When I was a young boy, my favorite thing was riding shotgun in the old truck with my dad through the grapevines on our farm. Harvest time was a marvel. I’d watch the workers move row by row, their hands stained purple, their rhythm steady, their laughter honest. One day, watching it all unfold, I looked at my father and said, “You must be the King Grape.”
He chuckled, looked me square in the eye, and said:
“Boy, no kings live here. Only hard-working hands.”
“But you’re important,” I replied. Dad just shook his head.
“If I teach you anything, it’s this — don’t get too big for your britches. Or you’ll find yourself alone.”
Later, Mom explained the phrase. “Too big for your britches” meant someone full of themselves — bloated with self-importance, an exalted ego, floating above the rest of us like a parade balloon.
And when I look at our current Frisco City Council? Let’s just say we’re one helium tank away from liftoff.
The Pelham Pattern
It is time to remind Angelia Pelham where she came from! In our blog In Debt We Trust, we told you back in 1996, she and her husband Dono filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida under the name “Just for You Cosmetics.” According to the Orlando Sentinel(April 1, 1996), their reported assets totaled $1,245, while their debts? A staggering $343,466. Major creditors included:
Community First Bank (Jacksonville) – $140,000
Eric Stern (Carrollton, TX) – $35,000
Schroder Center Management (Dallas, TX) – $35,000
A “learning experience,” Angelia later called it in the Dallas Morning News. Fair enough — who hasn’t fallen and gotten back up? Most of the time, you learn your lesson, but the Pelhams the pattern didn’t stop there. Since then, her Frisco HOA has filed multiple liens:
Nov 2006 – $2,088.90
Oct 2011 – $956.80
June 2013 – $1,335.65
July 2020 – $1,233.70
Wells Fargo filed a civil judgment against Dono in 2014–2015 for $10,375. In 2016, a local business owner placed a lien for unpaid landscaping work: $4,039. Then came a Notice of Lis Pendens in 2020 — the county warned the Pelhams that a lawsuit had been filed over delinquent property taxes. That one appears to have been settled in 2022. (Wait, a city councilwoman, not paying property tax?)
Life has changed for the Pelham Power Couple these days. Angelia is draped in designer threads, seen at every gala and brunch in town, flanked by her friends in the gated communities across Frisco like the Stonebriar elite. Her husband’s church is growing, her influence expanding.
None of that is inherently wrong — if you rise and remember the folks who helped you climb. The issue is when you forget those who supported you and start swinging that shiny new status around like a scepter.
The Luncheon Debacle
Then came the text. A whistleblower sent us a screenshot of Councilwoman Pelham sending a text about a luncheon she coordinated for Frisco Lakes residents during Black History Month. A noble cause — supporting Black-owned businesses — and it took place at Earnest B’s, a public restaurant.
Angelia starts the text message with taking credit for coordinating the luncheon and specifically noted it was not a campaign rally. When Angelia arrived, she was surprised to see a candidate running for office there “campaigning” at an event they were not invited to!
First, this was not a private event! Angelia did not rent out Earnest B’s place of business for this luncheon. Other customers were coming and going because it is A PUBLIC BUSINESS! Angelia lives on MARS if she thinks she can tell any customer in a public business how and what they should do!
Angelia continues, if you were there to get some lunch, you should have done so without campaigning with a group that you were not invited to attend.
Second, how did Angelia know the candidate was “campaigning?” Earnest B’s is not a huge restaurant, so what if they were stopping by for lunch and knew someone there and started talking (like we all do across Frisco) and Angelia happened to walk in on it, now she accuses the candidate of campaigning. Even if they were campaigning, it is a PUBLIC BUSINESS that you have no say over. If the restaurant had an issue with someone “campaigning” on their property then they should have said something – not Angelia a patron of the business who is there to SUPPORT BLACK BUSINESSES.
Angelia continues, “Yes, I called Gopal since you decided to HIJACK MY EVENT and make it into a campaign event. Gopal is MY CANDIDATE, so I absolutely felt that he needed to be there since YOU made it a campaign event.”
I can hear my mom now from the window of our house, “Mannaggia Angelia, Mannaggia!” That is our “Damn” as you Americans would say, and used to express utter frustration with someone, something or a situation. Accusing someone of HIJACKING YOUR EVENT? Newsflash, this was not a private facility or shut down for just you and your glorious presence, Ms. Pelham, it is a PUBLIC BUSINESS! Second to accuse someone of that you better have proof and DAMN good proof! Next, you call Gopal “MY CANDIDATE” – do you own him? Is he your property? That is how you made it sound!
Lastly Angelia says, “it is that kind of self-seeking behavior that you display (meaning the candidate) that causes me concern about you on council. I want to be very clear about my thoughts on your actions yesterday”
Angelia – we want to be very clear on our thoughts as well! You come across as an entitled SELF-SEAKING witch who is “TOO BIG FOR HER OWN BRITCHES.” My Event, My Candidate, My Luncheon! What’s next? My Oxygen? How dare you come into a public business and say hi to anyone at my table – this is my table! Take your food and go, peasant!
Queen of the Dias
It’s campaign season, so is it plausible to say the candidate was out and about wearing a vote for me shirt, stopped in to get lunch from a popular Frisco place, happen to know someone at the table and said hello when you walked in. Last year when you were running Angelia, we saw your shirts all over the city on folks and we also know “your people” attempted to attend an event paid for by a private citizen at the country club until they were asked to leave. The difference in the space, it was rented and paid for by a private citizen who had every right to determine who they wanted at their event vs your public space luncheon. Guess it was okay then when they were supporting you.
Oh, how the mighty Queen of the Dias, Angelia Pelham sees herself today. Gone are the bankruptcy days, today she can cast stones, throw accusations anywhere and everywhere, send demeaning and rude texts to other candidates, and then expect “healing sessions” to fix it when it’s all over. How did that work out with the Fire Department?
Newsflash: You’re not the queen of Earnest B’s. Or Frisco, for that matter. Now it appears Pelham is more concerned with control than compassion. More interested in ownership than stewardship. More inclined to protect her own than to empower others.
Mannaggia Angelia!
Well, Mannaggia, Angelia.
Don’t forget the vineyard. Don’t forget the struggle. And don’t mistake a city council seat for a throne.
Because when you get too big for your britches — Frisco Whistleblower knows how to hem you back down to size.
With local election season in full swing, we examine recent claims about Gopal Ponaji (aka Ponangi) and his ties to the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF). When we initially heard these accusations, we thought they were farfetched. As we started to investigate, we found out it is something voters should be aware of and have a general pause of concern or questions about. Our goal: to lay out the facts and context so readers can judge for themselves.
Ponangi’s Links to GHHF
Public records and event reports indicate Ponangi has been associated with GHHF for years. For example, a 2016 Dallas news article on a GHHF-sponsored event explicitly names “Gopal Ponangi, [an] active volunteer who served as Master of Ceremony for the evening”. This gathering was organized by GHHF founder Dr. V.V. Prakasarao Velagapudi. Moreover, internal GHHF documents list Gopal Ponangi among the group’s “core group” members. Ponangi’s name appears alongside Velagapudi’s and other GHHF officers, suggesting he held an ongoing role. We have found no official record of Ponangi renouncing or distancing himself from GHHF over the years.
These references show Ponangi’s involvement goes beyond the current campaign. They do not prove wrongdoing, but they do confirm he has been publicly connected to GHHF activities. Whether this connection should concern voters depends on GHHF’s character and aims – which is why we now turn to that broader context.
Hindutva Ideology and the RSS
Understanding GHHF requires knowing about Hindutva and the ideology that motivates it. Hindutva (literally “Hindu-ness”) is a political-cultural movement formulated in the 1920s that promotes Hindu cultural dominance in India. According to Wikipedia, it “encompasses the cultural justification of Hindu nationalism and the belief in establishing Hindu hegemony within India”.
What does that mean in practice, Hindutva thinkers argue India is fundamentally a Hindu nation. This worldview is closely associated with India’s RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and the ruling BJP party.
Scholars note that Hindutva goes beyond religious devotion and often rejects India’s secular ideals. According to media and researchers, GHHF explicitly supports this Hindutva vision. Bridge Initiative (a Georgetown University research group) reports that GHHF “supports Hindu nationalist ideology and regularly publishes discriminatory, inflammatory, and intolerant content about Islam and Christianity.” In fact, the organization has even “raised funds to aid the demolition of churches in India and supports the mission of making India a Hindu-only nation.” Bridge further notes that GHHF leaders have advocated India declaring itself a Hindu state.
By contrast, GHHF’s own website frames its mission more benignly. It states the group exists “to protect, preserve, promote, and maintain Hindu culture, Hindu temples”. GiveFreely.com (a nonprofit data site) similarly summarizes GHHF’s focus on temple preservation, but critics point out that these activities overlap with Hindutva goals. The Christian Post notes GHHF “advocates an ideology known as Hindutva, or extremist Hindu supremacism, which holds that India belongs solely to Hindus”. In short, Hindutva is not merely cultural pride – it’s a doctrine that often paints religious minorities as outsiders. That background helps explain why GHHF’s statements and events have become controversial.
The 2022 Frisco Fundraiser Controversy
In November 2022, GHHF held a gala fundraiser in Frisco that drew national attention. Reports revealed the event flyer listed items like “Demolition of Illegal Churches in Tirupati” (a major Hindu pilgrimage site) and “ghar wapsi” (efforts to reconvert Muslims/Christians to Hinduism) as part of the GHHF agenda. These revelations alarmed many local Indian-American Christians and Muslims.
Community members did not remain silent. After learning of the flyer, concerned citizens staged protests in Frisco. By early December, local groups organized formal opposition.
Key Points from the Fundraiser:
The GHHF event was hosted at a Dallas-area venue on Nov 27, 2022. Its public agenda (as shown on Eventbrite) included Hindutva objectives: “Ghar Wapsi – reconversion of Muslims and Christians back to Hinduism” and “Demolition of Illegal Churches in Tirupati”
News reports emphasized these items. The Dallas Morning News wrote: “The dinner’s agenda items included… demolition of ‘illegal’ churches in India and the conversion of Indian Christians and Muslims to Hinduism.” (Both reports cited the actual flyer as evidence.)
These concrete facts – printed and posted online – were the spark for the backlash. Event organizers declined to publicly comment on these agenda items, and no evidence has appeared that the church demolition was ever actually funded. But the documentation of the flyer itself is clear. In response, faith leaders began sounding the alarm.
December 2022: Frisco City Hall Protests
On Dec. 6, 2022, dozens of residents packed a Frisco City Council meeting to air their concerns about GHHF. Local pastors and activists spoke out, warning that what they saw as extremist Hindutva aims had crossed into Frisco.
Local faith leaders and Indian-American residents gathered outside Frisco City Hall to condemn GHHF’s agenda. The Christian Post reported that “several pastors and other Christian leaders joined members of the local Indian Christian community to call for lawmakers to take a closer look at the activities of GHHF.” Independent journalist Pieter Friedrich, contributor to Christian news outlets, addressed the Council directly. He said, “Just last week, right here in Frisco, Texas, we had an American nonprofit organization fundraising to support the demolition of churches in India…Friedrich urged the city to speak out: “I urge the Frisco City Council to have the courage to proclaim that the GHHF’s hateful agenda has no place in Frisco…or in America.”
Of course, GHHF and its supporters dispute this narrative. They argued at the City Council meeting (via emails to local media) that “we have not raised funds to demolish churches” and that the matter involved legal questions of Indian church permits, not GHHF incitement. While GHHF has not been accused of any illegal act in the U.S., but the documented language of its flyer – and its promotion of ghar wapsi – had already concerned many.
Given these divergent accounts, it’s important for readers to weigh the information critically. Voters should look at the actual references.
Key Issues at a Glance:
Gopal Ponaji/Ponangi is explicitly identified as a GHHF volunteer and organizer in official materials.
GHHF professes a mission of temple preservation, but critics document that it endorses Hindutva goals like church demolition and religious conversion.
The leaked fundraiser flyer for Nov 2022 listed “Demolition of Illegal Churches in Tirupati” and “Ghar Wapsi (reconversion)” among its agenda items. This fact was confirmed by multiple news reports.
Bridge Initiative and others urge caution: “The group has raised funds to aid the demolition of Churches in India”
Conclusion: Do Your Research Before Voting
The facts above show that Ponangi has long-standing ties to GHHF and that GHHF has an explicitly Hindutva agenda. Whether one finds that alarming is a matter of judgment. We have provided documentation from multiple sources so readers can decide for themselves: every key claim comes with a link at the end of our blog. Frisco voters should carefully review these materials. In this race, as in all elections, misinformation can spread easily. We urge you to check out our verified sources. FriscoChronicles will continue to follow this story. We hope readers with the published record: examine it, question it, and then cast your vote with confidence.
While the world tackles climate change, AI ethics, and the moral collapse of TikTok, Frisco is dealing with… loss of our children’s innocence, assaults and stolen/vandalized political signs. That’s right, political signs! Welcome to the great political crime spree of 2025 in what our Mayor and Council claim is one of the safest cities in America, or is something else going on?
If you’ve driven down Preston, Legacy, Main Street, or Eldorado lately, you may have noticed something peculiar: political signs popping up like spring weeds, then suddenly poof—gone. Others are bent, knocked over, or tossed into ditches like yesterday’s Whataburger cup. Some have been found face-down in drainage ditches, others mysteriously sliced like a scene from a low-budget political thriller.
On March 30th, we had a candidate reach out to us letting us know that 15 of her political signs were stolen and several more intentionally damaged. She also stated that zip ties were cut, poles were pushed over, and some poles were completely missing. She documented the damage with pictures to us and said she would be filing a police report. We decided to pull a PIR and research the issue because last year we got the same complaints from candidates.
Now, don’t get us wrong, sign fatigue is real. By week three, those smiling headshots and bold promises start to blur together. But here’s the twist: it’s not just Mother Nature or rogue sprinklers. Nope. It seems there’s something more coordinated—and sneakier—going on.
Reporting Political Signs
First step, we indexed the reports in order. What we found or should we say who we found reporting them – was quite interesting!
1/26/25: Email to City Secretary from Mel M (kookykate) asking how she would make a report for political signage being out more than 90 days before the election.
1/26/25: Email to City Secretary from Councilman John Keating, yes, he used his official city email to report a Elad sign at Legacy & Eldorado. He wanted to know when signs can go up and reported that it does not have Place 4 on the sign. Kristi Morrow replied to him they can go up 90 days prior to an election and nothing in the state code says it has to have a place number on it.
Side Note: Keating has endorsed Elad’s opponent, he is one of the longest councilman in the history of Frisco, he has run several times – so shouldn’t he know the rules by now? Nope. He has to email the City Secretary to ask which shows off his complete incompetent nature.
2/25/25 Case 25023400: Reporting Party said a political sign struck a water line for the HOA water which has now been turned off and they wanted to file a vandalism complaint and complained to be with the HOA. The reporter was unsure if it was a city pipe or commercial pipe and he was told to contact the city water department.
2/25/25 Service Request 4914712: Ann Anderson reported a political sign at the corner of Preston / Warren and wanted to know if it was allowed to be there because she has never seen signage in Stonebriar area of the city.
2/27/25: Email to City Secretary from John Lettelleir, Director of Development Services for the City of Frisco. He was concerned about a sign located on the west side of Independence Pkwy, just north of SH 121 (in front of Race Trac) and was concerned if that was city property. Kristi Morrow, City Secretary responded she also noticed there are signs in the right-of-way along Dallas Parkway / Cotton Gin, and Dallas Parkway / Main. She went on to say some seem to be running down Dallas Parkway by the hospital but not necessarily at an intersection but placed close to the road.
2/27/25: Email to City Secretary from Cindy Hons asking for the city to check the placement of the following signs below.
Muni Sign: NE corner of 121/Preston
Sangita Sign: SE corner of Gaylord/Preston
Sangita Sign: SW corner of Warren/Preston
Sangita Sign: SE corner of Eldorado and Dallas Parkway (alongside Eldorado)
Side Note: We can only assume Cindy Hons makes her away around the city often to see all these signs in one day.
2/27/25 Case# CE25-00618: Randy Archambualt called code enforcement to make a complaint related to “incorrect sign placement” regarding a Burt Thakur political sign on teal parkway. It is interesting that Randy was once married to Rene (Frisco ISD BOT) and is a known supporter for the opposite side of the isle.
2/28/25 Email to City Secretary: Ginni Scott emailed the city secretary regarding the political sign she felt was a “safety concern” at the intersection of Teel Pkwy / The Trails Pkwy.
2/28/25 Email to City Secretary from Ben Brezina Assistant City Manager regarding a “big giant political sign” for Burt Thakur at Teel / The Trails Parkway and he is concerned that is hard to see oncoming south bound traffic when trying to turn south on to Teel.
Amy Moore, Code Enforcement Supervisor immediately sends it to Amy Smith telling her to have it checked TODAY and if this is VISION CLIP to remove it. She specifically notes “THIS IS FROM 5TH FLOOR AND BEN LIVES OVER THERE”
Side Note: Why does it matter that it came in from the 5th FLOOR? The fact that Amy Moore wrote that in her email, clearly shows a bias. Ben Brezina works for the City Manager’s Office, who clearly supports the encumbant and the FCFA. If it is not a targeted attack by all of these folks – it sure looks like it.
3/4/25 Case# CE25-00681: Reporter listed as ADMIN sent an email (which the city did not provide us) lodging a complaint for “Incorrect Sign Placement” at the NE Corner State Hwy 121 and Preston for a MUNI sign. It was determined by code enforcement that the sign as NOT in violation. Who is the ADMIN that reported it?
3/4/25 Case# CE25-00695: Email complaint received by Caleb Davis for a Burt Thakur sign located at the NE Corner of Preston / Lebanon and it was later determined it was NOT in violation.
3/4/25 Case# CE25-00697: Email complaint received by Caleb Davis for a Burt Thakur sign at the SW Corner of Preston / Lebanon and it was later determined it was NOT in violation.
Side Note: We researched the number on the report for Caleb Davis and funny thing – the number did not come back to a Caleb Davis nor anyone that lives in Frisco.
Is This the Pettiest Political Season Yet? Yes! City officials and supporters of specific candidates are now going around documenting and reporting their opponents’ signs to the City—for being too close to the curb, for not having the right permit, or just for existing in the wrong median. It’s like Mean Girls but with clipboards and zoning codes.
Sign Stealer in our Midst? Multiple candidates have emailed us that their signs have been damaged or stollen. Removing your opponent’s signs doesn’t make your message stronger, it makes you look desperate. It’s political sabotage with the maturity level of a middle schooler sneaking gum into detention.
For those thinking of tampering with a campaign political sign – don’t! In Texas, tampering with campaign signs is a crime and is a Class C misdemeanor. That’s the same category as public intoxication and fireworks violations—basically, it’s for people who lack impulse control and creativity.
Why the Drama Over Corrugated Plastic? Is it just ego? Control issues? The thrill of a late-night mission to liberate signs from a busy intersection? Maybe. But more likely, it’s a symptom of something deeper, a political culture that’s forgotten how to win people over with ideas and instead relies on eliminating competition by any means necessary. Including sign sabotage.
What does this say about us as voters, as neighbors, as a city? Maybe it says we need to start demanding more maturity from the people asking for our votes. Or maybe it just says that campaign season turns otherwise reasonable adults into territorial raccoons with a hammer and a clipboard. Either way, the message is clear: Frisco deserves better. We can disagree on policy without disappearing each other’s signs in the dead of night. Let’s raise the bar, not just the yard signs.
We want to hear from you: Do you think Burt Thakur, Muni, Jared Elad and Sangita Datta are being targeted?
Seen any suspicious sign activity? Know someone with a trunk full of political signage that doesn’t belong to them? Report it to the police or drop us a line—anonymity guaranteed.
Currently, our great city of Frisco is facing a lot of pressure from “outside forces” relating to the Anthony / Metcalf case. Everywhere you turn, from social media posts to the news stations (nationwide), they are talking about this case. We have a Civil Rights Group meeting with our Police Department, demanding fair justice and asking our Board of Trustees not to expel Anthony when he has one month left in his senior year.
Recently, we saw a post by Councilman, John Keating where he said he recently endorsed a Frisco ISD Trustee candidate, believing we shared a vision for academic excellence, transparency and parental empowerment. He went on to say he was made aware of several social media posts the candidate made in the past which contradict those values.” Then he closes with in light of these revelations, I am withdrawing my endorsement for this candidate.
At first, we were confused because Mr. Keating, who has Whistleblower blocked from his Official Councilman page (breaking the law), never saw a post of his “original endorsement.” We started digging around and realized he had endorsed Stuart Shulman for Frisco ISD BOT Place 3. We looked through Shulman’s page and didn’t see much that concerned us, which left us more confused. Then we saw in several different Facebook groups, screenshots of posts from his page that had been shared, and now we understood.
The first photo is of Shulman with a Beto For Texas sign. No big deal vote for who you want as that is your constitutional right! However, Keating claims to be a Republican and he donates to several Republicans and for him to OPENLY ENDORSE a democrat is a BIG Problem because he will lose his claim to be a Republican (to his Republican friends). He can quietly endorse a democrat and then play stupid but not someone openly posting their political view. As we said to each his own, we are a house divided and it is Shulman’s constitutional right to vote for whoever he wants, and we respect our differences.
Then we saw the BLM – Black Lives Matter Post! Here is a man who wants to run for our Board of Trustee’s openly supporting a racially divisive group. Everyone has a feeling or opinion on BLM and to act as if it is not controversial would-be understatement. We just had a horrible thing happen here in our district and if Shulman was on the Board of Trustee’s would he be shouting Black Lives Matter? He should be shouting ALL OUR KIDS LIVES MATTERS! Would that make an impact on his decisions? Honestly, I don’t want to find out!
This is not Frisco! Frisco is a blended community and that is honestly what makes us great. We may not all agree politically – that’s okay! We may not all operate the same – that’s okay! However, divisive rhetoric based on race or the color of one’s skin tone is simply unacceptable from a Leader in this city. Our children need real leaders right now! Our school district has real LIFE AND DEATH issues happening. Our children deserve to be safe and know that all their lives matter (red, yellow, brown, black, white and blue). The last thing we need is someone on our Board of Trustees who supports any type of race-driven organization or racially divisive groups. Just NOT ACCEPTABLE!
The question we have after this tragic event and after all the folks saying we are not a racially divided community – why didn’t the rest of them pull their endorsements? That’s right, Shulman is endorsed by a lot of our folks in our community and no one else pulled their endorsements. It begs the question do the following folks support a man who openly supports a racially divisive group to be on our schoolboard? Do they think this is the kind of leader we need today facing the adversity we are facing? If yes, then you should question THEIR JUDGEMENT!
Are we surprised Mayor Jeff Cheney endorsed him? No, he already took a knee in solidarity!
What about the rest? At a time when we should be unified for ALL THE CHILDREN IN OUR DISTRICT – do these so-called leaders support this? The two other candidates (Suresh and Renee) that have been campaigning with him – silent! Angelia Pelham – silent! Rene Archambault – Silent! The list goes on! If these leaders sit in silence at this time, after what has happened then in our opinion, they do support him and what he stands for. They are advocating for him to be on the Board of Trustee’s. Is that what you want for your child? Is that what we want for all the children in the district? I hope not!
So here we are, perched on the edge of civic glory or total chaos, depending on which Facebook group you follow. Early voting begins tomorrow, and I encourage you to participate. Not just because it matters (which it does), but because if you don’t vote, someone with worse judgment than you will.
– The Frisco Chronicles Your Friendly Neighborhood Overthinker
The other day I was reading an article about the most common 6 phrases people say to gaslight and manipulate you. What is gaslighting? It is a manipulation tactic often wielded by emotional disruptive abusers and is insidious in nature making it hard for a person to recognize the tactic is happening. What happens when someone tries to gaslight you?
Gradually you begin to question your own judgement, memories, feelings and questioning reality. The article quoted therapist Shannon Thomas who stated that “people who cannot authentically argue their point of view or stand behind their words turn to gaslighting as a tool.” She went on to say ’they resort to confusion creating tactics, and that it really is a true sign of character weakness.”
It made me think back to our recent elections and the mixed messaging the city tried to sell to citizens while attacking our Frisco Firefighters relentlessly while also saying they support our first responders and dedicate at least ½ our annual budget to public safety. They also attacked and tried to destroy the reputation of Former Fire Chief, Mark Piland by saying he was the problem and the reason for the low morale. The solution, to make Lee Glover, the new “SAVING GRACE” Fire Chief. Based on the In-Service notes we have reviewed, the city may have failed “BIG TIME” and the leader driving the bus is our very own City Manager, Wes Pierson!
After the election was over there was a large disdain between our Fire Department and the city so they planned a weeklong set of In-Service Meetings, aka “Healing Sessions” to listen to the firefighters’ concerns. We filed a PIR for anything related to those meetings and after reading the 50+ page report of notes one thing became very clear, the city council knowingly and repeatedly lied to citizens during the election.
Example 1: The Vote No PAC, funded by Frisco Developers, and run by Mayor Pro Tem Bill Woodard
Councilman Woodard was interviewed by Jack Fink with CBS Texas and when asked why the Fire Fighters were bringing the propositions to the ballot, he specifically said due to the “FORMER LEADERSHIP” of the department, referring to Former Fire Chief Mark Piland. We assumed we would see some of those issues noted in this 50+ page report, however only 2 comments were made, which is one the environment is a little more relaxed now (uniforms) and that Piland may have tended to over communicate to the department.
However, they had a lot to say about the current Fire Chief, Lee Glover. When it comes to budgeting and purchasing new equipment, they feel the Chief Glover is out of touch with today’s firefighting tactics. Firefighters said Glovers’ only tactic since arriving has been cost cutting measures to look good to the City Manager’s Office and council and that means he his neglecting his duty to his command.
Remember the Blood Program, otherwise known as which was carried by the Squad Unit? Refresh your memory by reading our older articles “Another One Bites The Dust” and “Make It Look Pretty.” At the time Councilman Woodard was the “city mouthpiece” across social media supporting Glover’s decision to end the Squad program and transfer the blood program to two battalion chief vehicles. The report talks about Glover’s cost cutting measures and how the firefighters believe removing the Squad Unit and transferring the Blood Program was a huge failure as it took away two extra working people on calls and losing the expertise of the Squad members could be and will be deadly to citizens.
What is the end result of the firefighter’s statement above about their concerns with Glover being out of touch with today’s firefighting tactics? Chief Glover has cut valid programs, training and they believe he is purchasing the wrong equipment. Glover has also de-incentivized training under his command, and today they have less training which is dangerous. Courses and training are required for promotions to the next rank and other departments pay for employees to attend training, but Glover is telling his command to “put stock in your own training.” As for equipment, Glover is buying more Quints -the big bulky fire trucks of the old days, which are hard to get around the neighborhood’s tight and crowded streets. The firefighters prefer more engines and tillers. We are told engines are quicker and shorter in size making them a better choice. We are also told the tillers are an advantageous truck because they can go anywhere, carries more tools and is quicker to vent with 107’ ladder.
Are we done yet? Oh no, we are just getting started! There is so much to go over that we are going to break it up into multiple articles this week. Tonight, we leave you with three questions:
1. Why is the City Council and City Manager gaslighting residents into believing all of these issues are due to Former Fire Chief Piland who was endorsed by the Frisco Firefighters Assocation this year during the election?
2. Why is the City Council and City Manager gaslighting residents into thinking the problem is our Fire Association, who they called Greedy Bastards, power hungry and lazy during the election?
3. Why is the City Council and City Manager dying on a sharp sword for Fire Chief Lee Glover who in all respects to his command his nowhere to be found and neglecting his duty to his command?
We leave you with a strong remark in the In-Service notes which we stated above, “Firefighters believe Glover’s only goal is to look good to the City Manager’s Office and City Council which results in him neglecting his duty to his command.” ….. come back tomorrow for part two
UPDATE: PLEASE NOTE WE HAVE MADE CORRECTIONS TO OUR ARTICLE BASED ON MORE DETAILS RECEIVED. CORRECTIONS CAN BE NOTED IN RED OR WITH A STRIKETHROUGH MARK.
Tick-tock, tick-tock sounds the clock! Days go by, and the tick-tock never seems to stop. Meanwhile City of Frisco leadership sits behind closed doors while we watch the clock, just tick-tock! Precious moments fading away and citizens still are not standing up to ask, is everything okay? What happens when time runs out…? Tick-tock they will try to approve a $300-$500 million dollar Performing Arts Center and announce they plan to raise taxes!
Back on June 18th at the Budget and Audit Committee Meeting we learned from the agenda that both the Committee Chair – Councilman Bill Woodard and Committee Members –Councilwomen Angelia Pelham and Laura Rummel were present. They had a discussion regarding the “PRELIMINARY FY 2025 Budget” and our Chief Financial Officer, Derrick Cotton talked about potential revenue generating items. It is the last paragraph where it says Mr. Cotton talks about the “Homestead Exemption” and presented changes in the adjusted taxable values and discussed a possible tax rate change for FY25 that had our attention.
They plan to pick up the discussion this Tuesday August 6th at 3pm at the next Budget and Audit Committee Meeting. Then we noticed Tuesday nights city council meeting Agenda Item 32 calls for a public hearing on the FY 25 budget. In fact, the city memo reads “Consider and act upon adoption of a Resolution calling for a public hearing on the City of Frisco FY 2025 Budget, Frisco Economic Development Corporation FY 2025 Budget, and Frisco Community Development Corporation FY 2025 Budget. (Budget/TA)”
Why does a city call for a public hearing on the potential adoptions of the budget? Well according to Texas Local Government Code, Title 4: Finances, Subtitle A – Municipal Finances, Chapter 102 – Municipal Budget (wow that’s a mouth full) there are several reasons. Section 102.005 specifically states that if they are proposing a budget change it must be available for public inspection.
(b) A proposed budget that will require raising more revenue from property taxes than in the previous yearmust contain a cover page with the following statement in 18-point or larger type: “This budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by (insert total dollar amount of increase and percentage increase), and of that amount (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll) is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.”
Once they conclude that so called “PUBLIC HEARING” they can adopt a budget according to the law. So based on what they have been discussing, based on the public hearings they have quietly posted, we can guarantee you the city is about to announce a Tax Increase! Right now, those city leaders are just hoping you are not paying attention and all the other political distractions around the country will keep you from recognizing the destructive path they are.
Now you should say, wait a damn minute Mayor Cheney – you just ran a year ago on the fact you have lowered taxes. Let’s not forget John Keating and Angelia making the 2024 rounds campaigning for your vote claiming they lowered taxes and plan to continue lowering taxes, but all the while they knew they were going to propose an out of this world Performing Arts Center and raise taxes.
Didn’t this city council pull out all the stops to get votes to VOTE NO against the Fire Fighters because they claimed it “WOULD INCREASE TAXES” when they already knew they were going to do it anyways? What they were not telling you then is they planned to raise taxes but just for things they want for their own selfish reasons. Who cares what citizens actually need….
In a time when inflation is high and we are facing a presidential election these mice are running around in the clock hoping we don’t pay attention to the TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK of the clock. If any one of our council members vote to raise taxes – VOTE THEM OUT! Why are we, one of the flushest cities, according to Cheney talking about revenue generating ways for the city to make money. It is simple, CHENEY-VILLE COSTS A LOT TO BUILD. The old red head wants you to just do as he say’s and not ask questions ASK QUESTIONS!
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