Frisco is one of the oldest cities in the metroplex and over the years we have not stopped growing! Every day you see more modern buildings going up and more new developments along the Tollway. From the PGA to The Star there is always something to do! BUT, WHAT ABOUT MAIN? WHAT ABOUT THE HEART OF OUR CITY?
Just beyond the glamour and stadium lights of Toyota Stadium sits a unique and historic downtown. The downtown Rail District is home to an eclectic group of independent, locally owned restaurants and businesses. The district boasts unique street murals and one-of-a-kind shops. This historically preserved area offers visitors a glimpse into the “Real Frisco,” not the Touristy Frisco. The Rail district is surrounded by residents who enjoy living in the area and is home to locally owned small-town businesses that have invested in our community for YEARS. Now, they need the CITY TO INVEST IN THEM!
Yes, downtown needed to be REVITALIZED, that we can all agree on. It has taken the city DECADES to come up with a plan, and now they are moving right along! HOWEVER, residents and local business owners are asking COULD THE CITY HAVE GONE ABOUT IT A DIFFERENT WAY? The impact on these small businesses has been devastating! These are locals who have invested in Frisco for years, paid taxes, and now they are in trouble because of REVITALIZATION. It is time for them to realize the impact on downtown businesses and that it is NOT NATURAL. It HAS BEEN CREATED by OUR CITY! KEY POINT: The trouble they are in is not because of the economy; it is the IMPACT OF THE CONSTRUCTION that is #DestoryingMain!
The people finally had enough. And no, not the “enough” where you write a passive-aggressive Facebook comment while sipping your venti latte—this was real, in-the-flesh frustration. Residents and small business owners lined up one after another at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. Stepping up to the microphone, voices cracking between anger and heartbreak, to say what everyone driving down Main Street already knows: Main is broken, Businesses are broken, and it is time for the Council to stop pretending it’s fine.
Citizens Input: Main Street, or Main Mess?
FACT: Main is supposed to be the beating heart of Frisco. Instead, it’s looking more like endless traffic, crumbling infrastructure, and the ever-growing list of businesses just barely hanging on. Main isn’t thriving—it’s BARELY surviving.
The people who spoke didn’t come armed with consultants, shiny renderings, or buzzwords like “synergy corridors.” They came with lived experience: the store owner whose sales have dropped because customers don’t want to fight the chaos to park or try to cross the street without a Frogger-level survival plan. Main used to be a place you wanted to stroll on a Friday night.
LIMIT THE TIME
It started with Jeff Cheney looking for a motion to limit the time to speak from 5 minutes to 3 minutes (because there were more than 10 people). Keating, who hopes to be your next Mayor (remember that) was the first to motion to “CUT THE TIME,” which was seconded by Livingston. These are local businesses, and you can’t take 5 minutes to hear each one of them?
Next, Mayor Jeff Cheney did exactly what Mayor Jeff Cheney always does (side note: we are reaching out to the Texas Municipal League to see if our mayor may have violated the open meetings act), talking before anyone had taken the microphone to discuss an item NOT ON THE AGENDA! Why? He announced the city planned to allocate $500,000 towards Main, and they will hold a public discussion sometime around October 7th.
The Voices of Frisco Business Owners & Residents:
First Up: Erik Colberg spoke as a resident who lives in the Rail District
Lee Gonzales – Owner of La Finca Coffee & Bakery located at 7511 Main Street #150
Randy’s plea brought tears to the eyes of many sitting in the council chambers. Randy’s started his businesses here in 1993 and today Randy’s Steakhouse sits in the Old Victorian Style Home along Main Street that used to belong to Frisco native Vivian McCallum. The impact has devastated his business.
Steve Anderson – Music Services located at 6726 West Main St
Jason Taylor – Owner of Endur3Bikes located at 6699 Main St
Rich Vana– Chef/Owner of Heritage Table located at 7110 Main St
Samar & Luna Binat – Owner of La Suprema Market located at 6726 Main St, Ste 100
Taylor Lattery: Frisco Music Store
Scott Hoffner – Owner of Didi’s Downtown located at 7210 W. Main St
Local Frisco Resident: Paul Jessen
Local Rail District Resident: Brittnay Colberg
Council’s Response: Insert Shrug Emoji
Mayor Cheney (as usual) took his time to respond. The Texas Open Meetings Act states: The city council shall not deliberate on any item that is not on the agenda, and for such an item, members of council may either: (1) make a statement of fact regarding the item; (2) make a statement concerning the policy regarding the item; or (3) propose that the item be placed on a future agenda. As we have said before, we believe Cheney continually violates this during citizen input because he is not making a statement of fact, he is not talking about a policy he is pontificating his opinion.
As for the rest of the council, well, Keating wants a T-shirt! That will be good clickbait for his Mayoral Campaign website (once he announces his BIG secret)! As for the rest, the reaction was predictable. Council sat nodding politely, practicing their best “I’m listening” faces while probably drafting their next campaign slogans in their heads. Because what’s the use of listening if it is not a billion-dollar developer!
The Hashtag Heard Around Frisco
The people weren’t asking for magic. They weren’t asking for a monorail or a Disneyland Main Street redo. They were asking for action—basic, common-sense fixes, leadership, and accountability. Instead, what they’ve gotten so far is a year of excuses, construction delays, and much of the time businesses have been non-accessible.
#SAVEMAIN is more than a social media slogan—it’s a rallying cry. It’s the people saying: stop patting yourselves on the back for “economic development wins” when you can’t fix the most visible, most essential street in the city. If the Council won’t act now, when?
Frisco, the people have spoken. They showed up. They demanded better. Now the ball’s in Council’s court. They can either lead—or they can keep ignoring the obvious while the rest of us tweet #SAVEMAIN until our thumbs cramp. Because here’s the truth: the citizens already told you the answer. You just must stop pretending not to hear it.
Residents Should Be Asking…
Why now? For years, the councils have gone back and forth about the redevelopment of downtown Frisco. Why not do this during the Covid shutdown so businesses did not suffer twice?
When this started in June 2024 – what was the expectation for the future?
The businesses who are struggling from this construction – who is knocking on their door to “Buy or Save” their business?
What is a revitalized downtown without the heart of downtown – the businesses?
Stay Tuned for Part 2
Disclaimer: This blog includes satire, parody, and comic relief. It contains summarized accounts created solely for humor and commentary. Any resemblance to real events is either coincidental or intentionally satirical. Reader discretion — and a sense of humor — are advised.
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!
HR-GONE: The Mysterious Disappearance of Frisco’s Human Resources Trio
It’s been unusually quiet over at City Hall lately. It’s the kind of quiet that screams “Something’s rotten in the records room.” While most departments are humming along in their usual bureaucratic fog, the stench of an investigation is sweeping the building due to some major “Absences.”
A few weeks ago, Lauren “Sassy” Safranek and Jacinta Shanks, top brass in Frisco’s Human Resources Department, vanished like a bowl of queso at a Friday Night tailgate. Gone. Poof. Not a peep. Did they get lost on a ship stuck in troubled seas? Maybe they went ice fishing and fell in the hole? It’s like they just pulled a Houdini!
We reached out to some of our sources inside city hall. When something like this happens, it does not take long for whispers and rumors to begin. One whistleblower told us, “One minute they’re steering the ship, the next day they’re gone like a Margarita on Cinco de Mayo.” Did they quit? Nope. Did they announce a vacation? Were they abducted by an alien spaceship sent by fed-up municipal employees?
I mean, it’s not the craziest theory on the table. What we do know is this: Multiple sources allege they’re on administrative leave—which in government-speak often translates to: “Something’s gone sideways, and we’re pretending we have it under control.”
Rumor Tornado: Allegations Aplenty
Cue the local rumor mill which is working overtime, spinning out allegations faster than a ceiling fan in an August heatwave. Allegations range from forged documents, toxic workplace culture, and racist comments. And while we’d love to dismiss it all as wild conspiracy, here’s the truth: When that much smoke is circling, it usually ain’t from a scented candle. For a city who claims to have pride in their professionalism and diversity, something like this is not just smoke, somewhere there is a fire! Someone call the Fire Department!! (more about that in a sec)
If things weren’t already murky enough, we got word that Shamaria, another key player in HR, is also out. Administrative leave too? Vacation? Witness protection? We hope to tell you soon why people are just vanishing from the organization chart. We are just giving the city the courtesy of a comment request before we move forward. For now, they think no one’s talking. Not the city, not the employees, not even a cryptic passive-aggressive Nextdoor post. However, that is simply not true! They have more cracks and leaks than the Titanic.
At least when you email any of them you get back the “official” statement which is a robotic Out-of-Office reply that reads like it was written by ChatGPT on Ambien. The silence is deafening. No answers. No updates. Not even a cryptic “thoughts and prayers” from City Hall. So, what did we find?
HR Hotline Tellanovella
Case 61: Discrimination or Harassment! It was filed on 4/25/23 and closed one month later on 5/23/23 and the person identified in the behavior was none other than Jacinta Shanks – HR Manager. The report goes on to say that on April 10th while the Director was away, Jacinta pulled her staff into a meeting and yelled and screamed at them for two hours. It reads “she was screaming that they were bad in their roles in HR, was name calling, cussing, screaming, etc.” Not only could she be heard yelling through the department, but she could heard in the hallway too which the reporter said was abusive and unprofessional. The end result? The case was closed and no evidence was found.
Case 62: Listed as “OTHER” was reported on 5/4/23 and closed on 5/23/23. The hotline complaint is about the same “April 10th Issue” listed in Case 61 but this time the complaint is the initial report was closed out and never investigated by the HR Director, Laurn Safranek.
Case 64: Falsification of Contracts, Reports or Records was reported on 5/29/23 and closed out 6/22/23. We reported this in our Twelve Days of Christmas Blog back in 2023. It was Day 3: Case 64 & HR Malfeasance and Day 9: Case 64 Responses. You can just click the Case names, and it will take you directly to those blogs. We know for a fact his true and it is why Lauren Safranek used a fake investigation to go after the Former Fire Chief, to cover up her own fraud. The complaint was closed out due to NO EVIDENCE FOUND!
Meanwhile, Over in the Fire Department…
You’d hope that while HR has hit the skids, all the other departments would be cruising along smoothly, right? Wrong.
Five employees have recently left the Frisco Fire Department. We’re not talking about minor attrition here—we’re talking about experienced professionals pulling the ripcord. Some retired early, which means, “I’m out of here because this will never get better,” while others just walked out of the job.
Why? The unofficial rumor is due to the lack of true Fire Department leadership and lack of support by city management. Tammy’s recent comments “caught on tape” sure didn’t help when they were called 300lb Bullies. They have realized it is not going to get better without change on the Dias and new fresh minds sitting in the seats on the council. Maybe that is why the Frisco Firefighters Association and Frisco Police Officers Association has endorsed Burt Thakur and Jared Elad in the runoff. One thing is clear for sure those that put their life on the line to save our lives and our property are sick of the city’s BS and jumping off the Titanic early while there is still a lifeboat to get them somewhere else.
Damage Control in Public Works?
HR, then the Fire Department? Surely, it’s a fluke – nothing to worry about, right? Wrong. Just a few weeks ago a lady spoke at citizens input about the “issues” in public works and how she was upset that a letter she sent it to recognize someone was never given to them. Well turns out there is a flood in the Public Works Department too and it goes back several years.
Sometime in 2024, Lauren Safranek (HR – now allegedly out on administrative leave) hired an outside HR Consulting Company, called Kathy Shields Consulting, to investigate the “alleged complaints through the HR hotline of an inappropriate relationship.” That’s right, the “ALLEGED” complaints involve Lover Boy, Kevin Grant, his alleged girlfriend, Loosey Goosey Gloria Martinez (who is married to someone else who works in the city).
Sources from deep in city leadership told us NDA’s were required by everyone in Public Works. The affair is alleged to have been happening for several years now, and the consultants couldn’t understand why people were bothered by it. Well, when one who is loosey goosey starts to get promotions and special treatment you can see why it would upset those that work around her.
Piling High HR Allegations in Public Works
Case 55: Time Abuse was reported on 1/3/23 and closed on 1/30/23. The report reads that Office Manager, Gloria Martinez and Kevin Grant, Assistant Director for months would go off during work hours to donate plasma for extra money while still on the clock (meaning they were stealing taxpayer dollars and being paid for it). The confidential reporters said they believed the stolen time was equal to $50,000 dollars. Their report continued with all the CSR’s and other direct reports were aware of the happenings. HR found no evidence and closed the case.
Case 57: Offensive and Inappropriate Communication was reported on 3/17/23 and closed on 5/8/23. This report is about Marvin Redmond, a Supervisor and foul mouth in the office. HR found no evidence and closed the case.
Case 58: Nepotism/Favoritism Inappropriate Workplace Relationship was reported on 3/20/23 and closed on 4/11/23. The report says Kevin Grant, Assistant Director of Public Works and Gloria Martinez, Office Admin, are having an inappropriate relationship and disappear at different times of the day for extended periods. It mentions Kevin has a DUI so he gets Gloria to drive him everywhere. They openly flirt in the office making others uncomfortable and awkward. The Director of Public Works, Gabe appears to do nothing and turns a blind eye. HR found no evidence and closed the case.
Case 59: Violation of Policy was reported on 3/20/23 and closed on 4/12/23. The report states that Gabe Johnson, the Director of Public Works knows that Kevin Grant, Assistant Director of Public Works was convicted of a DUI which is an issue because driving a city vehicle is part of his job to check on employees and job sites. The report notes others have been fired in the past for DUI’s but this time Gabe choses to look the other way. HR found no evidence and closed the case.
Interesting thing here, we did a simple search, and we found a DUI for a Kevin Grant – could it be the same Kevin Grant that works at the City of Frisco driving city vehicles?
Case 84/85/86/87/88: Multiple Reports about Public Works and the HR Cover up also reported to the hotline in 2024/25. The first starts with a 3-page complaint about Gloria Martinez, the Strategic Services Manager in Public Works (new title), related to her behavior and ongoing love affair with her boss. The case was closed when NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND!
We could keep going, but we don’t want to sound like a broken record. Sources from deep in city leadership told us NDA’s were required by everyone in Public Works during the investigation. The consultants couldn’t understand why people were bothered by it. Our guess, when one who is loosey goosey starts to get promotions and special treatment, you can see why it would upset those who work around her.
What we find interesting is each time they are closed due to no evidence found. One report, I could see its just petty employee behavior but when you have multiple reports in multiple departments and they are always investigated by the same HR folk (who are even named in the complaint) something tells me – there is some rotting shit in Denmark.
Let’s Talk About Leadership — Or Lack Thereof
Enter Wes Pierson, Frisco’s relatively new City Manager. According to the Tammy tapes, she just finished his “yearly review.” Don’t worry, we are filing a PIR for that blow pop sucker!
To hear some folks inside City Hall tell it, Wes didn’t just walk in with a chip on his shoulder—he brought the whole bag of chips on this back. There’s a growing sentiment that his arrogant, top-down leadership style is rubbing people the wrong way, all the way down to those “entry level employees.” Micromanaging? Check. Intimidating culture? Double check. Open-door policy? Not unless you’re bringing praise, apparently.
And here’s the kicker: this isn’t Wes’s first rodeo when it comes to morale problems.
Sources from his previous job in Addison say the same script played out there. Multiple departures. Low morale. Leadership complaints. Sound familiar? Because it should. History doesn’t repeat, but it sure rhymes.
Walking on Eggshells
Maybe it’s time we stopped asking what happened and started asking who’s driving the bus at the city. Insiders describe the current vibe inside City Hall as “walking on eggshells.” But in the absence of information, people fill in the blanks themselves—and right now, that blank is filled with rumors, stress, and enough anxiety to power every Keurig in the building. However our City Council Members want you to believe everything is just dandy – and the truth is the cancer is all over the city including our City Council.
Final Thoughts
To the City of Frisco: This isn’t Mean Girls. We get that HR matters can be sensitive and complex. But people deserve a straight answer—or at the very least, an acknowledgment that something is amiss. And to Mr. Pierson: you were brought in to lead, not reign. Arrogance isn’t management.Intimidation isn’t accountability. And silence isn’t transparency.
The people who make this city run—from dispatchers to developers—deserve better than this circus. We’ve got talent walking out the door, departments on edge, and a leadership team that thinks “no comment” is good enough. Then to top off the Sunday, we have city council members getting caught on tape showing their authentic self in a safe space, acting no better than some of the city “employees” she thumbs her nose up at, who work for our city. Too bad we can’t file an HR Complaint with the hotline about Tammy.
If you read this and don’t think we need a change in our city, you are simply delusional! If you want to try and discredit us because we are anonymous – go ahead. Companies and cities cannot operate this way.
Years of HR HOTLINE COMPLAINTS, which name HR as part of the problem investigated by none other than HR. Simple No Evidence Found! Years of complaints about issues in Public Works, but simply no evidence found! More reports about other departments from PD, Facilities / Maintenance, and Professional Services, simple, no evidence found!
A city’s HR Team doesn’t go POOF IN THE NIGHT, unless there is a serious issue! If you want to believe our Fire Department is a group of bullies, we can’t change your mind. The fact is that a fire department does not lose tenure like our department has in one year unless there is a reason for it. If you want to believe that our Public Works department has no issues after 15+ complaints have been reported for the same thing by different people, then we can’t change your mind. How many cities have to hire this many outside consultants or investigators to look at an issue and still find no evidence? What you should care about is that it is your tax dollars paying for it.
For years, the city has operated with the mentality to protect the ones they like and cut the ones that could or will “uncover the problem”. Hence, our former Fire Chief and several other employees across other city departments. If you want to blame the wrong people and keep denying there is a problem, better yet, that there is a cancer in the city that starts at the top, then you are blind and stupid. The problem starts with our city council leaders and trickles down through the city. I would love for someone to explain to me how one city has so many problems! Don’t believe us, fine! We can’t make you see what you choose to close your eyes to. Just continue to be sheep!
City of Frisco Motto: Keep the cancer, eat the innocent!
In April of 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 the Frisco Firefighters Association and the city in regards to workers compensation.
In 2021 the city opposed House Bill 2242 brought forward by Jared Patterson, Texas State House Rep for Frisco. In 2023 the FFA and Patterson brought HB 471, and they have been working extremely hard to get it or similar legislation passed in Austin that would protect first responders across Texas. The fight for more protection by the FFA and Jared Paterson has continued into our 2025 Texas Legislative Session.
Even though we knew about the El Paso dust storm, my wife and I were still shocked on May 16, 2023, after tuning into the city council meeting online, like we have done every other Tuesday for years. Mayor Cheney presented a proclamation to Denton County MGMR, for all the work they do each day relating to mental health. Mental Health Awareness Month aims to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being and provide resources and information to support individuals and communities in need of mental health support.
At that same meeting, during Citizen Input (23:00 minute mark), Frisco Firefighters Association President, Matt Sapp, along with Retired Frisco Fire Chief Mark Piland, and Assistant Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer to address the termination of Kraemer, a 27-year Veteran of the Frisco Fire Department.
What? After 27-years serving our city and its residents without hesitation, Kraemer was terminated BY EMAIL while on medical leave and under medical supervision for PTSD which we go into more detail about in our blog Backdraft which we really encourage you to read.
By the end of the meeting, I wanted to scream like Alanis Morrissette…
Isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think? A little too ironic
Where are we two years later? It is Mental Health Awareness Month again, and the second anniversary of Kraemer’s termination BY EMAIL while on medical leave. The fight is not over, not even close! It’s time to peel back the curtain on a firehouse-sized problem simmering here in Frisco? Buckle up, this one’s got smoke, politics, and no small dose of Texas-sized irony.
Smoke, Stigma & Silenced: Mark Piland
Since then, Retired Fire Chief Mark Piland has had his name wrongfully smeared and his 40-year stellar career in public service wrongfully attacked by City of Frisco leaders for speaking out on behalf of Kraemer and the Frisco Firefighters Association when he attempted to run for Frisco City Council.
The Legislative Lifeline
When your city will not support you, what do you do? The Frisco Firefighters Association has continued the fight and has been in Austin off and on the last several weeks with local State Rep Jared Patterson to fight for more protection for public safety employees in the State of Texas. Just today, HB331 officially headed to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law! The bill marks the final piece of legislation language from last session’s HB471 that our Frisco Firefighters have been advocating for the past three legislative sessions.
A Firefighters Fight: Cameron Kraemer
And Cameron Kraemer, where is he? Kraemer, while still under medical supervision, started the fight of his life against our very own City of Frisco. After a hearing on September 21, 2023, before the Texas Department of Insurance, the DMN reports that the administrative law judge hearing the case ORDERED THE CITY OF FRISCO, which is self-insured, to pay Kraemer benefits and any accrued but unpaid income benefits in a lump sum with interest as provided by law. According to John Riddle, president of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, Kraemer’s case is being watched throughout Texas, and it is important to the state’s 18,000 firefighters in 195 communities. Riddle said in the DMN, “For now, Frisco is among the most aggressive cities in fighting its injured employees at City Hall and the Legislature — and because of that, employees like Cameron Kraemer pay a high price.”
The battle continued as Kraemer took his case before the DOJ for them to determine if he was able to sue the city for wrongful termination which we wrote about in our blog Big Time Casino Payout. The DOJ ruled Kraemer could move forward with a lawsuit so in August 2024 Cameron Kraemer filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination against the City of Frisco in Collin County. Based on the research we have done, Kraemer is going to win, and we think he will win big! You can learn more in our December 2024 blog Kraemer vs City of Frisco that we wrote which lays out the details.
Final Thoughts from the Hillside Winery Whistleblower
Ask yourself why. Why is the city spending hundreds of thousands on a private law firm to fight so hard and drag this out for so long, when clearly, they are in the wrong? Why is the city spending tax dollars fighting our public safety employees instead of protecting them and just doing the right thing? What will this cost us, the taxpayers, when he wins? Our guess…. MILLIONS! But that is not all. We are hearing rumors of other lawsuits that have been or will be filed by former employees of the FD against the City of Frisco. We are digging into that now!
They had all the time in the world to prance around asking us to vote to change the use of EDC funds for a Frisco Center For The Arts but they cannot simply make things right with the firefighters. Instead, we have Councilwoman Meinershagen calling them 300lb bullies and complaining that they are fighting for protections that directly affect their life. We have Bicycle Bill Woodard, who wants you to believe the firefighters are lazy (his words during the May 2024 election), and they want to bankrupt the city. You can’t get a paycheck from a bankrupt city, so why would they want to do that? Cheney and Keating want you to believe that our RETIRED Fire Chief was fired after a stellar career with the city and 10 years of perfect performance reviews. Not to mention, in our PIR requests and federal FOIA’s, we found his entire 40-year career was stellar with not one deficient performance review. Lastly, no one is paying attention to the fact that in the last 6 to 8 months, several (rumor is 6 to 8) of our firefighters are saying Hasta La Vista Baby either via retirement or quitting their job. They are going to work for other organizations and cities where they are valued.
Just hope and pray your house does not catch fire because we were already short staffed and now it is getting worse! The city loyalists just turn a blind eye as always, and function as if nothing if wrong. They want you to believe we have nothing to be worried about, but as a taxpayer you can bet, I am worried! Big Time Payouts, the loss of experienced firefighters from our roster puts citizens and businesses in jeopardy.
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.
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I literally just saw this. Yeah, she used to forward everybody’s emails behind their backs.
You're dropping truth bombs! These mom and pop shops are what should be the least of Karen's worries. If they…
Interesting Article
I don't know, Patrick, and I'm not familiar with SREC, so I'm unable to answer your questions.