg
Hatley, Kovacs
Hatley, Kovacs
Greenberg, Chinn, Harper.
Hatley, Kovacs
Hatley, Kovacs, Corson
Hatley, Kovacs
Hatley, Kovacs, Corson
Hatley, Kovacs, Corson
Hatley, Kovacs
FATE, TX – In the weeks after a citizen-led recall petition was filed against Fate Councilwoman Codi Chinn, the political fight moved from City Hall into a police case file.
A criminal complaint obtained through an open records request shows the Fate Police Department opened Case #2026-00000216 listing Chinn as a suspect in an investigation under Texas Penal Code §42.074(b) — Unlawful Disclosure of Address or Telephone Number. The report classifies the alleged offense as having occurred in “Cyberspace” and notes the offender was suspected of using a computer. The case status is listed as Open / Ready for Review, and no charges have been filed as of publication.
The report identifies multiple Fate residents as victims — whose names we have redacted. The remaining redactions, which includes addresses of the victims as shown on the documents below, were made by the City of Fate.
[Pages of complaint against Fate Councilwoman Codi Chinn received via Open Records Request. Pipkins Reports has provided an additional redaction to the victims names.]
What triggered the complaint
According to the complainants, after the recall petition was formally submitted to the City of Fate, the document — which included the names and home addresses of the recall committee members — was distributed by the city manager to all members of the city council, including Chinn. The citizens allege that Chinn later posted images of the unredacted petition pages on Facebook, thereby displaying the names and residential addresses of those responsible for initiating the recall.
Some of the petition committee members then filed a criminal complaint, asserting the disclosure exposed them to potential harassment and intimidation. The police report reflects that allegation by citing the specific statute related to unlawful disclosure of personal information.
A public statement of fear
During Fate City Council meetings on February 2, 2026 and the following week on February 9, 2026, some individuals spoke during the public comment period and stated, on the record, that they believe the disclosure has placed both themselves and their family in danger. One person spoke about how their children were harassed and frightened. She even spoke about how her children have taken to carry nerf guns … in case something happened to daddy and they needed to protect mommy.
The law at the center of the case
Texas Penal Code §42.074 — Unlawful Disclosure of Personal Information
Texas law makes it a criminal offense to post on a publicly accessible website, or distribute electronically, the home address or telephone number of an individual with intent to cause harm or threaten harm.
- Classified as a Class B misdemeanor
- Elevated to Class A if bodily injury results
- Contains an exemption for public servants only when releasing information as part of their official duties in accordance with law.
The statute does not prohibit publishing a person’s name or signature. It specifically protects residential address and telephone number. Furthermore, the mere posting of an address, absent intent to harm, does not automatically satisfy the statute.
That distinction is central to the complaint.
Why this is unusual
Recall petitions are public political documents. Names of organizers are not confidential. Addresses, however, are often redacted by municipalities before release in open records responses.
Page Cropping and Redactions by Pipkins Reports.]
The complainants argue that while the petition itself is public, the manner in which it was posted — unredacted, on social media, without city review — falls outside normal procedure and outside any official city function.
There is also no record indicating that Chinn was designated by the city in any official capacity to disseminate public records or communicate such materials to the public. The City of Fate maintains a Public Information Officer (PIO) role specifically tasked with handling the release of documents and public communications.
The police report does not determine intent. It documents that a complaint was made, identifies a statute, and names a suspect.
What the police document confirms
The report confirms:
- A complaint was filed January 5, 2026
- The alleged incident occurred online
- A specific criminal statute was cited
- Chinn is listed as the suspect
- The listed victims are recall participants
- The case is active and under review
It does not state that a crime occurred. It does not assign motive. It does not announce charges. It establishes that law enforcement considered the allegation serious enough to open a formal case.
The public servant exemption question
A key issue likely to be examined by prosecutors is whether Chinn’s posting of the petition falls under the statutory exemption for public servants acting within their official duties. The exemption applies only when disclosure is required by law or when disclosure is performed as part of an official governmental function.
The complainants contend that Chinn is not the city Public Information Officer (PIO) and is not authorized to post information on behalf of the city. They allege that posting the document to a personal Facebook page, without redaction and without city authorization, does not meet that threshold. They allege that the disclosure functioned as retaliation for initiating the recall.
What happens next
The case status of “Ready for Review” indicates the report has been forwarded for prosecutorial consideration. Whether the matter results in charges will be determined by the Rockwall County District Attorney, Kenda Culpepper, after review of the evidence.
Until then, the matter remains an open investigation.
Why this matters beyond Fate
Texas’ unlawful disclosure statute is increasingly cited in cases involving online publication of personal data. The law was designed to address modern forms of harassment often referred to as “doxxing.”
This case tests how that statute applies when the disclosure occurs in the context of a political dispute between elected officials and citizens.
It raises a novel question:
When does sharing a public document cross into unlawful disclosure?
That answer now sits in a police file.
Documentation
All information in this report is drawn from the Fate Police Department case report obtained through an open records request and social media sources. Home addresses, or potential victims’ names from the petition are not presented here to avoid republishing the information at issue in the investigation.
Pipkins Reports reached out to Councilwoman Chinn for comment before publication and received a call from her attorney, Cody Skipper, with Shook & Gunter Attorney at Law. Skipper’s response was, “Codi Chinn has done nothing wrong, nothing illegal, nothing unethical. Codi Chinn has done her job as a public servant.“
We also asked Mr. Skipper if he thought that when she posted the petition, if she was acting in an official capacity. He stated, “Every one of these people are acting in an official capacity.”
We have also verified that the Facebook post containing the recall petition with the committee members’ addresses has been removed. It is unclear when the post was removed.
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