For years now, whispers have echoed through the corridors of Frisco about Mayor Jeff Cheney and his deep entanglement with the Fields/PGA development. We’ve heard the questions, and we’ve asked them too. Specifically, we’ve scrutinized the relationship between Mayor Cheney and Real Estate Mogul Jeff Cheney—who, confusingly, happen to be the same person.
Let’s rewind a bit. In a previous Frisco Chronicles blog, The Preserve, we exposed a builders’ map that included the names Keating and Cheney etched right next to select prime lots in the exclusive Preserve development. These were no ordinary plots—these were dubbed “ESPN Lots,” held by the developer for unnamed VIPs. Were they purchased? Gifted? Traded for political capital? Still no straight answers. In our follow up blog The Preserve Lots – VIP Program we released a recording between an individual and developer/builders agent where they specifically talked about the Cheney lots.
We also exposed in that blog, an email from 2019 by John Baumgarten written to the Mayor after he came to speak at investment event about the new PGA Project. Mr. Baumgarten wanted to know about the “unofficial lot list” and how to get on it! It was handled by the Mayor’s sidekick at the time Lorie Medina, Chief of Staff to the Mayor. Fast forward to today, Mr. Baumgarten has a lot on the same map, about 7 houses down from the lot labeled Cheney at the time we wrote our article. If you missed it we highly suggest you click on the links of the blog titles and go back and read them!
Mayor Cheney has long denied any backroom dealings, double-dipping, or conflicts of interest with the PGA or Fields developments. Fair enough. But when a June 23rd video popped up on his Cheney Group Instagram & Facebook page, our ears perked up. Why? Because this time, the sales pitch was closer to home—literally.
The video in question spotlights Shaddock Creek Estates, a prestigious neighborhood in West Frisco. The video and post talk about 68-acre Cottonwood Creek Park with peaceful lakes, winding hiking and biking trails, and fully stocked fishing ponds that are finished off with two historic bridges. It practically sells itself. But there’s one very specific reason this caught our attention: Mayor Jeff Cheney lives there, perched on arguably one of the best lots in the entire community, as seen in the photo above at the end of the cul-de-sac. And in this video? He showcases it. Not just the neighborhood—his house, his putting green, his pool. All of it, which overlooks that 68-acre Cottonwood Creek Park!
At first glance, you might think it’s just a “love where you live” community promo piece. Until you see the drone view of his home, his backyard, his pool, and his golf putting green, nestled against the backdrop of Cottonwood Creek Park. Then at the end of the video, after putting a hole in one on his green, Mayor Cheney leans in and says something curious:
“If you want a greenbelt view like this, join our waiting list, because they don’t come available often.”
Hold up. A waiting list? For greenbelt properties? In one community?
We double-checked. With help from a realtor friend, we found 16 active listings in Shaddock Creek. Only one of them is listed by Cheney’s group. It’s a stunning home, priced at $1.3 million, but it’s on an interior lot, not a greenbelt. So, if you’re trying to spotlight a listing, why not that one?
Why instead feature your own private residence, which isn’t even on the market?
That’s when we got curious and started trying to connect the dots. Is Mayor Cheney quietly trying to market his own home—without actually listing it? In real estate terms, this is known as a “pocket listing.” It’s a way to sell a property off-market, often to a curated list of buyers before it hits the MLS. Convenient. Quiet. Unregulated… mostly.
But here’s where the political intrigue thickens. Imagine this scenario:
Cheney creates “buzz” by featuring his home in a video.
He talks up a fictional or curated “waiting list” for similar properties.
Later in his term, he announces he’s moving—perhaps to The Preserve, Frisco’s most elite enclave.
And guess what? He has an “immediate buyer” lined up from the list he curated himself.
Boom. House sold. Narrative controlled. Questions deflected.
Is this legal? We’re not real estate lawyers, but it’s worth noting that Texas has rules about marketing homes, especially off-market ones. The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) have guidelines about Coming Soon listings, MLS requirements, and anti-discrimination compliance when homes are not listed publicly.
Even if this is technically allowed, the optics are questionable at best. A sitting mayor using his influence and real estate platform to potentially market his own home behind the scenes? That’s a tightrope walk across a political and ethical canyon.
If his home sells in the next 6 to 8 months, will we look back at this blog and his video and realize it wasn’t just a love letter to his neighborhood—but a soft launch of a personal transaction?
As always, stay skeptical, Frisco. — Frisco Chronicles
Disclaimer: This blog contains opinions and commentary based on publicly available information and listings. All real estate references are for informational purposes only. We are not licensed real estate professionals and do not offer legal or financial advice.
We are simple creatures really! Our focus is primarily on Frisco Politics and things happening in the city. If we believe we have a reason to question them then we will start the process of investigating. When that happens, we must first determine if that person is a public figure as defined by Texas and U.S. law. Public Figures are defined in two ways:
Public officials are government employees with substantial responsibility or control over public affairs (e.g., city council members, police chiefs, school superintendents).
Public figures include:
General-purpose public figures: People with pervasive fame or influence (e.g., celebrities).
Limited-purpose public figures: Individuals who have voluntarily thrust themselves into a particular public controversy to influence the outcome (e.g., activists, podcasters, social media influencers, religious leaders, local business owners, candidates for office, voluntary participants who give media interviews, and people who give press conferences or statements on public matters).
In a rare instance, someone outside of the “City Hall” circle or local Frisco politics may give us a reason to look their direction. Recently for example, we were surprised to learn we were the hot topic in the cul-de-sac of FAKE NEWS.
That’s right, a local nobody, who likes to think they are somebody important, decided to come after us. This is someone who was never on our radar. Guess what? They are now! To be fair, we have received numerous emails from different people across the city, calling this nobody into question. We chose not to investigate at first because he was not directly connected to Frisco Politics. However, when the Cul-De-Sac came after us and our followers, we couldn’t sit back. That means … Game on!
Sit back, grab your popcorn, because we are about to tell you a story! We are going to call our main character Mr. Romero! It is, of course, his alias! Mr. Romero likes to pretend to be this amazing online influencer in his prime with great clarity, but some things don’t add up. He once said, “Sometimes the best way to understand yourself is to genuinely understand someone else first.”
According to multiple reports from Been Verified, Intelius, PeopleCheck and more, Mr. Romero graduated from high school around 1989. We were curious about what happened after high school. Well according to public records, Mr. Romero supposedly married a woman on December 20, 1990, in San Antonio, Texas. The honeymoon didn’t last long because in November 1991, Case# 1991CI16543 was filed in Bexar County District Court by the couple filing for Dissolution/Divorce.
Wonder why it didn’t work out? We don’t have the answer to that question! But soon after Mr. Romero allegedly found himself intermingling with the law several times. Based on public records under Mr. Romero’s legal name which we will not mention we found the following:
1/4/1992 THEFT $20-200 CHECK – Bexar County Case: CR9 551259
1/6/1992 Driving While Intoxicated 1st – Bexar County Case: CR9 513420
1/6/1992 Unlawful Carry WPN – Bexar County Case: CR9 513421
9/20/1993 Driving While Intoxicated 2ND – Bexar County Case: CR9 559070
2/5/1994 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR9 568762
2/11/1994 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR9 569252
12/24/1995 Fail Ident To P-O With TX WARR – Bexar County Case: CR7 623448
7/30/1996 Poss CS PG 1 Less Than 1 GRAM – Bexar County Case: 1996CR5694
SENT START DATE: 09/06/1998 DEPT OF CORRECTIONS 1 YEAR
5/12/1998 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR4 701007
6/20/1998 Driving While Intoxicated 3D/M – Bexar County Case: 1998CR4448
Probation Expired – Case Reopened on 07/29/2004
6/20/1998 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR4 697836
6/13/2009 Assault FV (Family Violence) – Dallas County Case: M-0911359
1/31/2008 Z&C Plano vs (Legal Name Removed)
07/10/2009 (Legal Names Removed) Case: 417-53316-2009 Protective Order
2/25/2017 Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or more – Denton County Court Case F17-1751-158
04/18/2017 Occupational DL Compliance Hearing with Judge Robert Ramirez (Denton County)
4/29/2019 (Name Removed) vs Texas Dept of Public Safety – Petition for Occupational License (OCA) Case: CV-2019-01412-OL in Denton County Court Law 2
10/20/2022 Offender and Vehicle Interlock Removal Order Case: F17-1751-158
6/7/2023 Device Removal Order Transdermal Ankle Monitoring Device (same case)
We noticed two big gaps in the timeline, the first was from 1998 to 2009. What happened during that time? Well, allegedly Mr. Romero began to dance. His little tippy toes and hip rolls drove the woman crazy!
According to his Flicker account, dancing took him around the world. His description reads, “His body of work has allowed him to travel and compete all around the world. He has visited and competed in many parts of the globe including Italy, Florence, Tuscany, Verona, Rome, Venice, Banff Canada, Hawaii, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Chicago.”
In 2007, Mr. Romero competed with his amazing partner in Italy doing the Bolero Solo.
Romero also competed in the Associate Bronze Tango in Italy 2007.
Feeling like we were reading a new version of Dirty Dancing, all we could think is no one puts baby in a corner! Back to Mr. Romero, who continued in the interview, “But in his defense, he couldn’t help himself. I love to dance; it’s in my soul.” Source Dallas Morning News (Assoc Press Oct 18, 2008)
In 2008, Mr. Romero’s dancing took him all the way to jail! That’s right, we found several online reports about it. One report said in a “jailhouse interview that he advertised his services and provided forbidden dance lessons to students in the area.”
Another article published by JonathanTurley.org in October 2008, reads Judge Roach in Texas did not like Romero’s stomping on a dance floor and sent him to jail where he is now desperately trying to look like a psycho gang banger. Turley, quotes Romero, “that without the Tangos – he is nothing – even suggesting that is a sin and [If i stopped] it would be like blasphemous.” Turley continues, that Judge Roach appeared to find contempt in Romero’s dance moves when he taught dance (before the 2009 deadline) at the Tango & Cha Cha’s dance studio in Dallas.
Why is this a big deal? Because Mr. Romero had been employed by Arthur Murry in Plano and had a non-compete. Turley’s states, “A client signed the incriminating affidavit, identifying Romero as the man who took her through the unlawful dance moves.” That violated his non-compete and the case went to court in Collin County District Courts.
The second big gap in the timeline is from 2009 to 2016. We know in August 2010 Mr. Romero was still dancing with those amazing feet! A video posted on YouTube shows Mr. Romero at DanceSport Studio teaching a group class. He is talented!
According to PRLog in 2011, “Dancing Superstar Eric Romero Lands in Laguna Beach…” It says that former Texas Resident and acclaimed ballroom dance instructor Eric Romero who has been moved by dance since he was 4 years old, is celebrating his new location of dance in Laguna Beach, California.
In March 2013, Mr. Romero appeared in a YouTube video called Letting the Oceans be the Oceans with Celebrity Ballroom Dance Coach Eric Romero. Romero continues to talk in the video to let God be God and let him take over the overwhelming burdens in your life and allow him to let beautiful things happen.
The other discrepancy we found was his education. Romero’s LinkedIn has the following:
McLennan Community College 1999 – 2002 Business Administration & Management General
Baylor University: 2000 – 2005 Business Administration & Management General
Collin College 2015- 2016
University of North Texas 2017 – 2019 Bachelor of Business Administration – BBA Communication and Media Studies
University of North Texas Jan 2019 – Dec 2021 Masters in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies/Learning Technologies/Interactive Communications
According to Romeros Flicker account he attended Baylor and studied Business Administration and ARTS? We don’t see arts on his LinkedIn.
On his professional website today, he lists his Professional Achievements as:
Associates & Bachelor’s in Digital Video Production & Film – FROM WHERE?
Bachelor’s in Interactive & Virtual Communications Studies, University of North Texas
Romero claims to have completed this from 2017 – 2019 but according to UNT’s website this is an “On Campus” format only and takes 4 years to complete. We called UNT and spoke to an Academic Advisor and asked if they would take credits from a previous educational institution from 2000-2005? The advisor said they will not as that was too long ago, and methodologies would have changed since then which could make it difficult to understand the current material. Now we are left scratching our heads! How did he finish it in 2 years? Things that make you go HMMMM!
Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies focused on Learning Technologies & Communications, University of North Texas -3.89 GPA
Romero claims to have a Master’s – this program offers a Master of Arts or a Master of Science. Why doesn’t he list which one he has on his website?
Mr. Romero claims in Digital Journal article that his experiences helped him develop empathy for others and that empathy now fuels his mission to support transformative conversations that inspire healing. From what we see online Mr. Romero does not have a lot of empathy at all. He actually appears to be condescending and arrogant in most of his social media replies to people who disagree with him or question him.
His alleged legal history shows family violence charges, 5 DUI’s with the most recent in 2017 which allegedly appears to be an active case according to public records. He has multiple social media accounts under his legal name, business name, and alias going back 10 to 15 years. Knowing all this he goes out and pokes his nose into Frisco Politics, comes after us at Whistleblower, residents of Frisco, and candidates for office clearly showing he has an alleged anger problem. I mean who spends the time to make a video like Cul-de-sac Curtis attacking a resident for wearing a shirt and then exposing names of private figures just because they like our post. Funny, he seems to be the only one who knows Curtis and posted the video.
Even more concerning is how city leaders like Laura Rummel and Former Councilwoman Tammy Meinershagen have flocked to appear with this person, and like all his posts. Do they even know anything about Mr. Romero? Maybe questioning the judgement of our local leaders and other local influencers is reasonable after watching how they have flocked to this man’s side.
Second chances are a beautiful part of the human experience—proof that we can grow, evolve, and right our wrongs. But with redemption comes responsibility. For community leaders, influencers, and those in positions of trust, embracing someone’s “new chapter” doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to the previous volumes. Character counts. And patterns—especially those involving violence or repeated recklessness—deserve scrutiny, not selfies. When a person with five DUIs and a history of family violence becomes part of the public sphere, we must ask ourselves: is this rehabilitation, or reputation laundering? And when friends publicly toast their “changed” buddy with offers to drink again, are we witnessing growth—or just more bad judgment? Second, chances don’t erase consequences—they walk hand in hand with accountability. We all have the right to change. But we also have the right—and duty—to question who we choose to stand beside. Because in the end, the company we keep speaks just as loudly as the words we post.
Source: Collin County District Court Records, Denton County District Court Records, Dallas County District Court Records, Orange County District Court Records, BeenVerified, Intelius, PeopleCheck, TruthFinder, Dallas Morning News, Public Social Media Accounts
Disclaimer: The information presented in this blog post is based on publicly available records and sources believed to be accurate at the time of publication. Frisco Chronicles and its authors do not guarantee the completeness or reliability of this information and cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from its use. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This content is provided for informational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as legal, professional, or personal advice.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 2025 Appellate Court Issues Emergency Stay in Response to Writ of Mandamus Filed to Protect Anonymous Free Speech
FRISCO, TEXAS — In a pivotal development for free speech rights in Texas, the Court of Appeals has issued an emergency stay in response to a Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed to halt an attempt to unmask an anonymous online speaker behind the “Frisco Chronicles Whistleblower” platform. The appellate court’s intervention underscores the importance of judicial safeguards in protecting First Amendment rights.
The writ was filed on behalf of the Frisco Chronicles Whistleblowers blog in the matter of Jamie Heit v. Frisco Chronicles Whistleblower, a Rule 202 proceeding in Denton County. The central issue is whether Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 202—a pre-suit deposition mechanism—can be used to compel disclosure of anonymous civic commentary.
Mandamus: A Constitutional Check on Premature Disclosure The Writ of Mandamus asks the appellate court to overturn the trial court’s June 2025 decision that granted Jamie Heit’s Rule 202 petition. The trial court had authorized a deposition to identify the individual(s) responsible for anonymous posts critical of Heit, a limited-public figure.
On July 10, 2025, the appellate court granted the emergency stay pending review of the mandamus petition.
Implications of the Mandamus and Next Steps The appellate court’s emergency stay temporarily shields the identity of certain individuals and will remain in place until the court of appeals rules on the Writ of Mandamus. What happens next:
The appellate court will review the legal arguments and determine whether the writ should be granted, thereby vacating Rule 202 petition order outright.
If the Writ is denied, the deposition may proceed, although further appellate review (including to the Texas Supreme Court) may follow.
If granted, the case will mark a significant precedent in protecting anonymous speech under Texas law.
Why This Mandamus Matters “This isn’t just about one blog or one person,” said Steven Noskin, counsel for the anonymous blog. “It’s about whether our courts will uphold the constitutional right to anonymous speech in the face of powerful interests trying to unmask critics without filing suit or meeting their legal burden.”
“Our client is not seeking to avoid accountability,” Noskin continued. “They are asserting the foundational right to speak freely. That right belongs to every concerned citizen—every parent, teacher, or taxpayer who dares to question authority.”
For media inquiries or legal commentary, please contact:
STEVEN NOSKIN, Attorney for Respondent Email: snoskin@noskinlawfirm.com Direct: (972) 214-4777 Frisco, Texas
Mr. Noskin may be available for interview or comment upon request.
Something curious is making its way through the quiet cul-de-sacs and HOA-lined streets of Frisco, Texas. No, it’s not another pizza coupon or a glossy mailer featuring a smiling city councilmember holding a bulldozer. This is something far more… poetic. Mysterious. And, depending on your reading, slightly unhinged.
We’re talking about the letters—written in a flowing, subtle cursive that feels like a mash-up between Jane Austen and a B-movie villain monologue. One such letter arrived in the mailbox of a former council member. Then, they texted it to a friend, and the friend asked, “Can we send this to Frisco Whistleblower?” Next thing you know, we have a “You’ve Got Mail!” notice!
It opens like this:
Well, well, well… Thought you were being careful, didn’t you? A whispered word here, a sneaky move there — so subtle, so clever. But here’s the thing, darling: nothing stays hidden forever. Especially not when we’re all watching.
Ah, the classic tone of someone who just finished binge-watching House of Cards and decided to give the calligraphy font a whirl.
The second paragraph sharpens the tone, sharpening its verbal knives:
We know what you’ve been doing. All the schemes, the backdoor deals to collaborate or protect, every dagger wrapped in a smile. You thought you would get away. But the cracks are showing, and the truth? It’s crawling right up behind you.
If this sounds like something you’d expect from a disgruntled screenwriter trying to get back at a former HOA president, you’re not alone.
It continues:
Whispers have become conversations. Conversations are turning into confessions. And let’s just say … receipts have a way of resurfacing when you least expect them. Even with VPNs and modern methods to shield oneself. Tick-tock. Your time is almost up. And when the fallout comes? No one will be left to clean up your mess. Actions have consequences, sweetheart. And yours are finally catching up, courtesy of Ms. Jamie Heit. We might not know her, but we love her. XOXO – Frisco.
Cue dramatic music. Okay, we actually laughed instead.
Now, about that name-drop. We’re confident Jamie Heit didn’t co-sign her name or give approval to someone to use her name in what could best be described as a mash note from a petty godmother of vengeance. But hey, this is Frisco, where political affection and shade often share the same cocktail napkin.
Will Jamie sue them? Try to depose whoever’s scribbling love threats with a cursive fine point font? Probably not. Especially if the sender is a devoted admirer of her work and is just a few unsent letters away from crafting a shrine.
Here at Frisco Whistleblower, we believe in publishing our letters, not licking stamps to send thinly veiled threats via the U.S. Postal Service. Our readers? They email us and comment openly, and don’t hide behind RBG stamps. They don’t channel Emily Dickinson meets Dexter in cursive and drop lingering lines in the mail.
But this strange week isn’t just about letters. It’s also been one filled with Hikois being written (shoutout to whoever resurrected that word) and declarations of love for local political figures being sealed with metaphorical kisses.
If you do receive one of these letters, we encourage you to:
Keep the letter and envelope.
File a report with Frisco PD.
Consider reading it aloud with dramatic lighting and a glass of wine on Facebook Live, because, frankly, it’s kind of a performance art piece.
And now, to close this odd dispatch from the frontlines of Frisco mailboxes, we leave you with a poem — a collection of words that mean everything and nothing, much like the letters themselves:
A Poem of Unknown Words The ink remembers what the lips forget, Dandelion silence in a whisper-net. Shadow sewn to sunshine’s hem, Pages curled like lies at 10 p.m.
Umbrella thoughts in moonlit code, Spoken softly down Morse Road. Blink twice, and secrets bloom — In cursive threats and sweet perfume.
Frisco Chronicles: What Lies Beneath … in the Agenda?
Every other week, like clockwork, the Frisco City Council releases an agenda packed with the usual suspects: zoning changes, budget adjustments, proclamations for pickleball appreciation month—nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
You ever hear that old saying, “The devil’s in the details?” Sometimes, here in Frisco, the devil doesn’t just visit the details—he rents a room in the city council agenda. But this week is a little DIFFERENT! Let’s Dive In!
First Up: Executive Session: The Vault
This is where transparency goes to die. Behind closed doors, council members discuss land deals, lawsuits, and personnel matters—away from public ears and cameras. Yes, some of it needs to be private. But some of it? Let’s just say if the public heard the full audio, they’d be polishing pitchforks by sunrise. So, what is happening during The Vault this week? Agenda Item 2(C) is about Personal Matters, and it says they will “DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT OF MAYOR PRO-TEM, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO-TEM AND CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES.”
The actual vote will happen under the “Individual Items” and our vote is for Brian Livingston for Mayor Pro-Tem and we encourage everyone to email you council members today and tell them to vote for Livingston for Mayor Pro-Tem for the last year of his term.
Second: Individual Items – Special Events
We expect the council chambers to be packed with supporters of Burt Thakur and Jared Elad on Tuesday night as they will be sworn in. There has been a buzz in the air since the election night of the runoff race. Seat will be filled, cameras will be rolling, and the room will be electric with that rarest of municipal emotions: hope.
Because Tuesday is not just another city council meeting it is changing of the guard! With right hands raised and left hands resting on the city charter, Burt Thakur and Jared Elad will be officially sworn in as the newest members of the Frisco City Council.
Why is this important, because they were not appointed to the seat, they were elected by you! By the small business owners tired of red tape. By the residents who want Frisco to thrive, not just survive. And they came in not to blend, but to stand.
The room will be electric, and you will be able to feel the shift in the room. Smiles from supporters. Side-eyes from the establishment. A few city staffers quietly clutching their blood pressure meds. It will end with applause. Loud. Sustained.
Welcome to the table, Burt and Jared. Frisco’s watching!
Next up, The Consent Agenda: Where Democracy Goes to Nap
We have said it before, and we will say it again, the most exciting thing most Frisco residents glance over is the “DETAILS” in the CONSENT AGENDA. If you stop, squint, and scroll past the “Consent Agenda” (which is code for “let’s pass this all without discussion”), you’ll find the real story. Because what lies beneath those bland agenda titles are buried treasures—or more often, ticking time bombs.
This is where the “Devil Is in the Details!” Basically, the Consent Agenda is where they stash the stuff they want to hide. Think of it like the junk drawer of city government—contracts, appointments, expenditures, land swaps, and sometimes even lawsuits—all passed with a single vote and zero debate.
After our blog “City Halls Troubled Sea’s” everyone was quiet about the mysterious disappearance of the HR Director and several others in her department. In fact we have had PIR’s in for over a month a now and they are delaying them and going to the Attorney General. According to item 24 in the consent agenda they will approve a settlement agreement and release between the City and Sassy Safranek. We will file a PIR for that settlement agreement.
Yes, this is the same Lauren Safranek who led the witch hunt against Former Fire Chief Mark Piland and continues to oversee the court case against Assistant Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer. She has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on unnecessary investigations to cover up her flagrant forgeries and other mistakes!
What we find interesting is that the city could have settled with Cameron Kraemer, who WON his PTSD Injury Claim by the TDI Workers Compensation Division in Dallas. You can read more about in The Local Profile, but instead, Safranek and the city pushed forward, continuing to spend taxpayer dollars on a losing case. Something in the Council Chambers smells like the crap in Exide. Why will the City settle with Lauren Safranek and not Former Asst. Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer? Demand answers, Frisco!
Learn more about Lauren Safranek in a few of our old blogs:
Last Up for The Night, The Regular Agenda – aka The Cryptic Language 101
Usually, items here are often worded in such vague terms that only a decoder ring or a PhD in municipal bureaucracy could translate it! Most of the time this section can be pretty boring but NOT TONIGHT!
Remember when Brian Livingston supported Mark Piland two years ago against Mayor Cheney – well he was removed from all the committees he served on and so were many of his supporters. Why? They didn’t play Cabal Ball. In the past, you didn’t walk away from that, like nothing happened. No, instead you were punished! Well tonight Livingston and hopefully our new council members will take their rightful place on these committees again!
It’s time to speak up and demand changes not with our council representatives but what happens deep down in the city on these committees. It is time for us to make our voices heard! There are more Cabal Busters than Cabal God Fathers.
What Can You Do? Read the agenda. Seriously, someone must. Ask questions. Email your council members. Show up. Be annoying. Speak out at Citizens’ Input, have your message included in the record. Demand clarity. If an item sounds vague, ask why. If they dodge, follow the money. Watch for patterns. When the same developer keeps getting breaks or the same contractor keeps winning bids, take note.
Help us! Share what you find. That’s what we’re here for. To shine a flashlight into the shadows and say, “Hey… what the hell is this?” Frisco isn’t just growing—it’s morphing. And what gets decided in those meetings shapes the city we live in, the traffic we sit in, and the taxes we pay.
Lastly, tomorrow you can bet some Cabal Godfathers will be upset. Maybe one will write another HAIKU on her page full of hidden meaning and endless blah, blah, blah. The Cabal will all respond to it on queue for sure as they are supposed to do. Don’t worry, we know they are butt hurt but we are moving forward with change while they wallow on yesterday. Most of all remember, the next time someone tells you the council meeting was boring, just smile and say: “Sure… until you read what lies beneath.”
It’s a new dawn It’s a new day It’s a new life for Frisco Taxpayers Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo And they’re feeling good
Today I was thinking, it is the start of a new beginning and soon two new city council members will join the Dias. Burt Thakur and Jared Elad will be sworn into office at the July 1st City Council Meeting. We hope their supporters come out and support them during the swearing in at the start of the meeting.
But what is happening before the meeting? Well, apparently there is a City Council Work Session on June 26th. They just posted the agenda and it appears under the Regular Agenda they are going to do a traditional welcome, agenda overview and set the theme for the session. Then they are going to discuss a book called Great by Choice. Lastly they will talk about the traits of successful teams.
Then they will convene back into the “Regular Agenda” and finish with a Review of Councils 2025 Progress Goals, have a discussion regarding the FY2025-26 Initial Budget Considerations and closed with a “Ted Talk” regarding 5 Bold Steps to a Bright Future. Interesting! This is where we have questions.
Outgoing council members Tammy Meinershagen and Bill Woodard will be there as they still hold the seats for city council until July 1st. and then Burt Thakur and Jared Elad are sworn in. Because of the runoff Thakur and Elad’s swearing falls after the meeting, but “THE BUDGET” is a big discussion that the new council members may have questions or input on. Here is what we are interested in;
1. Did the city extend an invitation to the two newest council members to participate and learn at this work session like they have done in the past.
2. Will they host the meeting live on Frisco TV so residents can watch and learn and be more transparent for Frisco Residents?
3. What is the social event they are going to afterwords at Perry’s Steakhouse and is that on taxpayer dollars?
Now many may say, they are not sworn in yet so they can’t participate but exceptions have been made in the past. In our article No Business Like Show Business we told you about how in March of 2022, our newly “APPOINTED” council woman Tammy Meinershagen went on the Frisco Chamber of Commerce Leadership Exchange Trip to Cary, North Carolina. Why was that interesting to us at the time? Well, Tammy Meinershagen had NOT YET BEEN SWORN IN as a council member yet.
In that article, we asked the question of how Meinershagens’ trip was paid for. Did she pay for it – remember she was not a SWORN IN council member or did TAXPAYERS pay for it? Then we laid out the emails showing that on March 3, 2022, Mayor Jeff Cheney sent an email to Holly McCall, and said Tammy has expressed an interest in going on the LEX trip. Cheney thinks it would be good for her to join to get a head start on her development and start building relationships. He specifically notes, I know she will still be a council member elect as the time so not sure what hoops we need to jump through. McCall, the Sr. Administrative Asst. to the Mayor & Council responds, “I’m sure it will be fine to pay for Tammy. We’re just waiting on confirmation/advisement from the attorney’s office before proceeding.”
Then on March 7, 2022, in an email from Tammy Meinershagen to Tony Felker, President/CEO for the Frisco Chamber she states it looks like she will be able to join “representing the city council” so can you let me know what you need from me.
Tony responded with an email asking Jeff Cheney what the best way for her is to register and then Jeff responds Holly McCall, the Sr. Administrative Assistant to the Mayor & Council, can book it.
McCall responds again that she believes it will be fine to pay for her to go but she is waiting for the official city approval. Fast forward to the April 19th, council meeting, Item #20 under the Consent Agenda (remember that is where they hide things) there is an action to consider and act upon approval of the attached reimbursement request presented to the Mayor and Council. The memo reads that the $3000 request was the cost for Tammy Meinershagen to travel to Cary, North Carolina for the LEX trip hosted by the Frisco Chamber. It states she is a ‘CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL RUNNING UNOPPOSED.” It then reads, Minershagen will begin her term in May, but members of the council believe the trip provided knowledge and experience that serves the public purpose of the city and was beneficial to the duties of a city council member.
Guess what, THE COST WAS APPROVED!
At the time we wrote this article in October of 2023, we said we were alarmed that she would be going representing herself as a councilmember – when she had NOT YET BEEN SWORN IN and taken her OFFICIAL OATH. We were adamant that running unopposed or not should not matter – what should matter is she was not sworn in to uphold her official duties as a city council woman. We still believe that today! However, what we think about the situation and what happened back in 2022/23, is irrelevant! The City of Frisco, The Chamber of Commerce and our City Council “SET A PRESCENDENT” that you do not have to be SWORN IN to present yourself as a council member and have the bills paid for by the city if you are appointed to your seat.
Fast Forward to 2025
How does that change when two council members, who have officially been ELECTED, and are less than 7 days away from being sworn in, when it comes to them participating in the Summer Work session, in meetings that affect their upcoming term, etc.? The session clearly says it is Councils Goals for the remaining time of 2025 and the future Budget for 2025-26! I am guessing if you ask the two future elected council members what they think, they will agree with us!
That is the problem when you set a PRESCENDENT like they did in 2022 with Meinershagen, because now to be fair to the newly ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS – the city needs to invite them, allows them to participate, talk to leaders and city management, for the “experience it gives them, for educational reasons and benefits it presents them,” as it will help them grow in their council positions the same way they did for Meinershagen in 2022.
Now, we wait and see – what happens? Better get the city attorney on the phone and make allowances for the same concessions –
at least allowing them to attend s work session, doesn’t cost taxpayers $3000 this time!
I don't know, Patrick, and I'm not familiar with SREC, so I'm unable to answer your questions.
Hi Patrick—when is your SREC30 meeting. Missed the one and want to together before Sept.
We hope to write about it all soon. Most of the content in question - was from 3rd Party comments…
Shining a light in the dark here to just get this out of the way and moved past—who started the…
Bunch of Nepotism, buddy system promotion. If you ain’t white you ain’t right