Tammy Meinershagen speaks of how she loves “governance” and that is her favorite part of the job as a councilwoman.  One “best practice” and vital component of good governance is transparency.  Why is transparency so important?  It boosts public trust, confidence, and citizen participation.  Transparency has become a virtue in public management and public policymaking. It is an important democratic value that a trustworthy, high-performing, and responsible government pursues.

WHY IS FRISCO NOT TRANSPARENT?

We have to assume everyone reading our blog is new and may not have read previous blogs.  In 2023, when Mayor Cheney was running for re-election against Retired Former Fire Chief, Mark Piland we wrote the blog Tangled Web of Lies (click on the title to read it) which detailed out how acting HR Director Sassy Lauren Safranek set in motion a calculated witch hunt to protect her job and wrongdoing against then Fire Chief, Mark Piland.  

Why is that blog so important?  In it, we mentioned that on April 4, 2024, the Frisco City Council, after emerging from an executive session, voted on one item from its executive agenda. “In connection with item No. 2A, ii on tonight’s agenda, Bill Woodward made a motion, “I move to authorize the city manager to release the second investigative report, dated Sept. 1, 2022, concerning Mark Piland.”  That night, the Frisco City Council, with a 5-0 vote, moved to pass the motion.  Mayor Cheney conveniently recused himself. It is important to note that Bill Woodard, Angelia Pelham, John Keating, and Tammy Meinershagen had already endorsed and been helping with Mayor Cheney’s re-election campaign.   That night, it was clear the release of this document was designed to be a political hit job.  Since that night, Woodard also ran a PAC against our Firefighters and started the Vote Yes for Broadway PAC with Tammy Meinershagen. 

CLEARLY, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE COMPROMISED AND SHOULD HAVE ALSO ALL RECUSED THEMSELVES ALONG WITH JEFF CHENEY!  BETTER YET, IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN VOTED ON BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS – WHY NOT SEND IT TO THE AG INSTEAD?

They didn’t want to wait 45 to 60 days because that would have been “after the election,” and they were worried Mark Piland might win. So, shaking in their boots, they took it upon themselves to vote at the council. The same council that determines ethical complaints against each other!

Fast forward to 2025 and we write our blog City Hall’s Troubled Seas last week that questions why “TOP BRASS” HR Director, Sassy Lauren Safranek and Assistant HR Director, Jacinta Shanks just vanished into the dark night.  Missing for weeks, internal sources telling us that they both had been suspended, investigations were ongoing, and their return dates to the office were unknown made us file some PIR’s for more information. 

FIRST PIR REQUEST: JACINTA SHANKS

4/1/2025: FWB Filed the Public Information Request

“We would like all documents and information regarding the investigation into, administrative leave of, and outcome of Jacinta Shanks – HR. We would like any and all investigative records, including emails, screenshots, and messages regarding Jacinta Shanks and fellow employees that refer to them making racist remarks/comments to other black subordinates, disparaging employees, and making fun of other employees. We would like to know if Jacinta Shanks received a promotion after this investigation.”

4/16/2025: City of Frisco responds and asks us to “CLAIRFY” our request to the city

4/22/2025: FWB replied to the request

5/7/2025: We assumed in the eye of “GOOD GOVERNANCE” they city would be transparent just like they have been with previous employees, right?  No.  Absolutely Not!    

We received the response that reads, “The City of Frisco has reviewed its files, and has located documents responsive to your request. However, due to issues of confidentiality, the City has chosen to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding the release of the responsive documents. Please see attached for a letter from Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Hullett, PC, attorneys for the City of Frisco, informing you of the City’s decision to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of the Attorney General has up to 45 business days in which to make a ruling regarding your request.”

SECOND PIR REQUEST INTO JACINTA SHANKS AND JIREH SHOE

4/1/2025: FWB filed a PIR Request

We also filed a second PIR that reads, “Related to the Jacinta Shanks and Jireh Shoe Investigations or any other HR employees. We would like a copy of any NDA signed by a new employee related to their failure during the probation period. We would like to know if any female employee received a payout or payment related to this investigation, was asked to sign an NDA, who was released, terminated, removed, etc for failing their probation period.”

4/11/2025: City of Frisco responds and asks us to “CLAIRFY” our request to the city (sound familiar)

4/22/2025: FWB replied to the request

1. Jacinta Shanks and Jireh Shoe Investigations:  We are specifically requesting any investigative reports, findings, HR communications, termination notices, or disciplinary actions related to Jacinta Shanks and Jireh Shoe.  If these individuals were involved in internal investigations conducted by HR or Legal, we request all documents reflecting:
• The nature of the investigation
• Dates of the investigation
• Parties interviewed or named
• Final outcomes or recommendations
• Settlement agreements, if applicable

2. NDAs Signed by New Employees Who Did Not Complete Probation
We are requesting copies of any Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) signed between January 1, 2021, and April 1, 2025, by employees of the HR Department who were released, terminated, or resigned before completing their probationary period. If a list of names is required to narrow this down, we ask the City to identify individuals who meet the criteria during that time frame so we can refine accordingly.

3. Female Employees—Payments or NDAs Related to HR Investigations
We are seeking records that show whether any female employee involved in an HR investigations between January 1, 2021, and April 1, 2025:
• Received a financial payout or settlement (voluntary or involuntary separation)
• Was asked or required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement
• Was terminated, released, or otherwise separated during or at the end of probation
These may include settlement agreements, NDAs, HR exit memos, or other documents reflecting these outcomes. 

We are not asking the City to answer legal questions—only to provide existing documents that meet the above clarified criteria.
If there is a more efficient way to identify the documents—such as a keyword search (e.g., “probation,” “settlement,” “NDA,” “termination”) or a specific custodian of records—please advise. We are happy to work with you to facilitate this.

5/7/2025:  Guess what, we assumed for a second time that in the eye of “GOOD GOVERNANCE” they city would be transparent.  I bet you can guess their response; it was identical to our other PIR.  Literally, identical!   

We received the exact same response as the first PIR which reads, “The City of Frisco has reviewed its files, and has located documents responsive to your request. However, due to issues of confidentiality, the City has chosen to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding the release of the responsive documents. Please see attached for a letter from Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Hullett, PC, attorneys for the City of Frisco, informing you of the City’s decision to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of the Attorney General has up to 45 business days in which to make a ruling regarding your request.”

THIRD PIR WE ARE FILING NOW: Lauren Safranek HR

Now we are going to file a PIR for everything related to Sassy Lauren Safranek and what do you want to bet, we are going to get the same response.  Using delay tactics to push it out, then send it to the AG to further delay it.  Why?  What do they not want to come out before you and I vote at the polls?  The delay is purposeful and if they truly wanted to show “GOOD GOVERNANCE” – Tammy Meinershagen couldn’t you vote to release the files?  Lead the charge for transparency! 

GOOD GOVERNANCE: JUST VOTE ON IT!

In our opinion, the city set a precedent with Mark Piland on what is or is not confidential in an employee’s HR file when they went to the council and voted to release his record, especially when that vote was by four members of the council who endorsed and were working on Mayor Cheney’s campaign against that employee.  So why can’t they vote again to release the HR file for Safranek, Shanks, and anyone else in the HR investigation? Show the voters you have nothing to hide and that it is consistency of GOOD GOVERNANCE.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We think all the citizens of Frisco who want transparent communication should email the city attorney’s office, the entire city council, and the City Manager’s office, demanding the release of all documents from the HR Department investigation, just like they did with Former Fire Chief, Mark Piland. If there is an issue, they should be able to vote on it at a city council meeting. We would expect the same transparency in a 5-0 vote to release it.  Because good governance is transparent, right?

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing as a citizen of Frisco to request full transparency on behalf of the city, to release all HR documents related to the HR investigation into Jacinta Shanks, Lauren Safranek, and any other employee.  For us to trust our city government, we need to see transparency, even if that means it has to go to a vote at the city council meeting to be released. 

Sincerely.

To make it easy, here is their email:

City Manager’s Office: wpierson@friscotexas.gov; hhill@friscotexas.gov;

City Council: jcheney@friscotexas.gov; bwoodard@friscotexas.gov; tmeinershagen@friscotexas.gov; jkeating@friscotexas.gov; apelham@friscotexas.gov; lrummel@friscotexas.gov; blivingston@friscotexas.gov;

City Attorney: acotton@abernathy-law.com

What are they hiding? It should alarm citizens that the city will vote to release one employee’s or a former employee’s records and not release others. One was running against the mayor for office, while the others were not. If you didn’t believe us in 2023 when we called it a political hatchet job, then you should believe us now! Why else would they fight the release of HR records for other employees under investigation?