FAKE DOCUMENTS: Safety First Frisco PAC

When I was a kid, my dad used to say “listen to your 5 senses” because they will protect you.  As a kid, I had no idea what he meant but as an adult, I understand the information collected by our five primary senses helps detect danger and allows our brains to understand and react to our surroundings.  Personally, I always thought it was my bull shit meter, you know the internal gauge for detecting deception, insincerity, or exaggerated claims that made me smart.  I think my wife got it right because she tells me the reason, I am such a good detective is due to the marriage of my “spidey senses” and my bull shit meter.  She hit the nail on the head! 

When we first heard in May 2023 that the City of Frisco fired 27-year veteran, Cameron Kraemer from the Fire Department over a work-related illness, we knew there had to be more to the story.  Immediately our team started reaching out to sources within the city and it was a game of silence from all sides.  Then we heard Mr. Kraemer might speak at citizens’ input, and we wanted to make sure we watched the meeting.  First person to speak was Matt Sapp, President of the Firefighters Assoc and watching it today, it explains so much why our FD is fighting for Prop A & B during this election cycle.

Then we watched Mr. Kraemer speak at the city council meeting and it was enough to break anyone’s heart.  A man poured out his soul and admitted to the public he had PTSD, a mental health issue, and the city should be ashamed of how they have treated him and the response from the council…nothing. We have a video with some highlights, but you can see the full video by clicking the link.

At the end of citizens’ input, we were caught off guard when Mr. Wes Pierson, our new city manager leaned forward and announced he had something to say regarding Cameron Kraemer.  This is the man who through the whole meeting sits back with a smug look on his face, swaying in his chair with an overall arrogance about him.  We listened to him, and his words were so cold, so impersonal, and then we thought how did he have this whole speech prepared and ready to go that night?  Had he heard that Kraemer maybe attending the meeting, or did he write it on the fly?  Either way, alarm bells were ringing in my head.

My spidey sense bull shit meter went through the roof, and I was sure we were on to something, but what?  Time went by and we followed the case.  Kraemer and the Fire Association fought the city on whether his illness (PTSD) was work related and he won.  Simply put, the city should hire him back or offer him a path back to work.  However, the city is choosing to dig in their heels and skirt responsibility so Kraemer will likely end up suing the city which will cost the taxpayers.  Because it is under wraps it is hard to follow the case and we thought our research was over.

Then fast forward to election time, where a new PAC is created called Safety Frisco First. We told you about this PAC in our blog The Secret PAC.  We quickly noticed that Bill Woodard and City Shady Bunch running the PAC were putting out a lot of details and documents and none of them went to fighting the purpose. This raised our curiosity because the documents seemed more personal in nature and directed at a few specific individuals to malign and attack their character.  It felt like the page was being used by the city to say the things they want to say but cannot say.  

We filed two PIRs with the City.  The first was for copies of any PIR requests and the corresponding documents made from Bill Woodard, Mike Simpson, Dick or Richard Peasley, Safety First Frisco PAC from 1/1/22 to Present.  As you can guess the city has sent that to Texas AG in order to delay releasing the documents.  What do you think they are hiding?

Then we filed another PIR for any emails, text, or handwritten correspondence between city officials regarding the Frisco Fire Association Prop A & B.  Guess what…they sent it to the Texas AG to delay releasing the documents.  What do you think they are trying to hide until after the election is over?

The PAC website has a document called “Letter from Weston Fire Chief regarding Asst Chief Kraemer,” but what does that have to do with fighting civil service or collective bargaining?  The letter was a clear attack on a 27-year First Responder who worked for the City of Frisco, to discredit him.  We kept asking ourselves, what does this letter have to do with the PACs purpose?  Time to find some answers. 

Our first question is, how did the PAC get these documents?  Well of course they would have to go through the formal process like us and file a PIR, right?   On 2/26/24 we filed a PIR that reads, “We recently visited the Safety-First Frisco PAC website, and we noticed a section called Resources that has the following documents which we listed out.  All of these documents would have to have been obtained through a PIR or a series of PIRs so we would like to see the specific PIR(s) requests for the following information above.”

We got an email back on 3/8/24 and a few things piqued our interest in the city’s response.  It said the Presentation to City Council regarding Salary Adjustments was NOT a PIR release.  The document was released at the November 21, 2023, Budget and Audit Committee Meeting.  Then they said the Letter from Western Fire Chief re Asst Chief Kraemer was NOT a PIR release.  Lastly the Report on Residential Fire – 4 on a Truck was NOT a PIR release.  HELLO, how did SFF get three documents, one appearing to being related to an HR file without filing a PIR and how would they know such a letter exists like that if it is in an HR file?  Councilman Bill Woodard must have known about these documents due to his position which he is now using for political purposes for a PAC that he heads up.  Ethical?

Next, we filed PIRs with the City of Weston and asked for a copy of any PIRs, and corresponding documents made by Bill Woodard or representatives from the City of Frisco.  The response, “The City of Weston has not received any PIR request from Bill Woodard or any requests from the City of Frisco.”  We also did a search of Weston’s agendas for the last few years, and you won’t believe what we found. 

Guess who the City Attorney is for the City of Weston? Richard Abernathy (same as the City of Frisco)

Guess who the City of Weston hired as a city manager consultant?  George Purefoy (former city manager for the City of Frisco)

Guess who the City of Weston hired as a fire consultant?  Mack Borchardt, who CURRENTLY WORKS FOR THE CITY OF FRISCO AS SPECIAL CONSULTANT FOR THE CITY MANAGER.  Wait, so we taxpayers are paying Borchardt, and he is allowed to work for other cities and make money at the same time? 

Next, we went to Weston Fire and Rescue and filed a PIR and we asked for four things, response from Weston F&R are in bold;

  1.  I would like a copy of any PIR request and the corresponding documents returned in the PIR request from the City of Frisco relating to Cameron Kraemer and his time volunteering, serving as Captain, or working in the last three years.  The PIR or request could have been done by text, email, or handwritten (formal or informal).  WFR has no documentation.
  2. I would like a copy of any PIR or request (formal or informal) from consultants named Mack Borchardt and/or George Purefoy (who are also consultants for The City of Weston) relating to Cameron Kraemer and his time volunteering, consulting, or working with the Weston FD in the last three years. WFR has no documentation.
  3. I would like a copy of the letter from Kevin Deal (Former Fire Chief) supplied to the City of Frisco regarding Cameron Kraemer and the time he spent with Weston FD, and I would like to know if anyone else has requested this letter in the last two years.  Attached and only you requested it

We could not believe our eyes!  They attached the letter and right there in front of us we started to compare the letter supplied to the City of Frisco.  We about fell over because the letters don’t MATCH! 

What are the differences:

Weston F&R:  No Date vs The Safety-First Frisco PAC:  The letter is dated

Weston F&R: To Whom It May Concern vs The Safety-First Frisco PAC: addressed to whom it may concern and Attn: Wes Pierson

Weston F&R: Signature vs The Safety-First Frisco PAC: Signature = TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT SIGNATURES! 

We would love it if the City of Frisco and/or The Safety-First Frisco PAC tell us how we have 2 totally different letters.  While the body is the same nothing else is and that is alarming.  It very clearly looks like the letter was forged or is a fake.  Now we have so much more to this investigation to come but ask yourself, why does the City of Frisco want you to believe former Fire Chief Mark Piland was this horrible Fire Chief but according to his EVAL and his employment history he has NEVER been written up in 40-year career.  Yet when he comes to work for Frisco, they want us to believe with perfect EVALS that he was such a bad leader?   Now we have the Assistant Fire Chief whom they want us to believe is this horrible person even though he was only written up once in 27 years for bringing a smoker trailer on the property.  They provide a letter that looks nothing like the original sent to the city and somehow the PAC gets it to post on their website.  This letter just happens to show up to help the city’s case and they have 3 people contracting with the city with ties to The City of Frisco. We would think that this letter would be a part of someone’s personal or HR file, so how did the PAC get it? If you released it to the PAC, then does that mean we can go back to the Texas AG to review previous requests of HR files to reopen where you made a claim, they were confidential?  

We have so much more on this to peel apart and will blog again soon. Ask yourself does this look like a targeted campaign to destroy two men’s lives and reputations? It does to us, and the question is for what?  It all goes back to Sassy Lauren Safranek the HR DIRECTOR who falsified records.  Also ask yourself if The VOTE NO PAC is willing to post a forged letter what else have they lied to you about? Lastly, did any of our current council including the two running for re-election know the letter had been modified before posted to the PAC site? What we do know for sure, is something smells like Shit in Frisco, and we are curious what part Bobblehead Bill Woodard is involved in?

BACKDRAFT

It was a nice sunny day, and my dad called my name and asked if I wanted to ride with him to town and I jumped in the truck before he could even turn around and get an answer.  I loved being with my dad because he was interesting yet peculiar, and he always had interesting things to say.  I asked what we had to do, and he said in his gruff voice “get supplies” and I just buckled up.  We hit a few stops in town including the 5 and dime to get our candy bars and then we started back down the pebbled roads to Chateau Vino (home).  My dad slammed on his breaks out of nowhere he said “son, I smell smoke!”  He yelled, start looking so as we drove we looked everywhere around us and there it was black smoke rising on a neighbor’s land.  My dad slammed on the gas, and we drove fast towards the neighbor’s land, and I remember just bouncing up and down from all those damn pebbles.  We got there and saw the old man holding a hose and we grabbed others laying nearby and started spraying.  It took a while before the fire brigade arrived from town with a portable water truck.  I don’t remember much after that as I think I was in shock as it was my first fire.  We had the help of other local farmhands and the brigade and after it was out everyone sat on the back of their trucks watching for hot spots late into the evening. 

Why is this important? Because when I was a kid my dad always told me that if your business involved the land you lived on such as a farm or winery then you know the most detrimental thing that can happen is a fire. He said within minutes a small fire in open dry land could decimate an area and destroy our family’s winery.  When we first moved to Texas I learned the city we lived in had Citizens Fire Academy, so I signed up.  We learned that a fire requires a flame,  air, fuel, and heat.  We learned a backdraft is caused by the sudden introduction of air into a fire that has depleted most of the available oxygen in a room or building.  Firefighters look for signs such as smoke being drawn in along with the air under doors, and windows.  They also look to see if the windows are showing signs of excessive heat, such as brown stains and cracking.  It saves them from opening a door or window and being caught in a backdraft of fire.  My experience as a young lad and my short time in Citizens Fire Academy gave me a whole new perspective on what these men and woman do. 

As a Frisco resident in 2017 and 2020 when the Frisco Fire Fighters endorsed Cheney I figured if they felt he was the right leader I would support him too.  Then in April 2021 you would have thought an El Paso dust storm full of tumbleweeds came through Frisco and upset the equilibrium of our city.  As we discussed in our earlier blogs Where There Is Smoke PT 1 and There is Fire PT 2, there has been a long standing point of contention between fire fighters and the city in regards to workers compensation.  In 2021 the city opposed House Bill 2242 brought forward by their own district House State Rep Jared Patterson.  In 2023 the FFA and Patterson brought HB 471 and they have been working very hard to get it passed in Austin and it would protect first responders across Texas. 

While our local Frisco Fire Fighters Association and State Rep Jared Patterson are working so hard to protect first responders, you can imagine our shock on May 2, 2023 when we learned a 27-year veteran of the Frisco Fire Department felt the need to speak at Citizen Input on how he was recently terminated by the City of Frisco while he was on leave and under medical supervision for PTSD.

Those that wish to watch the City Council Meeting, be sure to watch the end of citizens input for the disgusting smug pre-written response by our new City Manager, Wes Pierson to Assistant Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer’s passionate plea for the Council’s intervention and assistance.

The Frisco Fire Association also spoke on Kraemer’s behalf and on behalf of all first responders that may be suffering from PTSD or any other work-related injuries or illnesses.  You can watch the meeting in its entirety here.  Citizen Input begins at approximately 54:00 minutes. 

In a post of Chief Kraemer’s Facebook page he confirmed that since this meeting, the City has not reached out to him.  Then on May 16th Kraemer, along with the FFA President Matt Sapp, and Former Frisco Fire Chief Mark Piland, spoke out again at City Council during Citizen Input. You can watch that meeting in its entirety here.  Just go to Citizens Input at the 23:30 minute mark.

We are going to continue to follow Kraemer’s situation and if you want more information please visit the Fire Fighters Association Facebook page.  They will be posting updates on Chief Kraemer, House Bill 471 and the City’s opposition to the Bill down in Austin.  It has also been interesting following their page for daily updates on the Department’s Staffing issues that the city continues to deny exists.

As we always do every other Tuesday, my wife and I tuned in online to the council meeting on May 16 and as soon as the meeting started I wanted scream like Alanis Morrissette…

Isn’t it ironic?
Don’t you think?
A little too ironic
And yeah, I really do think


Ready for the kicker?  May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the city terminated a 27-year employee by email over mental health then Mayor Cheney presents a proclamation to Denton County MHMR for all they do for mental health.  Nothing regarding this has sat well with me so my wife and I did find Chief Kraemer’s email and sent him a note to say we support him.  We told him we didn’t expect a response we just wanted him to know as citizens we appreciate everything he has done for this city, and we hope for the best for him and his family. 

Lastly are my words for Wes Pierson, a man the city hired about a year ago that now sits up high in his lofty thrown next to our City Attorney.  I was shocked, stunned and dismayed at the absolute disrespect you displayed and spewed out of that mouth of yours to a man who served our city for 27-years. If my mom were alive she would say wash that disrespect out with a bar of soap.  In my 70 years of life, I have never seen anyone as cruel and callous with their words as you were that night.  It showed your character, and I am guessing you have no idea how Mr. Kraemer feels since you have never kept a job in the same place for more than 5 to 7 years and the good lord blessed you with perfect mental health.  I am sure you are very proud of yourself sir, but you showed me and many other residents something that night.  If you can have that much disdain for a 27-year fire fighter of this city, then how do you feel about us the residents who pay taxes here and your salary and the other first responders in this city?

If you live in Denton County and need help please reach out to the Denton County MHMR Center Crisis Line at 800-762-0157 or click on the May Mental Health picture and it will redirect you to their website.

I thought that I’d been hurt before
But no one’s ever left me quite this sore
Your words cut deeper than a knife
Now I need someone to breathe me back to life

You watch me bleed until I can’t breathe
Shaking, falling onto my knees

I’ll be needing stitches
Tripping over myself
Aching, begging you to come help

Shawn Mendes