As a young adult, I loved watching game shows. The mid-1950s were a period of rapid growth in popularity for quiz shows. I remember watching Jack Barry, on-air host from 1947-1958 and 1960 – 1980 who produced and appeared on “High Low Quiz,” “Juvenile Jury,” and “Tic Tac Dough.” Then, there was Dennis James who is credited with hosting television’s first network game show in 1946 called “Cash and Carry.” One of the most popular of all times was, “The Dating Game” with Jim Lange. Rodney Alcala, a contestant on the show in 1978 is often referred to as “The Dating Game Serial Killer” because when he applied to be a contestant he had already committed at least four murders and decades later authorities discovered he was a prolific serial killer, but, I digress.
The best game show in my opinion is “Family Feud,” which started in 1976 and was hosted by Richard Dawson. He was the host known as the Kissing Casanova for his signature kiss on the cheek and lips to all his female contestants. The show would be hosted over the years by Ray Combs, Louie Anderson, Richard Karn (Home Improvement), John O’Hurley (Seinfeld), and Steve Harvey. My wife and I tune in every day to hear Steve Harvey say, “We asked a 100 people” and “The survey says!” Game shows give the audience the chance to live out our fantasies thinking, “Well, if someone must win, it could be me!”
Who uses surveys? And, what is the survey’s purpose? A better question might be “Who doesn’t use surveys?” It is common for companies to do employee surveys to measure staff engagement or companies may reach out to customers after a purchase to measure satisfaction. The overall purpose of a survey is to get feedback and ideas to understand areas of improvement. We were a little surprised and intrigued when we heard rumors in the last few weeks that the Local 3732 Executive Board of the FFA had done a survey of the firefighters in response to a new chief and in regard to some of the Mayor’s recent statements.
Let’s look at the questions in regard to the Mayor’s Statement Survey:
Question: Do you want Interim Fire Chief Glover to be the next Fire Chief of the Frisco Fire Department? The survey says 92.5% said NO, they do not want Interim Chief Glover to be the new Fire Chief, which is alarming considering he is currently running the Department. Have the firefighter’s lost confidence in Glover?
Question: Do you believe Interim Fire Chief Glover has improved/rebuilt morale and regained trust of the Department? The survey says 91.4% of the Association said, NO Glover has not improved morale or rebuilt trust. Interestingly, this directly contradicts what Mayor Cheney said at the Star Patriot Debate where he adamantly said Glover has increased morale and is starting to regain trust. When the Mayor answered with such confidence, did he knowingly lie? Was it an attempt to mislead the public to win the election? Just listen to him in his own words…
Now, let’s look at the Fire Chief Questionnaire in regard to the future hiring process of the fire chief position.
Question: Do you believe the organization has any qualified candidates to assume the task set forth by the City Manager’s office? The survey says 89.4% said NO that the organization does not have any qualified candidates as of now to assume the task. That is pretty telling that Frisco firefighters don’t agree with the Mayor’s view.
Question: Would you like the next chief to be an external hire or internal hire? The survey says, YES, 93.8% would like an external hire which is mind-blowing because it shows they have no confidence in current interim Chief Glover.
Question: Do you believe the finalist list should be composed of National Candidates? The survey says 91.7% responded, YES it should have national candidates. So, if it were a “national” search, why did they need to be Texas Certified? Oh no, nothing to see here.
Question: Do you believe the finalists should have experience as a chief in a department of equal or larger size and city population density? The survey says, 86.1% said YES they should have the current experience equal to Frisco’s department.
Question: Do you believe the department is appropriately preparing for the future or heading back to the past practices? The survey said 91.5%, YES, that they are heading back to the past practices. Are they referring to Mack Borchardt, the previous Fire Chief, who works now in the City Manager’s office as a special assistant?
Question: Do you believe the Department is appropriately staffed? The survey says 95.2% responded NO it is not adequately staffed. As a resident, that scares the shady shit right out of me that its own department feels that way.
Question: Do you believe there should be a stakeholders’ group of FF consisting of all ranks involved in the hiring process? The survey said 96.6% responded YES, they want to have a say in picking their next leader.
After seeing the survey, we too had some questions and decided to do some research.
Frisco’s Fire Chief was Mack Borchardt who started as a volunteer firefighter in 1973. Then, in 1982, he became the Administrator and Chief of Volunteers until 1987 when he became the City’s very first Fire Chief. Oddly, in September of 2011, the City announced he would retire and then assume new duties as a Fire Programs Consultant and Special Assistant to then City Manager George Purefoy.
Why would a fire chief take a new role out of the blue? Multiple off the record sources tell us that Borchardt was caught in some compromising situations which could have been a factor, or it could have been his staff and the association just didn’t like him either.
In the fall of 2011, a Climate Survey was done in the Frisco FD to identify growing concerns of firefighters and officers. It notes, “…there is a lack of trust, respect, and dignity between officers and firefighters. The culture… is very negative and one of intimidation, retaliation, and fear.” The examiner notes that in the conversations with the Chief and Officers they lead her to believe there is some truth to the claims. The report also notes there is considerable animosity regarding Chief Borchardt and that many in the department felt the entire senior staff along with the Chief needed to be replaced because they were all trained in Borchardt’s style. The most telling part of the report was that many firefighters believe the then Chief Borchardt was trying to run the growing department like it only had 20 employees, and instead of hiring those best suited for the job, he hired his friends.
Lastly, it notes the department is understaffed for the growing population (ding, ding, ding). At the time 76.3% of the respondents indicated they would leave the department if they could.
While we have no concrete evidence, multiple sources said Borchardt was pushed out. George Purefoy stood up for him and said, if he goes then I go, so instead Borchardt was moved into a new job at city hall working for George himself. After reading the report, it begs the question was Chief Borchardt removed “not retired” because of his personal behavior and management style that had torn apart the Department?
Did then City Manager George Purefoy save his friend with a cushy job right next to him at city hall? It is important to note that the current Interim Chief and candidate Lee Glover steadily advanced through the ranks of management in the fire department under the leadership of Mack Borchardt; so, based on the report, it might be plausible to assume Glover still has Borchardt’s management style and that is why the new survey shows no confidence in him. Either way, Borchardt and Glover are what some would call “thick as thieves.”
In 2013, the city hired Mark Piland as the new Chief of Frisco Fire Department. According to many of the sources we talked to, YES, change did start to happen, but it didn’t help that Piland was met by resistance from then Manager George Purefoy who conveniently had Mack Borchardt, the previous fire chief, in his ear. Think about it, if you are an old fire chief of 20+ years, would you want to see what you built in the Department change right in front of your eyes?
Tension began early on from what sources tell us, making it very difficult for Piland to make significant changes. Borchardt worked the ear of his longtime friend and boss George Purefoy for years, straining the relationship from the onset with Piland and Purefoy. We are guessing Piland realized early on he was facing a losing battle going up against the old fire chief in the City Manager’s ear day-after-day during his entire tenure. One has to wonder, is this why Piland thought he might better serve the City as Manager? One also wonders if the new City Manager Wes Pierson was really chosen because he would fall right in line?
As a side note, I had some of these suspicions months ago when I filed a PIR asking for Borchardt’s recent contract renewal by Purefoy that was signed just before retiring, which, NO, we still have not received.
Now, it’s 2023 and Glover, who has been the Interim Chief, is a candidate for Chief of the fire department. You can bet he wants that position badly, and his mentor and friend in the city manager’s office, Mack Borchardt would not mind seeing him in the position either. If that wasn’t enough, we asked around, and multiple officers told us shocking things regarding Glover that left us flabbergasted. YES, flabbergasted!
Obviously, out of fear of losing their jobs, I can understand why they would not want to go on the record. With that said, multiple firefighters spoke off the record. They have witnessed the Interim Frisco Fire Chief belligerently drunk multiple times in public and threatened them if they ever spoke up about it. The same firefighters confirmed he was recently seen in the street at a FD Conference, again belligerently drunk, peeing on a tree in the median during the middle of the day. Witnesses also say he drank heavily at lunchtime during some of these conferences. So now, the current survey makes total sense. All of these factors, history, and more, contribute to the survey results. We were told he has a known history of maliciously undermining all ranks of FD leadership for his own personal gain.
Based on what we were told, someone at city hall might want to ask the following interview questions of Interim Chief Lee Glover:
Is it true you have a history of being belligerently drunk at FD training conferences and FD apparatus purchasing meetings?
Do you have a DUI on your record from August of 1985? Were you sentenced to 2 years’ probation? Is the city aware of this?
Did you urinate on a tree in the middle of the street at an FDIC conference in Indianapolis? And is it true, you threatened FD staff if they spoke of the incidents and suggest they would “regret it?”
Is it true you have a history of using your rank to cause people in your department to fear losing their job should they go against you?
If we told you there was a tape of you making racially inappropriate statements how would you respond? Do you have a history of making racially inappropriate statements?
If the City had the guts to sit down with the staff today face to face for an honest conversation, would your current staff say all these incidents were true?
Lastly, does the Public Lewdness charge from 1992 and the indecent exposure charge in 2000 belong to you or your father?
From the City’s recent meet and greet, we now know the candidate shortlist is Rob Bergersen, Richard Davis, Lee Glover, Kenneth Johnson, and Marc Pate. None of them have held the position of Chief. But, we learned of a few names that were removed, and we are interested in asking, why since they seem to have much more experience? Take Paul Henley, who is the Fire Chief in Flower Mound and President of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association–why was he taken off the list? Chief Lasky in Lewisville, a 40-year veteran and has served as a Fire Chief for the last 12 years–why was he taken off the list? Hello? With the stellar background of on some of these candidates, one should wonder why they were removed from the list. “Survey Says…“
Frisco Lakes held their candidate meet and greet on January 8th for residents who lived in the community. The day after we received an email from an anonymous Frisco Lakes Resident giving us a summary of the recent Candidate Forum featuring Ann Anderson and Mark Piland, both of whom are running for Place 1. According to our insider, Ann Anderson came out of the gate attacking her opponent at the Forum. Did we expect anything different? No. Why? Because those running the Forum were Frisco Insiders aligned with the Mayor and Frisco Elite!
Our Frisco Lakes insider sent us a transcript of her voice recording, and a few things stood out to us. Ann Anderson starts out “We have been tricked in this city to believe everything is peachy keen and everything is great.” She continues, But Mark I read that report and it makes me angry that we had a hostile work environment in our Fire Service. I don’t think they want you there! I don’t think they want you leading them. I don’t think it is right for you to stand here and say you want to help them. I have the report on my table for anyone who wants to see it. It makes me angry and as a corporate executive if I see a hostile work environment on an email it is my job to do something about it.
Ann, who has given you approval to speak on behalf of the leadership and staff of the Fire Department? Mark Piland has been endorsed in this election by both Public Safety Department Associations: Frisco Police Officer’s Association and the Frisco Firefighters Association. Their choice is clear, and you Ann … are not it!
Based on the transcript we received, Mark Piland chose to use his rebuttal and said page 20 of the report states that he did nothing wrong. Best part was when Ann rebutted him again and said you are right Mark (wait, what?) Ann Anderson admitted at the Frisco Lakes Forum that page 20 said he did nothing wrong, yet she still had concerns about other issues within the report – okay fine!
I am curious if Ann is so upset and angry over this report then how would she have felt if she read the 2011 Climate Report based on Mack Borchardt’s leadership and his Assistant Fire Chief Lee Glover. It was done by a third party that reads “After reading the surveys and conducting over 140 hours of meetings with firefighters and officers, it is clear there is a SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ISSUE in the department. The report continues “it appears there is a lack of trust, respect, and dignity” within the department. “The CULTURE is VERY NEGATIVE and one of INTIMNDATION, RETALIATION AND FEAR.” At the time the survey showed 76.3% of the respondents indicated they would LEAVE THE DEPARTMENT if they could. The report summary notes that this is the “fourth study done in the past ten years” and the management style will need to change moving forward DRAMATICALLY. Can you guess the outcome of that report?
Mack Borchardt was terminated as the Fire Chief and then George Purefoy hired him to work in the City Manager’s office reporting directly to his best friend – George, the City Manager! The hunt for a new Fire Chief began and that is when Mark Piland was offered the job and came to Frisco. In essence Piland’s job was to right a wrong ship!
Ann, where was your outrage and anger in 2011? Let’s give Ann the benefit of the doubt she didn’t know in 2011 about this report. However, Frisco Chronicles reported it in our blog The Valve Report in December 2023. We also reported about it again and provided a full link to the 50+ page report in March 2025 in our blog Weasel Wes & The Letter. Where was Ann Anderson’s anger then? What was her outrage then? Fact is she didn’t have any anger or outrage until she decided to run for office and needed a talking point to help boost her up.
Ann also lists Public Safety as her #1 priority on her new mailer, which is funny when her whole mailer attacks those who have served or currently serve in public safety positions. She didn’t get any endorsement from a public safety official in any capacity.
Other interesting points from the Frisco Lakes debate include Ann Anderson saying she was in support of the Frisco Performing Arts Center, then she said she made a mistake, and then she learned she shouldn’t have been? I am curious, how did you learn that you shouldn’t have been in support of it? Clearly voters spoke when 65% said no at the ballot box. She continued, do we need a Performing Arts Center? The citizens voted on it, and there is money set aside in a bond. Frisco Chronicles would like to know how much of that bond money is left after the city has done 5 to 7 studies for a PAC?
Anderson also said she is not for autonomous vehicles and does not like drones to help with traffic flow. Yet her mailer I got today says under her “Priorities” was that she is for smart mobility and infrastructure that keeps Frisco moving. What type of smart mobility is she referring to then? That is interesting comment considering many state and federal programs are leaning towards that technology to help mobility. Just look at that number of grant programs available to help fund smart mobility technology that she said she was against.
And with that, we’ll put a pin in it—for now. But don’t get too comfortable.
Next up: a closer look at Ann Anderson’s political mailer—where facts appear to have taken a scenic detour—and a breakdown of the Frisco Chamber Candidate Debate Monday night.
Keep your reading glasses handy and your skepticism well-fed. As always, Frisco Chronicles will be here asking uncomfortable questions, double-checking the receipts, and shining a flashlight where others prefer mood lighting.
Have you ever heard of the RIM Division inside the City of Frisco? Yeah. Neither had we.
That is… until someone slid us a picture like it was a manila envelope in a 1970s conspiracy thriller. 📸 Cue the ominous music.
Turns out, RIM doesn’t stand for “Really Inconvenient Memories,” though judging by recent events, it might as well. Officially, RIM is the Records and Information Management Division, the quiet little corner of City Hall tasked with managing the City’s records in compliance with local, state, and federal laws. You know—paper trails, transparency, history, accountability. Small stuff.
According to a PDF we found tucked away on the City’s website (because of course it’s a PDF), the RIM Division is one of two divisions within the City Secretary’s Office, which oversees:
City Elections
Boards and Commissions
Council Legislation
Public Information Requests
Records and Information Management
Alcohol Permitting
Lien Collections
That’s quite the grab bag. Democracy, booze, liens, and now—apparently—the great paper shredder of destiny.
What Does RIM Say It Does?
Straight from the City’s own description (translated from Bureaucratese to English): The RIM Division establishes and implements policies, procedures, and systems to manage city records. It trains city employees, manages records software, and oversees legal discovery. In other words: they decide what lives, what dies, and what mysteriously vanishes between fiscal years.
But Wait—Isn’t This Stuff Public?
Glad you asked. According to the Texas Municipal League (TML), public information includes any information that is:
Written, produced, collected, assembled, or maintained
By a governmental body
For a governmental body
Or by a government employee acting in their official capacity
And yes—this includes emails, electronic communications, documents on personal devices, and anything created “in connection with the transaction of official business.” Translation: If taxpayers paid for it, touched it, or breathed near it—it’s probably public.
Enter the Brochure of Doom
Here’s where things get… interesting. We were surprised (and that’s putting it mildly) to receive a photo of a brochure sent out by the RIM Division cheerfully titled something along the lines of: “4 Types of Records Eligible for Destruction in 2026!” Wait, what? It is a “How To” or a casting call for a low-budget disaster movie. The brochure lists records approved for destruction, including:
Policies
Procedures
Speeches
Papers
Presentations
Surveys
You know—the stuff residents might actually want to see.
Naturally, we went hunting for a clear list in the Texas Public Information Act that says, “Yes, thou shalt shred speeches and policies before citizens ask questions.” We couldn’t find one. Maybe it’s invisible ink. Maybe it’s stored in the same place as City transparency.
Transparent… Like a Brick Wall
Here’s the irony thick enough to clog the shredder: City leaders regularly remind us how transparent they are. Glass walls. Open government. Sunshine laws. The whole civic sermon. Yet somehow, at the same time, policies, procedures, presentations, and surveys—documents that explain how decisions are made—are being quietly greenlit for destruction.
Nothing says “trust us” quite like tossing records into the bureaucratic bonfire. To be clear, records retention laws exist for a reason. But when the City that prides itself on transparency starts asking, “What can we get rid of?” instead of “What should the public see?”—well, that raises more red flags than a Soviet parade.
So, here’s the real question for Frisco residents: If there’s nothing to hide, why is there such a rush to shred? Because in Frisco, it seems the motto might not be “Open for Business” anymore. It might be: “Approved for Destruction — 2026.”
Stay tuned. We’re not done digging through the recycling bin just yet.
Disclaimer: This blog includes satire, parody, and comic relief. It contains summarized accounts created solely for humor and commentary. Any resemblance to real events is either coincidental or intentionally satirical. Reader discretion — and a sense of humor — are advised.
Occupation and Background: Financial Advisor – I own my own Wealth Management Firm
Why are you running for Frisco City Council?
I’m running for Frisco City Council because I think we need to start serving the residents of Frisco more effectively, instead of serving the developers and Frisco elite. We need to slow down the density and address the traffic issues, as well as focus on public safety. I also want to focus more on fiscal responsibility and transparency and less on vanity projects such as the PAC and Universal.
Community and Development
What are your top three priorities for Frisco’s growth and development?
Slow down density/halt building apartment complexes; Focus on responsible, community friendly development on the east side; Address traffic in a meaningful way
How do you plan to balance economic growth with maintaining community character?
I’d like to focus more on smaller projects for the community and not so many mega projects. And, I’d like to focus on attracting more small businesses to Frisco.
What is your stance on residential and commercial zoning changes?
Not sure I understand the context of the question
How will you ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with growth?
I think we need to slow down the growth and let the infrastructure catch up. Future projects should have a plan for infrastructure built in at the beginning. And, it must be adhered to.
Density continues to be a hot discussion for Frisco Residents. Cheney even did a video on Density seven years ago when running for Mayor. He said in that video that the resident’s ultimate concerns was the concept of density and what the ultimate build out population number should be.
At build out the city’s comprehensive plan allows a maximum capacity of up to 350 thousand residents (building with maximum density). He then said in his campaign video that is not what people move to Frisco for, and he believed to maintain quality of life the population target goal should be around 280,000. He continued, we need to build out with world-class level developments with more open space, less multi-family all over the city and an overall less dense environment. In the last two years Cheney has changed his tune and said, “Density is a political dog whistle used at election time for political mailers.”
What is stance on Density?
Density is a real issue for Frisco citizens. Many have cited this as a reason for leaving. And, it’s creating quality of life issues for everyone. The only way to address it is to slow down the growth and determine what the right population number is for Frisco. 350k residents seems too high.
Fiscal Responsibility and Budgeting
What would be your approach to managing the city’s budget while ensuring essential services are maintained?
First, make sure that essential services are covered. We need to take care of our fire and police departments as well as other city services. Beyond that, all expenditures need to be thoroughly and reasonably evaluated to determine if they are necessary.
Do you believe Frisco’s current property tax rates are sustainable? Would you support any changes including cuts, increases or adjustments to the current property tax rates? Why or why not?
No. Residents can’t afford their property taxes based on the appreciation of their valuations. Even when the city and Frisco ISD lowers the tax rate, residents still don’t see it as their tax bill gets higher every year. I would be for reducing the rate but that isn’t enough.
What are your funding priorities for public safety, education, and infrastructure?
Public safety should be fully funded including additional police officers to handle the increased issues that will come with Universal (traffic, crime). See my previous comments about infrastructure.
How would you plan to handle Frisco’s increasing debt and financial obligations?
The debt can be handled by not taking on any more of it. The addiction to debt/bonds needs to stop to ensure the financial health of the city for years to come. TIRZ money can be used to pay debt obligations.
In December of 2021, the Mayor, Jeff Cheeney had to vote in a rare tie breaker vote in regard to an employee Health Clinic operated by Premise Health. At the time city staff shared the results of a survey which collected responses from 684 of 1,239 city employees. Out of those 684, a total of 89.75% said they were likely or somewhat likely” to use the clinic for urgent care needs. Only 64.7% said they were likely to “somewhat use” the clinic as their primary care provider.
Estimated expenses in the clinic’s first year total over $1.44 million, according to the proposed five-year budget. Those expenses include salaries, insurance, management/implementation fees and equipment purchases. The clinic’s fifth-year budget is listed at more than $1.31 million. It was projected that the clinic will operate at a loss in its first three years. The estimated cost for the first five years was $6.28 million. At the time there was a concern about how many years it could take to break even on the investment and how many employees would use the option.
At the five-year mark if the clinic is still not breaking even would you support closing the Employee Wellness Clinic or continue to operate at a loss?
Yes, I would support closing the clinic if it’s not at break even.
Should the city be in the business or running an Athletic Center, Performing Arts Center, or any other type of business model that mirrors a commercial business which has annual operational costs paid for by tax dollars?
No
Transparency and Accountability
How will you ensure transparency in your decision-making process and open communication between the city council and residents?
I will explain my decisions on key votes so that the community understands my reasoning. I will also make myself available to meet with residents by hosting regular town halls and I will also listen when community members speak at city council meetings and read their emails.
Currently only the city council meeting is aired live, however many residents believe they should have access to live meetings for the different boards and commissions as well as well as the published minutes of the meetings should be more detailed as to what was discussed.
Do you support more increased public access to city council meetings, boards and commission meetings?
Yes
What steps would you take to improve access to meetings, meeting minutes and public records?
I would see what other cities do and replicate the good ideas in Frisco by submitting a proposal for change.
What is your definition of conflict of interest?
A conflict of interest is when someone could potentially benefit from actions or decisions made in an official capacity.
Do you support implementing a stricter ethics policy that puts a check on the influence of money in local politics which would require council members to recuse themselves from votes that could benefit donors who contributed more than $1000 or $2500.00 to a political campaign?
Yes
Do you believe active members of the city council should be on the front lines advocating as “private citizens” for Propositions on the ballot during local elections?
No
Community Services and Quality of Life
What are your plans for enhancing public parks and recreation on Frisco’s East Side of the DNT?
If Brinkmann Ranch is to be entirely sold, I would work to ensure that some of the land be allocated for public use. The city could require the developers who purchase the land to fund the project/s. That is probably the best location. I would like to see some of the land kept for the cows to graze as that is part of Frisco’s history.
How do you plan to address traffic congestion across Frisco?
Work to ensure the traffic signals work more effectively. Remove concrete medians where the left turn lane traffic spills into the center lane regularly (at DNT and Eldorado for example).
Do you think Frisco has a public transportation need? No
How will you engage with and listen to diverse voices of the community?
See question 1 in the previous section
Public Safety
What measures will you take to ensure Frisco’s Police and Fire Department remain well-funded?
I will ask the departments what they need, validate that by looking at other city models and then advocating for funding.
For years the Frisco Firefighters Association has taken to the citizens input pulpit asking for more staffing (specifically going from a 3 Man Truck to a 4 Man Truck). Turnover has been high recently with Firefighters taking retirement and then going to work for other cities who are more supportive of their First Responders.
Do you support increased staffing and moving to a 4 Person Truck? Yes
What will you do to start repairing the relationship with our first responders to stop the turnover, so they stay here in Frisco, and we don’t lose that much needed experience and wisdom.
I will meet with the fire fighters regularly and listen to their concerns. I will also ensure that retention is improved by implementing a target and holding the city manager and fire chief responsible for achieving it. I would start with a 2% decrease in turnover and go from there.
As Frisco continues to grow, do you believe Frisco’s current policies on crime prevention and emergency response are sufficient? Why or why not?
I don’t think we are staffed appropriately for Universal and need to evaluate what is needed before situations escalate. The recent stabbing of a Frisco ISD student shows that this is not the same city it was a few years ago. We need to staff for the situations we encounter today.
Would you support removing Animal Services “out” from under Public Safety and turning it into its own department?
Yes
Residents have been advocating for an animal shelter (instead of the partnership with Collin County) and the city keeps stalling, saying they are open to one with a public-private partnership. Do you believe Frisco should have its own Animal Shelter and Education Center? Do you believe it is a city service, or should it be a public-private partnership?
Yes, and yes it Is a city service?
Closing Statements
Is there anything you would like us to know about you that we have not asked?
Cue the organ. Dim the gaslights. Somewhere beneath City Hall, in the catacombs of taxpayer-funded dreams and concrete promises, a shadowy figure stirs. No, it’s not Andrew Lloyd Webber’s misunderstood genius — it’s Mayor Jeff Cheney, cloaked not in a mask but in economic development jargon, quietly orchestrating Frisco’s most expensive performance yet: the Frisco Center for the Arts.
You won’t find him on stage — no, he’s under it. Pitching, plotting, and maybe even humming a show tune with Tammy Meinershagen. They are not haunting an opera house, but haunting public trust, serenading voters with visions of velvet seats and chandelier-worthy productions — all while the deal’s finer details stay buried beneath layers of “partnerships,” and “nonprofits,” and a conveniently ambiguous price tag.
This isn’t just art. This is politics set to music — a taxpayer-funded overture with mystery, misdirection, and a plot twist or two we’re not supposed to see until the curtain drops. Grab your mask (and maybe your calculator), dear reader. We’re headed backstage, into the Phantom’s lair, where the lights are low and the truth is off-book.
#1 Concern: Mo Money, Mo Problems!
The total maximum project budget for the FCFA is $340 million. Prosper has pledged to contribute $100 million from a bond approved in 2023. Then the City of Frisco is proposing $45 million from the CDC, $75 million from the EDC and $40 million from the Tax Reinvestment Zone No. 1. The Frisco CDC and EDC come from sales tax, which means if you shop in Frisco and you pay sales tax on an item then you are paying towards this project.
City leadership keeps reinforcing that this project will cost $160 Million funded through sales tax efforts and we keep asking for proof that residents won’t be left holding the purse strings. The question residents should be asking is “Does this project along with all the other current projects, put a significant tax burden in the future for Frisco?”
Do you know what Frisco’s outstanding bond debt is today? Currently Frisco taxpayers are on the hook for $1.47 BILLION in OUTSTANDING bond debt (principle & interest).
If we read the latest 2024 Rating Summary for all the CDC debt which includes Toyota, the CDC is currently carrying $464 million in outstanding principal and interest which is being serviced by the $34.9 million in CDC sales tax revenue as reported September 2024. Using Toyota as an example, normally the CDC finances on a shorter term, however with Toyota Stadium they did $72 Million for 30 years at a rate of 5.30 probably to keep the payment low.
When you look at the historical revenues for the CDC, the year ending 9/30/20 they had $22,562,428 in gross tax receipts and at the end of 2024 it was $34,929 and it was about the same in 2022/2023). That means with all the Halo Projects Cheney brags about it having only generated an additional $12 million in sales tax for CDC. Huh? That is because no one saw Covid coming and the world shut down. What if that happens again or the economy tanks, then what?
Are we over invested?
Toyota Stadium: $182 million in improvements: $77 million – TIRZ: City of Frisco, FISD, $40 million – FCDC, $65 million – The Hunt family
Downtown Rail District Revitalization: $76 Million
Grand Park: In 2006, voters approved the allocation of $22.5 million towards the acquisition and initial development of GP. In 2015, voters approved an additional $10 Million for GP. From research we know the city approved $4.84 Million already spent on design costs. We went through numerous articles, city power points, meeting notes and the one thing we can’t find – what will Grand Park cost? Ask yourself, a park bigger than Central Park in New York with all the bells and whistles – how much will that cost? Where will the money come from?
Plus, we have plenty of projects open like The Mix, Firefly, and Universal where we are offering performance-based incentives. For The mix it is up to $113 Million.
From Box Office to Backroom
Take the CDC and EDC out of the picture for a moment – what type of projects are currently on the plate for the city. These projects are “Needs” not “Wants” which is very different. According to GIS Data the Parks Capital Improvement Projects has 50 total projects in the pipeline for $170 Millon and the Engineering Capital Improvement has 66 projects in the pipeline for $457.9 Million.
Taxpayer Tango
Let’s talk about Bond, money bond! In the 2006 bond, voters approved of $5 Million and in the 2015 bond voters approved of $10 Million for a total of $15 Million. How much of that is left? According to the pretty PowerPoints thrown at us for the FCPA they have $11.5 Million left. We are curious about how that is possible and are doing more research into their claim. How much of it have they spent and what did they spend it on? Why has the city done so many feasibility and spatial studies over the years for a theater? The answer, because each study came back and said a larger facility was not sustainable. In fact, the recommendations have been a 300 to 500 seat option and 1200 to 1800-seat option. If you ask our opinion, they spent millions of that bond money on shopping studies, meaning research, consultants, and surveys. Why, they needed “THE ONE” that supported the narrative, we need a 2800 to 3000 square feet facility to justify the boondoggle Broadway Ballot.
Remember how they have said no property tax dollars will be used on this project? A Tax Reinvestment Zone captures growth in both sales and property tax value. It can only be used to fund improvements for the properties inside its boundaries. If they are using money from the TIRZ that is captures of property tax then they are using our dollars for this project.
Smoke, Mirrors, and Marquee Dreams: A vote “YES” just takes us to the next step! If you have been following the meetings for this opportunity, then you have heard each of them say “This is a vote to go forward to the next step.” This is the definition of a misleading statement filled with false impressions and the intent to deceive or mislead the voters. Context matters!
This is a NOT a vote to “go to the next step” it is a major vote to change the use of Economic Development Funds.THIS VOTE SETS A PRECEDENT ON USING EDC FUNDS FOR NON-TRADITIONAL USES. The city is COMMITING FUNDS, which enables them to get a contract done (meaning we have no contract now) to SECURE AN OPERATOR. No money = No Operator.
A vote “YES” will put a burden on the CDC and EDC and burn a lot of potential future opportunities that could significantly contribute to the tax base and sales tax base in Frisco. The ever-growing debt burden will impact future projects. So this is not a vote to just go forward to the next step. If it was they would not be trying to sell it so hard like used car salesman.
Let’s close this one out! Money matters and we are already carrying a $1.47 Billion Dollar Burden! We have not even touched on the other issues and concerns yet, of which there are several. Numbers don’t lie! No matter which way the city tries to sell this to residents it is FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE to bring a project like this to voters and mislead them with a vote yes in may is just a vote to allow us to move to the next step. Once they change the use of the EDC funds nothing will stop Cheney or Tammy Meinershagen (who apparently wants to be our next Mayor) for going all the way. Is that a burden you are willing to carry?
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