We have told you before you can learn a lot about what the city is trying to do by reviewing city council meeting agendas. We noticed the Frisco City Council approved a master agreement on July 2nd with a company called FW Development LLC. The master agreement provides up to $94.5 million in “PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVES” to the developer of the $660 million mixed-use development known as Fields West. The goal is to ensure the developer adheres to its intended construction timeline and scheduled opening date.
Who is FW Development, LLC or Fields West? Well, it was created by The Karahan Co. which is owned by Fehmi Karahan. According to sources we spoke to inside the city, they believe the project will help achieve the council’s directive to activate North Frisco. The Dallas Business Journal made mention of it, along with that the project is expected to bring in $400 million annually in new sales and purchases for Frisco.
We went back to watch the meeting and we learned that Mayor Jeff Cheney recused himself from the vote. We are guessing he did this because of this known relationship between The Cheney Group and the residential part of Fields (aka The Preserve). However, his little marionettes knew what to do and approved it in a 6-0 vote. After watching the vote, we are curious why John Keating participated in the vote. Remember, he recently recused himself from a Fields vote due a to “conflict” because he was going to be closing soon on a lot in The Preserve.
In the discussion of the project, Keating talked about how he remembers years ago going on a walkthrough of Legacy West with Fehmi Karahan. He remembers the attention to detail in the development from the park benches, to how the bricks were laid in the crosswalk, and how it is lit up at night so it’s safe 24/7.
We are guessing that John Keating does not remember Christina Morris, or better yet could care less to remember her because it is not about his Cowboy Fit Club. Morris went missing in August 2014 from the Legacy West parking garage. In March of 2018, it was announced that remains found in a wooded area of Anna, Texas had been identified as Morris. In March of 2022, there was a shooting of a restaurant at The Shops of Legacy? Safe is relative Mr. Keating!
Keating also noted this was a flagship project that will be great for the surrounding residential neighborhoods to enjoy. Wait, you mean Resident Keating who is about to close on his lot in The Preserve at Fields? Yeah, this is the exact reason WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE RECUSED YOURSELF ALSO!
The next question, what does a developer have to do to earn $94.5 million in “PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVES?” According to the memo on the city council agenda the performance requirements require the developer to construct by a certain date, a minimum of:
350,000 square feet of upscale retail and restaurant space
320,000 square feet of Class A office space; and
1,100 multifamily residential dwelling units (not incentivized)
Where does these $94.5 million dollars come from, the city purse or personal savings account? First, the Separated Materials Sales Tax Grant will provide up to $7 million in City, Frisco Economic Development Corporation, and Frisco Community Development Corporation sales tax revenues generated by project construction material and service purchases. Secondly, the Frisco EDC Qualified Infrastructure Grant will fund up to 50 percent of the cost to construct a planned water feature (not to exceed $2.5 million in incentive value) and up to 50 percent of the cost to construct internal streets built to city standards (not to exceed $10 million in incentive value). Lastly the TIRZ #7 Funding will finance the construction of 3 public parking structures accommodating a minimum of 2,430 public parking spaces to serve the development. This debt service will be funded by TIRZ #7 property tax revenue generated by the Fields West development and supplementary sales tax revenue generated by the Fields West development.
It just leaves us wondering, how do we have all this money? Where is all this money coming from? It is like the city has a SUGAR DADDY funding it! With that said we were told during the recent election that if Proposition A & B passed it would bankrupt the city – so how is it we have money for one thing but not another? Oh wait, Cheney can’t make money or build his stature or status up on our first responders.
If you are from the DFW area you may recognize the name Robert Tilton, an American Televangelist and the former pastor of the Word of Faith Family Church in Farmers Branch. His ministry peaked in the early 90’s and it has been reported his infomercial style church program aired in some 225+ American television markets. It has been reported that Tilton brought in $70 to $80 million dollars per year. The message he pushed upon viewers was the importance of “vows” aka financial commitments to the Tilton ministry. The minimum vow was $1000 but if you wanted to receive a personal “word of knowledge” from Tilton you had to “vow” anywhere from $5k to $10,000 dollars. If you sent a prayer request with a vow, then Tilton claimed to lay on top of the prayer request to heal the weak.
Tilton’s demise came in 1991 when word got out that he may be a fraud or over promising “blessings” to viewers. Some “garbologists” who worked for ABC’s Primetime Live spent over a month dumpster diving outside of Tilton’s many offices and what they found was shocking. Over 10,000 lbs. of prayer request letters cut along the edge with the vow removed and the prayer request still inside the envelope, untouched and discarded in dumpsters. Lawsuits commenced by followers, the Tilton’s headed to divorce court and many felt it was an attempt to protect their assets. Now, why am I reminding you of this Tilton character? Well, he was full of it, kind of like our city council.
For years, our city leadership has made grand promises when it comes to some projects, but then they vanish into a cosmic void, much like matter falling into a black hole. The city has been talking about Grand Park since before most of us were born. Well after several municipal bonds, environmental studies, we have a walking trail, but no grand park (remember like Central Park in NY) or lake as promised. Then there is Wade Park which later become known as Lake Lebanon which sat for years after the developer went belly up. It later became known as The Mix, which we have heard about for the last two years and yet…still nothing but a fence around the property. Then we had the Frisco Theater, a grand place for plays and as of late now Broadway style shows. Well 5 to 7 studies later over 8 years, still nothing! Oh wait, now they want us to buy into a $500+ million theater run by the city on taxpayer dollars. My point is, they council is much like Robert Tilton and his “Word of Faith” ministry who make grand gestures and promises, ask us to pass more bonds, potentially increase our taxes and yet nothing seems to actually be coming together.
Picture of Lake Lebanon (formerly Wade Park) before it rained and filled up with water. Note it is now supposed to be The Mix. Side note we had a lake here it was just not in Grand Park like they promised. Picture by Dallas Morning News
Another example, the city has been talking about the revitalization of Frisco’s Downtown area as far back as 2016-2018. Well, after spending at least $50 to $75,000 visiting different cities to “study their downtown areas” we finally broke ground to fix downtown. The city has dragged its feet since 2016, spending money on tours and trips but only now that FIFA is coming in 2026 is there a push for this project to be done in time so we can look good for the many “visitors” it will bring downtown.
The sad part is we have had Frisco locals take interest and invest in our downtown area way before this city or the council have done anything. While we may not always agree with Donny Churchman, he is one man who has had a passion for downtown and the Frisco Rail District. In a 2018 interview with Lifestyle Frisco, he notes the downtown area has been ignored during all the development. He talked about the name change of downtown Frisco to the Rail District has a lot to do with Frisco’s history and the BNSF railroad and we could not agree more with him on that.
He started investing years ago in the downtown area with The Patio at the Rails and Tower at the Rail, then came the Nack Theater. His overall goal is to “restore downtown Frisco” and it is a passion for him. We are curious how Churchman feels today, with the city bending over backwards offering tax incentives for Rollertown Beerworks, a venue that features a two-level taproom and 4,320 sq ft outdoor beer garden. Did the city break their back for Churchman’s investments. We don’t know but would be curious to find out more.
Along with Churchman, many residents who own historic homes downtown have spent time and money to meticulously renovate and update them while keeping that 1900s charm about them. All this local money and passion bringing life in to downtown, and yet our city has sat on it since 2016. Many of these locals have advocated for something to happen downtown for the last ten years as everything seemed to develop around it. If they can do it then why did it take FIFA coming here for the City of Frisco to finally do something.
The June 2024 announcement of the new grand downtown plan made us wonder, if we went back 5 to 10 years what “priorities” did the city have and which ones have been completed. We found a town hall video discussing the 2018 Top Ten Priorities, which include the following:
1) Implement Traffic Innovation
2) Increase Capital Expenditure Fund
3) Performing Arts Center
4) Downtown revitalization & finish the master plan
5) Grow and expand our Economic Development Corp to go after fortune 500 companies
6) Lower property taxes
7) Development of the North 380 Corridor & its Growth,
8) New facility expansion options like city hall or the library
9) Final master plan for our future parks
10) Legislative Plan to Protect Frisco
Awe, the dreaded word in this town…Traffic! Cheney said the first priority was Traffic Innovation because we have become more congested (DUH!!). The priority aims to use new technologies to help relieve that congestion such as adaptive signal control systems which communicate with cars and autonomous, or self-driving, buses in Frisco by this year, used in the private sector. Seven years later, if you drive Frisco – TRAFFIC SUCKS! Not sure the signal control systems are working, and we don’t have autonomous self-driving buses in Frisco but guess what we do have…ROUND-A-BOUTS and TRAFFIC! If we were grading the city on this priority, they would get a big fat F!
One of the other 2018 Priorities was the Performing Arts Center Strategy. Cheney told Community Impact in 2018 that he would like to see it as a public-private partnership. The article also said they were in the middle of a feasibility study to determine the size and needs of a potential PAC. Well in 2024, we are on our 6th or 7th study, they are proposing a city owned theater at the taxpayer expense, but they hope down the road could be a public-private partnership, and several discussions over the years for a PAC have failed and fallen flat. We would give this a priority a big fat F as well!
The 2018 Priority for finishing the downtown master plan started with them approving a contract with a consulting firm to update the 20-year-old downtown master plan. Cheney told Community Impact at the time that the council and city official plan to continue to work with the private market to explore old downtown Frisco options. Remember, the cool market with a beer garden that Frisco Market developers promised? Well, we have the market but no beer garden and downtown has not changed that much except for the private development by Churchman and residents.
What has the city done downtown? Not much, but now that FIFA is coming, we have a $70 million dollar renovation downtown happening and you can bet it will be finished in time for the visitors to come. We give them a big F for this too. Just look at what they finally say they will commit to in 2024.
The next big priority was the Northern Corridor and creating an identity for it. Cheney told Community Impact that their plan for 2018 was to attract more business and residential developments to the area. Well, they must have known something we didn’t, we are referring to the December 2018 announcement that the PGA of America was relocating its headquarters to the “Northern Corridor” of Frisco. This was a good win for Frisco, and we gave them an A+ for it! However, they get an F for the shady business dealings, friendships, and conflicts of interest that came from some of the development around the new PGA for Cheney and some council members.
As for the expansion of city facilities, we have a new 65-million-dollar library, new court building, city hall in 2023 started an expansion inside and facilities just opened a new building in the last year. As for the masterplan of parks well you can bet Bobblehead Bill got his bikes and trikes trails. As for Grand Park, well that is still…not Grand at all but if you want to see a butterfly you can walk the trail they put in.
Back to Robert Tilton, he was about big words, fancy clothes, and was about “putting on the show” to get your vow. He promised to pray for his flock, but he failed when money took over. What we have learned is that the importance of a project in the City of Frisco is determined by a select few who sit on council. We have also learned they love to talk about things and promise things for many years but the truth is they are failing us as residents. When those sitting on our city council run for office, they each run for their own purpose or passion project. That is okay but they should be representing all of us and the truth is our council only represents the WEST SIDE, which is where you have seen all the investment in the last 5 to 8 years. Why do we say that? Well just ask our council members where they live.
Not one person sitting on our council today lives on the East Side of the tollway or the Collin County side, maybe that has something to do with where all the money is going. They all live in the Denton County side of Frisco which is WEST of the tollway. That’s right folks, Tammy Meinershagen, Laura Rummel, John Keating, Jeff Cheney, Angelia Pelham, Brian Livingston and Bill Woodard all live on the WEST SIDE OF THE TOLLWAY. Maybe that is why they get the PGA and the Frisco Star, and the East Side is getting Universal and Business Warehouses Developments along PGA Parkway.
Unless you are Cheech & Chong who smoke too much weed or ate one too many gummies, then you know when you hear the words Fields Frisco it is referring to Fehmi Karahans development on the Northwest side of Frisco next to the Frisco PGA. According to the Fields Frisco website, Fields is built on the big idea that when you build something so different, so magical and so enticing, they will come. Built on the big idea that pure and simple architecture is elegant, fresh and true to its core. Built on the big idea that the great outdoors is equally as important as the great indoors. So, we’re making both great.
We initially thought that Fehmi Karahan must have liked the movie Field of Dreams. Then we thought, maybe he read our blog Field of Dreams where we told you about a 2019 email involving Mayor Jeff Cheney and the “UNOFFICIAL VIP LOT LIST” he was pitching at fancy dinners. Either way, Fields Frisco is already known for its steep slopes, breathtaking views, and the winding creeks and trails soon to come. Of course, it is also known for being the development with the most exclusive new neighborhood being built called “The Preserve” aka the ESPN lots, that will look over the new PGA Frisco golf courses.
Screenshot
We have been following this development very closely and written several blogs on questionable business relationships that have come from it and “expanded” some political pockets in town. We have also called out our current leadership and their need to recuse them self from certain votes due to potential conflicts of interest we felt existed. You also know we follow the city council meetings closely and review the agendas when they are released looking for hidden agenda items.
When the agenda came out for the January 16, 2024, City Council meeting we reviewed it as normal, and nothing really stood out. Then while watching the council meeting, we were surprised after the reading of Agenda Item #60 when out of nowhere Mayor Cheney and John Keating announced they would be recusing themselves from the vote and discussion on the agenda item. The agenda item reads, “Consider and act upon approval of proposed modifications to Table 4-1 as permitted by Planned Development-280. Zoned Planned Development-280. Neighborhood #3, #52, and #53. Applicant: Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.” Seems pretty generic right?
What is Agenda Item 60 about? The Preserve at Fields Frisco! We decided to file a PIR for the recusal paperwork to learn more. At the meeting, Mayor Cheney announced he had clients who purchased in The Preserve. The recusal paperwork states he had a conflict with the agenda item as it could have a benefit of ECONOMIC INTERESTS for 1) myself and/or one of more persons related to me or 2) my client or customer. Economic Interest refers to a legal or equitable interest in real property, personal property or contractual rights with a value of more than $50,000.
Then we noticed an asterisk that says for the purpose of Section C of this Affidavit, a “person related to me” refers to a person within the second degree of consanguinity (parent or child, sibling, grandparent) or the second degree of affinity (spouse or in-law). Now this has got our attention because we have said for almost two years that Jeff Cheney had a lot in The Preserve right next door to his best buddy John Keating. We wrote about it in our blog The Preserve Lots and showed you the plat map photo taken from a builder’s office. Cheney has repeatedly denied to the public, the Dallas Morning News, to other outlets about owning any property in The Preserve.
We know Cheney and his brokerage have sold lots in The Preserve which has not stopped him in the past from speaking on agenda items or overseeing council votes on the issue. So why now? Why is Mayor and Real Estate Mogul Jeff Cheney RECUSING himself and claiming ECONOMIC INTEREST now? We are interested in what you think. Do you think Cheney owns a lot in The Preserve? Do you think he could have bought a lot for “some clients” meaning he put in a family member’s name? He knows if we find a lot in his name it will show him as a liar, especially if it is one of those great ESPN lots on the bluff over the 8 hole that sold out rather quickly on the street nicknamed “Billionaires Row.”
Next, we looked at John Keatings recusal paperwork from the same meeting and same agenda item. Remember he announced he had purchased a lot and while the lot was still in the builders name, he would be closing on it in the coming months, so he needed to recuse himself. Keating checked the Real Property option which states, I and/or one or more person’s related to me have an interest in real property with a fair market value of $2500 or more that is involved in the agenda item, or located within 200 feet of that property, and it is reasonably foreseeable that action on the item will have a special economic effect on the value of the property. It then denotes with an asterisk that a “person related to me” refers to a person within the 1st degree meaning a parent, child or spouse.
Our questions for Keating are obvious, he has openly declared on financial forms he was a “househusband” while married to his former wife. After being a stay-at-home dad and cheating on his wife of 20+ years who filed for divorce, he either A) got a lofty divorce settlement to buy a home in the most prestigious new gated community in Frisco or B) won the lottery. While Mr. Keating does have his REAL ESTATE LICENSE NOW, we cannot find any listings he has sold to show he made an income in the last year. We also don’t think military benefits are enough for a home in the new most “exclusive Frisco neighborhood” The Preserve.
Now fast forward to May 7, 2024, and the Consent Agenda Item #16 that reads “Consider and act upon authorizing the City Manager to execute a Third Amendment to the Second Development Agreement by and between the City of Frisco and the following Delaware limited partnerships: FHQ Development Partners LP F/K/A FHQ Holdings LP, Fields Preserve Investment Partners LP, Fields Midtown West Investment Partners LP, Fields Point West Investment Partners LP, Fields Midtown East Investment Partners LP, Fields East Village Investment Partners LP, Fields Point East Investment Partners LP, North Fields Investment Partners, LP, and Fields University Village Investment Partners LP. (CMO/MD)”
Item 16 is a development agreement, between the City and Developer, related to the public infrastructure construction and assessments dated February 10, 2021. In a nutshell, the Developer is responsible for the delivery of certain defined roadways, hike and bike trails and related infrastructure called “Developer Improvements” for the Fields project. We would assume those “Developer Improvements” would have a direct correlation to the value of the properties Cheney’s clients and Keating purchased which means they pulled the item from the consent agenda to recuse themselves from the vote on the item correct? No, they did not and in fact it was Mayor Pro-Tem John Keating who moved to approve the Consent Agenda item with Angelia Pelham seconding his motion. Why did they not pull the item and recuse themselves this time?
Then just two weeks later at the May 21, 2024, council meeting we found Agenda Item 21 on the Consent Agenda which states, “Consider and act upon authorizing the City Manager to modify the Deed of Trust as security in lieu of physical improvements for final acceptance.” We learned the agenda item is also about The Preserve Phase 1 and 2 private gated subdivisions currently under construction. The developer was requesting final acceptance on both phases prior to final completion. The acceptance is for landscaping (including screening; hardscape; plantings of trees, shrubs, sod, plants, etc.; soils; and fine grading), irrigation improvements, sidewalks, barrier-free ramps, pavers, permanent signage, and all other appurtenances and improvements related thereto. A Deed of Trust was approved by Council as a part of the Fields Second Development Agreement.
We can only assume that landscaping and the so-called improvements listed above would also have a direct correlation to the value of the properties Cheney’s clients and John Keating purchased. They obviously pulled the item from the Consent Agenda and then recused themselves, right? Nope! John Keating was the first to recommend passing the consent agenda as is. Should he have voted on this project as it directly affects the “REAL PROPERTY” he now is closing on in The Preserve?
In closing, we would love for you to comment on this blog and answer the following questions. Do you believe Jeff Cheney owns a lot in The Preserve under his name or a relative’s name? Do you think they should have to recuse themself from any item on the agenda that is related to Fields Development? Why do you think after all these years Mayor Jeff Cheney and Real Estate Mogul Cheney is now claiming the need to recuse himself when has had clients buy in this community since it was announced? Agents within his brokerage, that he owns, have sold homes in this community which means he got paid as the broker. Why is there just now a CONFLICT OF INTEREST? Last question, why do you think the city intentionally hides the development names on the Agenda Item? Do you think the agenda’s need to be more forthcoming so citizens can clearly see what is coming before the council?
The second wave of campaign finance reports came out and if you have been following us now for a while then you know what we are about to tell you! John Keating and The Vote No PAC must be busy in bed DEVELOPERS IN FRISCO.
John “Cheating” Keating who called out his opponent at a recent forum for having the “largest single donation” in campaign history from one person must apologize for his inaccurate words. When Mark Piland ran for Mayor, he had two (2), $10,000 donations from a neighbor in a community where he has lived for years. However, John Keating’s current campaign finance report shows he accepted $20,000 in one BIG OLE PAYMENT from Ronald Feferman who owns Primary Media a digital billboard company who apparently works with the VisitFrisco.com group according to their website. Then Keating took $1500 form John Landon of Landon Homes, $2000 from Trey Sibley of Rudco, LLC (aka Hillwood / Fields).
As for Keatings claim that Piland took the largest single donation in campaign history, that is FALSE. He also has not taken money from people actively under investigation for fraud by the federal government to the tune of 2.5 million or more. He also does not have a history of accepting shady money from people with legal problems but guess what …. John Keating does!
Then we looked at the Safety-First Frisco Vote No PAC campaign finance report, and guess what we found … John Landon of Landon Homes who has active projects in Frisco must be playing Santa Claus because he donated $10,000 to the PAC. Let’s just add that $10k to the other money they took from DEVELOPERS with ACTIVE PROJECTS that we reported about in our blog, Bought and Paid For.
Where, oh where, did the previous monetary contributions on the last campaign finance report come from:
Mario Sinacola & Sons Exc, Inc: $10,000 (they have active contracts with developers & the City of Frisco)
K-N Ventures (aka Fehmi Karahan of Fields Development): $10,000
Columbus Realty Partners (aka, Staubach, Richard Reupke, Robert Shaw & Fields Development): $10,000
Rudco Land, LLC (aka Trey Sibley III or Hillwood Properties – Fields Development): $10,000
Hunt Funding Group (aka Hunt – Fields Development): $10,000
CrossTie Capital (aka Philip Rose – Fields): $10,000 *click the name to read our last blog.
Chief Partners III, LP (aka William Vanderstraaten – Fields): $10,000
It is important to note that any of the names above that are underlined, DON’T LIVE IN FRISCO. Yes, they have a development here, but they are not Frisco Residents.
If you live in Frisco, then this should upset you our local elections are being determined by BIG MONEY FROM DEVELOPERS, who don’t even reside in our city. Oprah and her sled missed my front door when hanging our free developer money, did she make it to yours. She was too busy yelling, “You get Cheney’s Friends Developer Money, you get Cheney’s Friends Developer Money and you … well you get nothing!
In the last week or so there has been a rush for some elected politicians to “REBRAND” their message because they realize it is not hitting well with residents who turn up to vote. If you are not paying attention, you might not catch the subtle “rebranding of the message” or what we simply call lying. Political messaging is a delicate dance. Mailers hit your mailbox with words that dance gracefully around some inconvenient truths. A candidate’s message is supposed to be consistent but in Frisco, politicians transform blatant contradictions into poetic ambiguity, crafting messages so elusive that even Sherlock Holmes would throw in the towel trying to understand. Candidates are the maestros who have turned gaslighting into an art form and when caught on camera they politically rebrand the message making deception look like a masterpiece.
Let’s look at Keating’s first mailer which reads “Leadership. Experience. KEATING.” He says his mission is to keep Frisco the #1 city in America by protecting our quality of life and ensuring it remains the best place in Texas to build a business and raise a family. On the back of the flyer, Keating points out his priorities to keep taxes low, support police and fire, and again mentions protecting our quality of life. Then in a bid red banner, it reads “Frisco Under Keatings Leadership” and is #1 Safest City In America according to Smart Asset 2023, #1 Best Place To Live according to Money Magazine 2018, #1 Best City To Do Business in Texas according to Better Homes and Gardens 2020 and #1 Suburb in North Texas according to Livability 2023.
If you ask the residents of Cobb Hill whose backyard now faces a future theme park if Keating and the council protected their quality of life, my guess is they would say no! On March 3, 2023, he admitted the night of the vote at the city council meeting that he did not meet with residents of Cobb Hill and instead chose to go on vacation and protect his quality of life. This proves Keating’s priorities are Keating, not the residents. He then said we do fully expect to be held accountable. He continued, “Accountability & Transparency is part of the Frisco City Council’s DNA,” and goes on to talk about how he says that with conviction. On May 4, 2024, we will know if the residents hold him accountable for his decisions.
Updating The Message or Spreading the Lies: Keating’s new social media ads have a bolder look with a blue background and bright yellow text that read “His Record” as being all the same #1 labels, but this time he leaves the dates off of the publication for the rankings. Why is that? We guess that people don’t care how we ranked in 2018 they care how rank today in 2024. A report in U.S. News listed the top 25 places considered the best places to live for families in the U.S. in 2023-24 and Frisco did not make that list. The same magazine has the top 150 most popular areas to live in 2023-24 ranking and Frisco did not make that either unless we fall under #113 DFW. What Keating has failed to realize is just because he says it is true does not mean that it is true. Many things have changed in 6 years but his Forest Gump brain still believes we are #1.
Changing Tunes on Public Safety and Proposition A & B: Keating was proud to jump at the forums this year and announce he supports the Vote No PAC which is bought and paid for by Frisco developers. He is also proud to be endorsed by Mayor Cheney and former Mayor Mike Simpson, both of whom are huge proponents of the Vote No PAC. He also had his friends and fellow council members out at the polls with him encouraging citizens to vote NO against the Firefighters. Yet in just the last 24 to 48 hours that message has started to shift. A poll greater for Keating emailed us and said they were told not to hold a Vote No sign if wearing the blue Keating t-shirt anymore. Wonder why a shift in political messaging?
In our opinion, double speaking is not a good political message. For years Keating has said he is an advocate for our first responders. In fact, in a video 3 years ago he stated that his personal goals were to provide first responders with the tools and training they need to stay safe. Keating also filed for an endorsement in the last election which we wrote about in our blog Jammed Up John Keating, and one of the questions was, “he supported four firefighters for ALL TRUCK COMPANIES” and that we have to grow accordingly to the population growth.
Fast forward to today, and now Keating says we have adequate staffing (which has not changed since the last election), and that this is a power play for those who serve themselves and do not have the best interests of Frisco at heart. Is Keating calling our first responders “self-serving?’ Keating has also filled out the Association’s (aka the bad Union they are trying to sell us today) required questionnaire for an endorsement which comes with money in each election. He had no issue with the Association (aka bad union) and the money they fed his campaign all these years. Honestly, we think he is hacked off that he did not get either public safety group’s endorsement this year and why would he expect to after how he has talked about them and attacked them as evil ogres of our city? The fact is Keating sold out our first responders for big-money developers and a house in the prestigious PGA Preserve community, and he has to live with that.
As we said now Keating has begun to update his message on public safety. His new mailer has red and blue emergency lights on the front and reads “In 2022 and 2023, Frisco was named #1 Safest City In America. Then a big bold yellow banner along the bottom reads “John Keating Kept Us Safe. Let’s Keep John Keating.” News flash Mr. Keating, when my house was broken into it was not you who showed up at my door to keep me safe, it was our Frisco Police Officers. When my wife had a medical emergency, it was not you who came to our home and provided that, it was our Frisco Fire Squad. Maybe we missed your get-well card in the mail, but I am pretty sure you never “KEPT US SAFE!” Quite frankly, the front of your postcard shows your arrogance and narcissistic personality.
The back of the newest mailer has a bright red banner that reads “John Keating Gives Police, Fire, and First Responders the Tools They Need to Keep Us Safe.” It goes on to say our safety is not just a promise it is a priority, but we don’t believe you. Then he says under his leadership Frisco has added 85 new police and fire personnel, which sounds great. Can you tell us what the breakdown of that is between the two departments? If you list that number out it might now look so good for the promises you are offering. As for supporting the bond for Fire Station 10, who cares? Let’s say we have a new shiny building, if you don’t staff it, what is the point? According to city hall insiders you only plan to have one truck there and no medical which in my tax-paying opinion seems like a damn waste.
Lastly, the mailer talks about Keating Public Safety Priorities which means, “Can you smell the ShXt Keating is selling.” Don’t defend the police – defend the police? How will that play with the Democrat vote you are trying to win? Support our police officers and firefighters by “advocating for maintaining adequate staffing levels WITHIN THE POLICE FORCE TO ENSURE RAPID EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES? Hmmm, read that again, “within the police force!” Guess he just forgot the Fire Department. Wait, he has promised to advocate for years on that issue and has not done anything and still claims HE IS THE TRUE LEADER FOR OUR CITY?
Can we just lay it out for you? Keating’s rebranding is like a symphony of semantics, where promises are whispered like sweet nothings and lies are wrapped in the velvet cloak of confusing rhetoric. He is dumber than Forest Gump and so is his political consultant Mustang Strategies. One might even say Keating’s campaign consultant spins their web of propaganda making the narrative so tangled that even Charlotte the spider might blush with envy.
He has sold out the frontline who have supported and endorsed him for developer money and the hopes of being Mayor Cheney’s Best Friend Forever. Keating loves to talk but his actions or food but then goes against everything he claims to stand for. We are ashamed of those who support him because it tells us a lot about their lack of morals, honesty, and integrity. Keating’s mailers are woven tapestries of half-truths, lies, and promises, painting a picture so vivid that even Picasso would envy their creativity.
Winston Churchill: ‘Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.’
We have wondered for years how these political endorsements and donations work in the City of Frisco. We have pointed out that council members donate to each other, that they take rather large donations from developers, and that it all gives off the wrong appearance to the public. We have been met with such resistance to the suggestion that this city is bought and paid for, and the victims are the residents, just living their lives paying taxes. All we have wanted is for the residents to have a voice and a right to vote for what they want in this city, something that terrifies our council and city management. So how are things bought and paid for, well grab some popcorn because we are about to tell you.
Let’s start with Safety First Frisco, a PAC, set up to oppose Proposition A & B for Civil Service and Collective Bargaining put forth by the men and women who serve our city in the Fire Department every day. The PAC was set up by members of our city council (Bobblehead Bill Woodard), Former City Manager George Purefoy and Mike Simpson, Dick Peasley, and many more of the Cheney klan. Then add to that our current council members (minus Brian Livingston) who are out block walking, holding community events, and taking to social media to oppose the propositions and take jabs at our firefighters while trying to tell us how to vote. Yes, I know they will say we are crazy!
Well, this morning we pulled down the Safety First Frisco campaign finance report which was filed 3 DAYS LATE. What we saw was chilling, appalling, disturbing, and intimidating. We talked about how the PAC was set up in our earlier blog, The Secret PAC. Today’s campaign finance report shows that from 1/1/2024 to 3/25/2024 the PAC took in $105,201.32 which breaks down to $22,950 in monetary political contributions, $12,251.32 in non-monetary contributions (in-kind), and $70,000 in monetary contributions from CORPORATIONS OR LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. Stop and read that again and let it percolate that in 2 months a PAC took in $105,201.32.
Where, oh where, did the monetary political contributions come from:
Bill Woodard For Frisco: $1000.00
Craig and Kathryn Hall (Hall Group – Developers): $10,000
Jeff Brawner and R.J. Grogan (Law Partners): $500 each
Kyle Wilks – President Wilks Development of Firefly Park Project: $10,000
Where, oh where, did the non-monetary (in-kind) contributions come from:
George Purefoy, former City Manager: $4000 for Polling Expense
Bill For Frisco Campaign: $8000 for Polling Expenses, and $54.92 for Printing Expenses, $39.50 for Website Expenses, $206.22 for Printing Expenses, and $59.53 for Website Expenses.
Where, oh where, did the monetary contributions from a CORPORATION OR LABOR ORGANIZATION come from:
Mario Sinacola & Sons Exc, Inc: $10,000 (they have active contracts with developers & the City of Frisco)
K-N Ventures (aka Fehmi Karahan of Fields Development): $10,000
Columbus Realty Partners (aka, Staubach, Richard Reupke, Robert Shaw & Fields Development): $10,000
Rudco Land, LLC (aka Trey Sibley III or Hillwood Properties – Fields Development): $10,000
Hunt Funding Group (aka Hunt – Fields Development): $10,000
CrossTie Capital (aka Philip Rose – Fields): $10,000 *click the name to read our last blog.
Chief Partners III, LP (aka William Vanderstraaten – Fields): $10,000
It is important to note that any of the names above that are underlined, DON’T LIVE IN FRISCO. Yes, they have a development here, but they are not Frisco Residents.
What does all this money mean? It means Frisco was bought and paid for by DEVELOPERS!!!! These same people who run the same corporations have donated to almost every one of our council members, some more than others (meaning Cheney). Just look at Keating and Pelham’s current campaign finance reports, the same names appear across the board.
Ask yourself, why are current council members so OPPOSED to the Frisco Fire Fighters Association, which has been around since 1997, but they all took ENDORSEMENTS & MONEY OR IN-KIND DONATIONS from them when running for office? The firefighters spent about $10,000 on Bill Woodard and about $8,000 on Laura Rummell. They have paid for signs and billboards for the candidates they have endorsed. Now, they want you to believe the Frisco Fire Fighters and the ASSOCIATION are trying to RUIN AND DESTROY FRISCO?
We have been to a few events now and the message from the Fire Fighters has been consistent at each one. If you don’t like Prop B, then don’t vote for it, but please understand why they are pushing for Prop A and consider voting Yes for Prop A. They also have said that come May 5th when the election is over, they will still show up at your door and be here to service the citizens of Frisco the same way they have all these years. That begs the question, how is our City Council serving the citizens? Wait, they don’t care about what citizens want. Yet when you follow the Safety-First Frisco website or Facebook page all they have done is attack with absolute hate and anger our firefighters, our former Fire Chief, and yet they claim they love them. It feels very personal, to be honest.
They are serving themselves! Bobblehead Bill wants his bikes, trikes, and trails. Tammy wants her performing arts center. Keating stands up for Veterans which we respect but outside of that he is just there for the photo opp and to be a cool kid. Laura Rummell claims to be the pet advocate, yet she has done nothing. Brian maintains his concerns about density and resident welfare. Lastly, for years, rumors have followed Mayor Jeff Cheney or should we say Real Estate Broker Jeff Cheney that he has used his position as Mayor to further his own business and personal wealth. For years, Jeff Cheney has denied over and over any wrongdoing, favoritism, or personal benefits from his relationships. All his loyal subjects fall in line and defend him and say it is just a COINCIDENCE.
In closing, we saw a post from Brian Livingston earlier about how he is not very confident that his discussion regarding lobbying restrictions will pick up any traction, well duh! He is not sure why the transparency of money movement between lobbyists, clients, and politicians is a concern for some people. We assume that “some people” he is referring to is the Frisco City Council and City Management. The same council member who when he endorsed Mark Piland for Mayor in 2022, was later removed from all committees as well as his campaign manager. Revenge or just COINCIDENCE.
Ask yourself one question, who is the real bad guy here?
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Bill is a tool. I never trusted him the moment I met him. Slimeball.