Pipkins Reports has received the following press release from Fate City Council Candidate, Lorna Grove. We present it here without editorial comment or review. We offer this service to any/all candidates for public office.

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FATE, TEXAS —Fate resident and legal professional Lorna Grove has announced her campaign for Fate City Council, pledging to bring experienced, steady leadership focused on responsible growth, fiscal responsibility, and community unity.

Grove brings more than 35 years of experience as an in-house paralegal specializing in commercial real estate development contracts and licensing. Through that work she has spent decades reviewing development agreements and negotiating complex projects, and using that experience, she can help Fate ensure that contracts protect the community.

“Fate is at a turning point,” Grove said. “With only about 600 acres of land left to develop, the decisions we make today will shape our city for generations. Our residents deserve leadership that protects the character of our community while planning responsibly for the future.”

Grove says her campaign is built around priorities she has consistently heard from residents across Fate.

Responsible growth and thoughtful development remain at the top of that list. Grove believes development should enhance the quality of life for residents, not simply increase revenue. She supports strategic planning that preserves the charm of the community while encouraging businesses that bring value to residents and attract visitors to the city.

Fiscal responsibility is another key focus. Grove says the city must maintain a balanced and responsible budget while ensuring essential services are fully supported. She said she has spent the last year reviewing not only the current budget, but also the comprehensive plan and city charter, and plans to carefully review future spending to ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely and that the city remains focused on serving its residents.

Infrastructure and public safety are also central priorities. Grove supports continued investment in roads, water systems, and the city’s fire and police departments to ensure they have the resources needed to keep the community safe as the city grows.

Finally, Grove says the city must focus on bringing residents together.

“We are stronger when our community works together,” she said. “From downtown beautification and parks to family-friendly events and volunteer projects, there are many opportunities to build pride in our city and strengthen the connections between neighbors.”

Grove plans to release a series of campaign videos outlining the priorities she has heard from local residents and sharing her vision for the future of the city.

“The future of Fate belongs to the people who live here,” Grove said. “I’m running to help ensure we build a city our families can be proud to call home.”

Learn more about Lorna at LornaForFate.com

Media Contact – Lorna Grove
Lorna Grove Campaign
LornaGroveForFate@gmail.com

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FATE, TX – Just two months after Councilwoman Codi Chinn publicly posted an unredacted recall affidavit that included citizens’ names and home addresses, she now refuses to release a similar document that would reveal her supporters. Her explanation for the change, however, appears to conflict with information provided by city officials.

The dispute centers on an “Affidavit of Petitioners’ Committee,” the formal document required to begin a recall process under Texas law. The affidavit lists the members of the committee seeking the recall, including their names and home addresses.

Earlier this year, such an affidavit was filed to initiate a recall election against Chinn. According to records obtained by Pipkins Reports, Chinn received the document through her city-issued email account and later posted the affidavit publicly on Facebook without authorization or redacting the listed addresses.

The disclosure drew widespread criticism from residents and local observers who argued that publishing citizens’ home addresses could expose them to harassment or intimidation. A police report later named Chinn as a suspect in a possible unlawful disclosure investigation, a matter previously reported by Pipkins Reports.

Among the individuals listed on that recall affidavit were Andrew Greenberg and several members of the Fate City Council.

At the time, Chinn denied wrongdoing and defended her decision to publish the document.

The political situation in Fate has since flipped.

Supporters aligned with Chinn recently filed their own recall affidavit targeting Greenberg along with council members Mark Hatley, Rick Maneval, and Martha Huffman.

When residents asked on social media whether Chinn would again release the affidavit publicly, she declined and suggested there was a key distinction between the two situations.

“… there’s one big difference between the email we received from the city secretary when it was notifying council about my recall and the one notifying us about the recall for Greenberg, Hatley, Maneval, and Huffman,” Chinn wrote online. “One came without a confidentiality disclaimer and the other did. I’ll let you do your ‘investigative journalist work’ to figure out why that is.”

So, we did. To verify the claim, Pipkins Reports contacted Fate City Manager Michael W. Kovacs to ask whether the city had changed the language used in emails sent to council members regarding recall documents.

Kovacs said it had not. “All City originated emails have always carried the notice below,” Kovacs wrote in an email response.

The notice warns recipient that the message “may contain confidential and/or privileged information” and it cautions against copying or disclosing the contents if the recipient is not authorized.

In addition to the standard email disclaimer, Kovacs also noted that council members have long received additional guidance reminding them that although elected officials may view unredacted documents in their official capacity, they remain subject to restrictions on disclosing confidential information. The additional disclaimer says, “As Mayor and Council Members you are entitled to see any document of the city without redaction of confidential information,” Kovacs wrote. “However, you are also bound to the restrictions against disclosure of any information deemed confidential by the Public Information Act.”

Kovacs added that the city recently moved the confidentiality language higher in the email to emphasize the notice, following consultations with the city attorney during a period that included several recall petitions and open records requests. (ie: after Chinn disclosed the document)

Public records law and city policy

Under the Texas Public Information Act, most government records are presumed public unless they fall under specific statutory exceptions. The law requires government bodies to withhold certain categories of sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account data, and some contact information. While a citizen’s name and address may appear in some public filings, many municipalities (including Fate) adopt internal practices designed to limit the disclosure of personal identifying information when documents are shared publicly. This includes the redaction of addresses of the public.

Opinion and analysis

The facts of the situation are relatively straightforward.

When the recall affidavit targeted Chinn, she had no problem releasing the document publicly on social media with citizens’ addresses intact. When a similar affidavit surfaced targeting her political opponents, the same kind of disclosure suddenly became off limits.

Chinn has attributed that difference to changes in the email disclaimer language. The city manager’s explanation suggests the warning language was not new, but rather long-standing. Only the prominent location of the language changed.

So it would appear that Chinn’s response is a case of political convenience.

Ultimately, voters in Fate will decide how they view the episode. But the unfolding recall battle has already delivered one clear lesson. In politics, the standard you apply to others often returns to test you.

### Pipkins Reports has requested a copy of the Affidavit of Petitioners’ Committee from the City of Fate. When received, we will provide that information to the public … redacted of course, as we did previously.

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.