As part of our commitment to keeping Frisco residents informed and engaged, we sent a candidate questionnaire to all three individuals running for Place 2 on the Frisco City Council. Using the contact information provided on the official candidate website, we reached out to each candidate via email, offering them an opportunity to share their views on issues that matter to our community.
Who took the time to respond? Only one candidate — Burt Thakur — replied to our questionnaire. We appreciate his willingness to engage with the voters and provide thoughtful responses to the questions submitted.
Unfortunately, Tammy Meinershagen and Sai Krishnarajanagar did not respond to our outreach. By choosing not to answer these citizen-submitted questions, they passed on an opportunity to directly address the concerns and interests of the very people they seek to represent. Tammy must be too busy selling her performing arts center and keeping Catchup Daddy in line. As for Sai, we have no idea what he would be up to – maybe getting another ear pierced.
For Whistleblower, being accountable to your constituents matters, and two of the candidates made it very easy for us to say The Whistleblower Team Proudly Endorses Burt Thakur!
**Please note we have not altered the candidates’ responses. If you would like a copy of their questionnaire, email us.**
Occupation and Background: Data Center Commissioning Engineer. I have also worked in power generation in operations. I am a U.S. Navy veteran and I served during 9/11 and was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I am a graduate of the Naval Nuclear Power School.
Why are you running for the Frisco City Council? I’m running because I love Frisco and our residents. As taxpayers, we deserve careful stewards of our money, with elected leaders who make wise decisions. My infrastructure experience, coupled with established relationships with government leaders will help guide smart growth decisions and accelerate high velocity decisions for all Frisco residents.
Community and Development
What are your top three priorities for Frisco’s growth and development? 1. Lower Property Tax 2. Create Good Paying Jobs 3. Safe Streets – Proactively Fund Police & Fire and fix traffic
How do you plan to balance economic growth with maintaining community character? We must support and foster small business growth – as one small business owner told me, ‘Burt, i wish the city council was as excited about our business as they are about the flashier ones they are getting!’ There’s something to be said about going down main street and seeing ‘mom and pop’ shops and thriving businesses in the Railway district. By poor city planning with road construction, many of these businesses are struggling to get customers and now are having a difficult time making their lease payments. I’ll never forget the first night my wife and I drove through downtown and fell in love with Frisco and envisioned growing old here. We couldn’t believe we found our dream home , and we got to live in a city with a small town feel. I believe in growth – but I believe in sensible growth. I do not believe it is prudent to compete with Dallas or Ft. Worth – if we wanted to live there, we would have purchased a home there! I argue that instead of Universal Studios which will bring 25,000 people a day and disrupt our traffic among other issues or a poorly funded $380 Million Performing Arts Center – how about ensuring basic needs? Many want an animal shelter, a place for mental health help, a building for veterans groups, community center for parents with special needs children, or more recreational and athletic facilities. How about covered parking in school areas for protection from hail? For sensible economic growth, how about businesses which make money – like power plants, high tech manufacturing, data centers, start-up incubators, high tech research?
What is your stance on residential and commercial zoning changes? What I am against is subverting the intent of zoning changes to benefit private interested in city councils. For example, Irving approved a zoning change which paved the way for a casino resort near their stadium site. Ultimately, there are several bills in the Texas legislature which could remove the ability of local governments to control zoning. As this is uncharted territory, I have been researching different methods to potentially ensure we have more control at the local level – and therefor you, the voter, on helping guide zoning.
How will you ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with growth? We must upgrade our infrastructure. This includes water and sewer, substations and power transmission, internet and fiber lines, our roads as well. This is why it is imperative to ensure the basics are met before jumping into capital projects which impact our infrastructure.
Density continues to be a hot discussion for Frisco Residents. Cheney even did a video on Density seven years ago when running for Mayor. He said in that video that the resident’s ultimate concerns was the concept of density and what the ultimate build out population number should be.
At build out, the city’s comprehensive plan allows a maximum capacity of up to 350 thousand residents (building with maximum density). He then said in his campaign video that is not what people move to Frisco for, and he believed that to maintain quality of life, the population target goal should be around 280,000. He continued, we need to build out with world-class level developments with more open space, less multi-family all over the city, and an overall less dense environment. The last two years Cheney has changed his tune and said, “Density is a political dog whistle used at election time for political mailers.” What is your stance on Density? I agree with Mayor Cheney from 7 years ago.
Fiscal Responsibility and Budgeting
What would be your approach to managing the city’s budget while ensuring essential services are maintained? I’d call for a detailed budget analysis to identify inefficiencies and prioritize funding clearly toward essential services such as police and first responder services (safety), essential services, infrastructure, sanitation, and required community programs. I’d implement performance-based budgeting using specific KPIs to evaluate and optimize the effectiveness of expenditures, encouraging modernization and digitization as much as possible to improve efficiency and reduce costs. I’d look for areas where we could utilize AI services to reduce level of effort and costs. Additionally, I’d pursue EDC projects which create large economic possibilities (power plants, high tech manufacturing, data centers etc.), competitive grants, and carefully balanced tax policies to maintain economic attractiveness. To foster transparency and public trust, I’d engage citizens through community-driven budgeting and clear communication. I’d also attempt to engage county, state and federal leaders to discuss what initiatives are funded for collaboration and inclusion into programs if we have qualifying projects and needs
Do you believe Frisco’s current property tax rates are sustainable? Would you support any changes including cuts, increases or adjustments to the current property tax rates? Why or why not? I would try to lower Property Taxes. One method is to increase sales tax through new businesses which also have the potential of generating significant income (as described earlier) – thereby increasing sales tax revenues and reducing reliance on property taxes. We should also determine where we can create cost-saving measures within city operations like streamlining services and adopting efficient technologies, can decrease expenditures. We can also work to determine if we are paying for redundant services or if there are opportunities to combine services while we prioritize essential services. I’ll be advocating for increased county, state and federal funding to supplement local revenues. Another potential way could be through more effective management of unspent or unused bonds (according to our city website we have more than $150 Million). When bond funds remain unused or projects are completed under budget, these surplus funds can be strategically redirected or repurposed to pay down existing bond debt or fund upcoming projects which require new borrowing. The bonds can also be returned if feasible (or possible). Reducing the city’s overall debt obligations or avoiding additional debt issuance lowers annual debt-service payments, directly easing the burden on taxpayers and creating room to decrease property tax rates. Additionally, carefully monitoring bond expenditures and ensuring funds are allocated efficiently prevents unnecessary financial burdens, helping to maintain fiscal responsibility and taxpayer affordability in the long term.
What are your funding priorities for public safety, education, and infrastructure? For public safety – I’d prioritize proactive as opposed to reactive funding and staffing for a well-equipped police and fire department and first responders, investing in advanced training, modern technology, as well as better traffic studies and mitigations for traffic jams so we can maintain response times with the arrival of potentially 25,000 people from Universal Studios. For education, I’d work with the respective governing bodies and trustees to see what help they require and how we in the council can help find support for local schools to ensure adequate resources for modern classrooms, more school resource officers, innovative educational technology, and competitive teacher salaries. Infrastructure funding would target long-term sustainability and growth through investments in road expansions, improved traffic management systems, reliable utilities, and enhanced broadband connectivity—key elements in attracting high-tech employers and supporting future growth.
How would you plan to handle Frisco’s increasing debt and financial obligations? I would adopt a strategy rooted in transparency and fiscal discipline. By carefully prioritizing debt issuance exclusively for critical infrastructure and economic development projects, we can strategically control expenditures and reduce reliance on taxpayer-funded debt. Transparent financial reporting and open communication with the community will ensure residents clearly understand how funds are used and why debt decisions are made, fostering public trust. Simultaneously, leveraging unspent bond funds or surplus reserves to pay down existing debt will directly reduce the property tax burden. Creating an attractive economic environment through competitive taxation policies, targeted incentives, and streamlined permitting processes will draw investments from innovative sectors, generating higher-paying jobs and diversifying the local economy.
In December of 2021, the Mayor, Jeff Cheney had to vote in a rare tie breaker vote in regard to anemployee Health Clinic operated by Premise Health. At the time, city staff shared the results of a survey which collected responses from 684 of 1,239 city employees. Out of those 684, a total of 89.75% said they were likely or somewhat likely” to use the clinic for urgent care needs. Only 64.7% said they were likely to “somewhat use” the clinic as their primary care provider. Estimated expenses in the clinic’s first year total over $1.44 million, according to the proposed five-year budget. Those expenses include salaries, insurance, management/implementation fees and equipment purchases. The clinic’s fifth-year budget is listed at more than $1.31 million. It was projected that the clinic will operate at a loss in its first three years. The estimated cost for the first five years was $6.28 million. At the time there was a concern about how many years it could take to break even on the investment and how many employees would use the option. At the five-year mark if the clinic is still not breaking even would you support closing the Employee Wellness Clinic or continue to operate at a loss? I need to learn more about this issue. From reading the question, I’d like to determine the cost-benefit of this project. I’d like to learn where the money is being spent, and what opportunities exist to make this a profitable business. If there isn’t a way to make it profitable, and there is no need for this clinic, I would like to know what the exit strategies are for this clinic, and if it would be something that an organization like the Veterans Affairs would be interested in operating.
Should the city be in the business or running an Athletic Center, Performing Arts Center, or any other type of business model that mirrors a commercial business which has annual operational costs paid for by tax dollars? I do not like public-private partnerships which use our hard-earned tax dollars for operations and maintenance costs.
Transparency and Accountability
How will you ensure transparency in your decision-making process and open communication between the city council and residents? I’ll make myself available to residents. I’ll hold monthly townhalls, and attempt to visit various groups around our city on a regular basis . In addition, I will ensure my team releases all meeting minutes and I will make it a point to keep a weekly update of what work I performed at the end of the week. I believe it is important to ensure we complete projects which matter to people and, with accountability, you , the voter get a weekly update of the status of the various projects I’ll be working on and executing. This also allows me to solicit help from the members of the community who have good ideas on execution. In addition, many people have expressed their frustration on applying to various boards and being rejected. I don’t know the cause of this, and I’ll investigate – this process should be transparent, and should serve as a potential opportunity for us to raise the bar for serving on a board by having clearly defined requisites and a definable interview process where we can track metrics
Currently only the city council meeting is aired live, however many residents believe they should have access to live meetings for the different boards and commissions as well as well as the published minutes of the meetings should be more detailed as to what was discussed.
A. Do you support more increased public access to city council meetings, boards and commission meetings? Absolutely – we should have transparency and an opportunity to be informed in what various boards/commissions are proposing.
B. What steps would you take to improve access to meetings, meeting minutes and public records? I would introduce a motion to approve all meetings are streamed as well as meeting minutes available to the general public.
What is your definition of conflict of interest? If there is a possibility of favoritism for a company one owns or works for or if there is a significant opportunity to make money from a vote. Basically, if there is a potential abuse of power due to business interests which the politician has with their vote.
Do you support implementing a stricter ethics policy that puts a check on the influence of money in local politics which would require council members to recuse themselves from votes that could benefit donors who contributed more than $1000 or $2500.00 to a political campaign? Yes
Do you believe active members of the city council should be on the front lines advocating as “private citizens” for Propositions on the ballot during local elections? No – as an elected official, one has an enormous influence on the electorate. In essence they are the target of a lobbyist for a cause. While I am a firm believer in our 1st amendment rights , a politician masquerading as a private citizen when it is convenient for them to push an agenda is morally questionable.
Community Services and Quality of Life
What are your plans for enhancing public parks and recreation on Frisco’s East Side of the DNT? I the last city Council Meeting, the Parks and Recreation Open Space Master Plan was discussed. This included Shepherds Glen Park which will increase amenities for residents in east Frisco. Additionally, the Cottonwood Creek Trail Extension will extend the existing trail. Many residents I have spoken to like my idea of seeing if we can build an arboretum. This is something that I’d love to explore as a councilman and determine its feasibility
How do you plan to address traffic congestion across Frisco? I want to see what opportunities exist for smart infrastructure and leveraging AI-driven solutions. This could include integrating intelligent traffic management systems powered by AI algorithms to optimize traffic flow, dynamically manage intersections, and predicting congestion patterns in real-time, significantly reducing wait times and improving commuting efficiency. With Universal Studios bringing potentially 25,000 people a day, or the World Cup, we need to figure out solutions quickly. Expanding road capacity strategically, coupled with smart signaling technologies, could enhance overall traffic management. This would be in addition to the initiatives currently being worked on in city council.
Do you think Frisco has a public transportation need? From what I’ve read in Frisco’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, it emphasizes enhancing mobility and exploring alternative transportation modes to accommodate future growth. If our population keeps growing at the rate proposed in the plan, I think we would need better public transportation provide mobility options for residents without personal vehicles, and support economic development by connecting workers to employment centers, and also potentially reduce traffic.
How will you engage with and listen to diverse voices of the community? By making myself available. Look, I don’t and won’t know everything. I will attempt to meet many members of our city, and I’ll hold monthly townhalls. I will also attempt to come to many events hosted by our vibrant communities. My office will have an open door policy for the residents of Frisco. Also, once a week, I’ll have coffee at a local business, and I’ll post those times and will broadcast a livestream where I’ll take questions from those who are unable to attend.
Public Safety
What measures will you take to ensure Frisco’s Police and Fire Department remain well-funded? My approach will focus on prioritizing public safety within the city’s budget planning, I want information to flow to the council as well – concerns and issues should never be punitive. I want to ensure Frisco remains one of the safest cities in the country so guaranteeing consistent and adequate resources for staffing, advanced training, and cutting-edge equipment is a top priority of mine. I’ll advocate for strategic fiscal policies that secure dedicated funding streams and explore alternative revenue sources to supplement city resources. Additionally, regular assessments and transparent evaluations of departmental needs including review of surveys will be conducted, ensuring funding allocations and departmental needs align effectively with public safety priorities. By actively communicating with residents about the critical importance of these investments, we will maintain strong community support for sustainable funding, thus safeguarding the high-quality services provided by our first responders.
For years the Frisco Firefighters Association has taken to the citizens input pulpit asking for more staffing (specifically going from a 3 Man Truck to a 4 Man Truck). Turnover has been high recently with Firefighters taking retirement and then going to work for other cities who are more supportive of their First Responders.
Do you support increased staffing and moving to a 4 Person Truck? Yes
What will you do to start repairing the relationship with our first responders to stop the turnover, so they stay here in Frisco, and we don’t lose that much needed experience and wisdom? I will actively engage in open and ongoing dialogue to clearly understand their needs, concerns, and ideas. We can work on improving compensation packages, expanding to national searches for attracting a larger talent pool, benefits, and career advancement opportunities. I want to ensure we are properly investing in comprehensive mental health and wellness programs to ensure their wellbeing. By cultivating a supportive environment built on respect, trust, and consistent communication, we can retain experienced personnel, preserve institutional knowledge, and enhance morale, ensuring that our community benefits from their invaluable expertise and helps to preserve a safe Frisco.
As Frisco continues to grow, do you believe Frisco’s current policies on crime prevention and emergency response are sufficient? Why or why not? While our police, fire and first responders have an incredible program, which is the envy of other mid size cities, there is only an upside in continuous investment in technology, personnel training, new skills as well as determining better community engagement and policies. As these departments see a need for growth opportunities, I want them to know that they will have an advocate for their expert opinions on what needs to be driven in the city council for maintaining Frisco’s safety.
Would you support removing Animal Services “out” from under Public Safety and turning it into its own department? Yes
Residents have been advocating for an animal shelter (instead of the partnership with Collin County) and the city keeps stalling, saying they are open to one with a public-private partnership. Do you believe Frisco should have its own Animal Shelter and Education Center? Do you believe it is a city service, or should it be a public-private partnership? Yes and this should be a city service.
Closing Statements
Is there anything you would like us to know about you that we have not asked? Here’s a fun fact – I’m a Jeopardy! champion, and I appeared on the last televised episode with Alex Trebek before his death.
What is the most important issue facing Frisco, and how do you plan to address it? Frisco residents should vote no on Propositions A, B, and E to protect both their financial interests and democratic rights. Propositions A and B would commit the city to substantial financial obligations—including $160 million in new bonds—for an extravagant performing arts center, potentially burdening taxpayers and risking future property tax increases if projected revenues fall short. With numerous comparable venues nearby, this costly investment is unnecessary and not aligned with recent calls from residents for fiscal prudence. Proposition E, meanwhile, would significantly diminish voter power by allowing the City Council to appoint replacements to vacant seats without voter input, potentially leading to political favoritism and reducing democratic accountability. Voting “no” ensures Frisco maintains responsible financial management and preserves citizens’ fundamental right to directly elect their representatives
Do you have any final messages for the voters? I would love to get your support dear reader. If you like my positions, please make sure you vote. Please tell 10 of your friends to vote for me as well. This election, more than ever, will determine Frisco’s futur. Please vote for Burt Thakur for Frisco City Council, Place 2.
Well folks, it’s that magical time again in Frisco—election season—when the lawn signs bloom like spring wildflowers, the political mailers clog our mailboxes faster than credit card offers, and the campaign coffers overfloweth… with cold, hard cash.
But not just any cash. Oh no, we’re talking about that sweet, sweet nectar of the gods: Developer Donation Dollars—a.k.a. Tammy’s Triple D’s.
Yes, in a stunning twist no one saw coming (except literally anyone who has watched city politics for five minutes), Councilwoman Tammy Meinershagen reported a jaw-dropping $40,833.64 in campaign contributions in just the last three months. That’s a lot of yard signs and catered meet-and-greets. But here’s where it gets juicy: $31,041.44—roughly 76%—came from developers who have current or future projects in the pipeline and paving Frisco one luxury development at a time.
Coincidence? Just your average neighborhood bake sale gone wild? Or maybe developers just have an intense passion for local democracy… the kind of passion usually accompanied by architectural renderings and infrastructure impact studies. Why are these developer titans so invested in our humble city council races? Are they just really, really into zoning meetings? Or could it be they know that in Frisco, if you want to shape the skyline, you’ve got to shape the council first?
Let’s put on our rubber gloves and dig through the money trail, one donation at a time—name, company, and what exactly they’re building in our backyard. Spoiler alert: it’s not a public park. Grab your hard hats, folks. It’s time to follow the bulldozers—and the bucks.
$1000: Todd & Heather Lisle: Todd worked at Forvis Accounting until he retired. According to the Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports each year on the city website, “FORVIS, Certified Public Accountants, has issued unmodified (“clean”) opinions on the City of Frisco’s financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2023. The report of the independent auditors is located at the beginning of the Financial Section.”
$2000 Each: Theresa & Michael Sinacola, James Sinacola and Joseph Sinacola – works on projects every day in Frisco for private developers and the city projects.
$3000: Philip Rose – CrossTie Capital (Frisco Fields Development)
$3000: Fehmi and Elizabeth Karahan – Karahan Companies (Frisco Fields Development)
$5000: Robert Shaw – Columbus Realty Partners (Frisco Fields Development)
$5000: Richard Reupke – Partner and Chief Financial Officer at Columbus Realty Partners since the firms inception in 1999. They own Twelve Cowboys Way Luxury Apartments and are involved in PGA/North Fields developing a Class A Multifamily development in Frisco.
In-Kind (Non-Monetary) Donation:
$9,892.34 Craig Hall – Founder of Hall Group For Kickoff Venue/Food/Beverage
Other donors include:
$500: Jason Denton – Local Businessman and on the Frisco CDC Board
$1500: Answer Azam – Local CPA and Former Candidate For Council
Political Expenditures Made:
$5000: Cynergy-Ink ** We could find no company website for this company, no franchise tax id account in Texas and the address but the address comes back to a home registered to a woman whose social media says she does Graphic Design
$2900: Campaign Management Services for a mobile app and we can not find anything on this company but they appear on several candidate campaign finance reports for campaign services.
And there you have it, folks. Just another heartwarming tale of local democracy, where average citizens like you and me—armed with nothing but a mortgage, three kids, and a dog that eats Legos—are expected to go toe-to-toe with deep-pocketed developers who treat campaign donations like they’re dropping quarters into a casino slot machine that spits out zoning variances.
Some residents are tired of wondering why that five-story mixed-use “village” just popped up where the park used to be, or why our street floods every time someone flushes during a light drizzle—maybe, just maybe—we should follow the money (unless you don’t want to ruin the surprise). I know, I know… who has time to read campaign finance reports when “The Bachelor of Frisco Lakes: Retirement Village” is on? We’ve got real problems—like whether our HOA will fine us for leaving your garbage bin out 14 minutes too long. It leaves us no time to wonder why our city council candidate suddenly got $40,000 from developers who wants to turn a pasture into a “luxury lifestyle hub.” That’s just a coincidence! Pure civic enthusiasm!
But hey, democracy’s working just fine. As long as by “democracy,” you mean a handful of land speculators playing Monopoly with real houses, real traffic, and your real tax dollars. We have shouted it from the rooftops of Frisco homes, trying to warn you that when that same candidate tells you they “can’t be bought,” they’re technically telling the truth—because let’s be honest, at this point they’re on layaway. Just waiting to be delivered after the election.
Ah, the riveting world of campaign finance reports – where every local candidate in Frisco must parade their fiscal acumen before the discerning eyes of the public. It’s like Christmas for political sleuths, unwrapping the financial mysteries behind each contender’s bid for office. Because, let’s be honest, nothing screams “transparency” like the stress-induced wrinkles of trying to get those reports done on time. In Frisco, Campaign Finance Reports must be filed by local municipal politicians or political candidates seeking office and they must be filed with the City Secretary, Kristi Morrow.
We give each candidate the benefit of the doubt and assume from time to time there may be a mistake on the reports. If a candidate finds a report has a mistake they can file to correct the report. A candidate must file using a correction affidavit and make sure the pages of the report being corrected are attached. Easy, Peasy!
January of 2024, we download the semi-annual report or the annual report of unexpended contributions for each candidate for the time of July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. We were surprised to see on page 4 of Angelia Pelham’s report she had a donation of $1000 dated 12/26/23 that had the name of the Contributor and the address redacted. You cannot redact the field of the contributor as that is a public record. At the time the report was released, we of course saved it and filed it away with all the others.
On March 7th we noticed Angelia Pelham had filed a Correction/Amendment Affidavit for Candidates with the City Secretary. It noted she neglected to include an In-Kind amount in the total contribution. She attached the updated “totals” sheet, and the update changed her total political contributions from $3,630.00 to $8630.00 which is a difference of $5000. We were curious about what the In-Kind donation was and what it was for. We went back to the website and looked at the original report filed, and the contribution dated 11/1/23 was from Scott Ellis for $5000. The description stated it was for web design and hosting.
As we began to scroll back up through the report, we immediately noticed something was different than the first time we reviewed the report. That item from 12/26/23 reporting a donation of $1000 that had been completely redacted now showed the name of the donor. It was the very own Dono and Angelia Pelham who donated to herself. We thought for a minute, are we crazy we were pretty sure when we looked at this report in January that it was completely redacted. Luckily, we saved the report back in January, and thank goodness it confirmed we were not crazy!
Now is this life shattering or ending – no of course not. But when did Pelham or the city “un-redact” the report? Why did they not file a correction or make a note of the change on the report that the redaction was incorrect and updated? What it does do is build mistrust, because now we have no idea when the redaction was corrected. If we file a PIR to find out, they will probably send it to the attorney general to avoid answering our question.
If someone made a mistake (ok, no problem) but now it feels like they tried to change out the reports and hoped no one would notice the mistake. It feels shady that there would not even be a note that it was incorrectly redacted, and the new one was updated. Sound familiar? It should. Remember Sassy Safranek, the City HR Director, who edited a job description for the Fire Department that ultimately affected the pay of firefighters. You can read all about it in our Twelve Days of Christmas stories.
Why was it a big deal what Sassy Safranek did? She lied when caught back in the day and continues to lie today. She said Piland was aware of the change and that she didn’t feel it was a big deal to remove one word and not get an updated signature from the Chief. Based on emails from a PIR it was clear Piland had no clue the change had been made. The City of Frisco requires each department head to sign off on each job description. Sassy Safranek, THE HR DIRECTOR, knows that. If you change anything on a document that requires a signature, you get A NEW SIGNATURE! Imagine Fire Chief Mark Piland’s surprise when one of his firefighters inquired about the change and that is how he found out about the Sassy “Cover Up!”
Our point, if you upload a report to the public and you need to change something like a redaction there should be a note as to why, when, and who made the changes. It is simply a note in the ledger or the report. Are we surprised the city tried to change out documents and withhold the change from the public? No, it is a standard practice apparently for both internal and external documents.
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?
When you open a campaign finance report the first thing you see is a list of donors supporting a campaign. But beyond the pages, if you dig and go back far enough you find a treasure chest that shows you the politicians’ political expenditures. It is the section where politicians showcase their exceptional talent for creative accounting! It is truly a treasure trove of clandestine expenditures that should make any commonsense reader wonder if they’re funding a campaign or planning a covert mission to Mars. From “strategic consulting fees” to “research expenses” it’s a riveting read for anyone interested in the fine art of obfuscation. Who needs transparency when you can have a thrilling game of financial hide-and-seek?
On John Keating’s report there is one name, Mustang Strategies LLC that appears 7 times. We were curious how one politician in less than two and half months can spend $18,655.50 with one company. We looked up the company on OpenCorporates.com and the agent’s name of record is Jason Zelovics and its office is right here in Frisco. It appears the certificate of formation is dated 08/27/2019. He also has another company called Round Table Strategies. We looked at Angelia Pelham’s report and it appears she paid $0.00 to a “consultant”, so again why has Keating spent so much?
The next item is Hope Floats Creative LLC, for whom he made two payments each for $975 on 3/1/24 and 3/20/24. According to their website they are the official publication for Frisco Lakes Community Association, Inc. Makes sense!
In January, Keating donated $2500 to Linking Cultures of Frisco for the 2024 MLK Gala. We were curious to know who runs Linking Cultures of Frisco? We visited the organizations website and according to the MLK Gala invite if you would like to be a sponsor email AngeliaPelham@LinkingCulturesOfFrisco.org. Ding, Ding Ding! Here we go again one council person donating to another council person or their organization. It leaves us asking how can Angelia ever claim to be impartial with Keating when it comes to a vote or if he were ever charged with an ethics complaint?
The last two expenditures are the most interesting and got us thinking. The first was for $2500 to Collin County Republican Party on 1/24/24 for there 2024 Lincoln Day Dinner fundraiser. Turns out he has donated a lot to them over the years and that makes us wonder, can that affect an endorsement? If up against another candidate, are they going to go with Keating just because he has given money to the GOP? On a side note, OpenSecrets.org has John Keatings occupation listed as “househusband.”
The next is $475 to the Frisco Chamber for Membership fees paid on 1/2/24 and has donated or paid fee’s several times to them. It begs the question, in the upcoming forum being held April 11, 2024, will the Chamber show “BIAS” towards a new candidate. They did last year so we can only assume they will this year. Which makes us believe any new candidate who has not paid a group may have a harder time than candidate who has paid that same group.
In the end, we cannot get the math to add up on Keating’s reports. Can you?
Carried Over from Last Reporting Period: $9207.27 + Political Contributions $35,125.00 = $44,332.27
Total of Last Report and Contributions = $44,332.27 + Loan $50,000.00 = Total $94,332.27
Total $94,332.27 – Political Expenditures $31,345.83 = Total $62,986.44
Yet his Totals Page has $66,691.66 which is a difference of $3705.22. Either he can’t do math, his campaign finance person can’t do math, or something smells like a German man’s armpit. That leaves us asking, who is checking these reports and where are the checks and balances? The other concern we have is how much some of these “Consulting” companies are being paid, but that is a whole other issue to go down the rabbit hole with. One thing is clear, these practices can raise concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and the fairness of decision-making in local government.
This land is Frisco’s land, this land is Developer’s Land
From the PGA to Stonebriar Centre
From the Toyota Stadium to the Cowboy Star
This land was never made for you or me!
For some time now we have questioned the campaign finance reports of local leaders. Back in February of 2023 we wrote about Dark Money where we laid out how individuals associated with the PGA, The Link, or Fields projects donated to our current sitting city council members. If you haven’t read it, you should because it is alarming. Then just two months ago we asked the question, did Keating and Pelham accept “DIRTY FUNDS?” We are talking about the $10,000 Keating took and $5000 Pelham took in 2021 from Veton Krasniqi, a man who appears to owe the school district $24,093.47 in back taxes. How did we learn about this, a campaign finance report. As we said they can be Shakespearean sonnets of bureaucratic paperwork.
The influence of money, particularly from developers or other vested interests, in local Frisco elections is a well-known issue. In local elections, where the scale is smaller and the issues can be more directly related to specific projects or zoning decisions, developer money can have a significant impact. Developers may contribute to election campaigns of candidates who are perceived as more favorable to their interests, such as those who may be more likely to approve zoning changes or development projects.
Sometimes things are as simple as they appear, developer donations have a direct correlation to the influence of policy decisions in Frisco. Elected officials will always support policies or projects favored by developers who have supported their campaigns financially. That is why Keating’s most current campaign finance report filed 4/4/2024 should shock any resident with common sense.
When you look at Keating’s campaign finance report you quickly notice that many are developers, several don’t live here, and he is quick to spend a lot of money with consultants. To understand the first set of donors you need to understand the developer relationships at the PGA, The Link, and Fields.
Todd Armstrong, EVP and his partner Philip Rose at Cross Tie Capital each donated $1000. A DMN article listed Cross Tie Capital, based in Grapevine, as a family-owned real estate, oil and gas, and investment company. On the Republic Property Group website, it states, “The Frisco mega-development is being built with Hunt Realty, Karahan Cos., Republic Property Group, Chief Partners LP and Cross Tie Capital Ltd. and could be valued more than $10 billion.”
We are curious why the Cross Tie Capital website says it is “not secure” and appears to be inactive. Then we checked OpenCorporates and noticed the company has (2) Texas TIN numbers. Under both TIN numbers, the status is listed as “Forfeited Existence”, and the Dissolution Date is the same which is 02/23/2024. Things that make you go hmmm, that is the same day Todd Armstrong made his $1000 and Rose made his on 2/25/24. Suspicious?
Next, we have the one and only, Fehmi Karahan of the Karahan Companies. He is the mastermind behind Legacy West and the key player in the Fields development. A campaign finance report would not be complete without a $2500 donation from Fehmi. We almost feel badly for Keating because he obviously is not as valuable as Cheney who took in over $30k from him between cash and in-kind donations. Fehmi’s attorneys also donated. Jeff Brawner and RJ Grogan each donated $500, and they are partners at Grogan & Brawner PLC. According to one of the many city council meetings during the planning phase of this 10-billion-dollar deal, the City of Frisco Attorney Richard Abernathy said he spoke at length to Mr. Karahan’s attorneys whom he identified as Grogan & Brawner PLC.
The interesting thing about Fehmi Karahan, is that he donates mostly to republicans, but he did donate to Democrat, Colin Allred. He apparently is not a Trump fan either because he donated over $5000 to Nikki Haley in 2023. His attorney Jeff Brawner donated $500 to Eric Johnson in 2009 when he was a registered Democrat.
The $1000 donation list from the founders connected to the Fields/The PGA/The Link development continues with Colin Fitzgibbons, President at Hunt Realty, Chris Kleinert, CEO at Hunt Realty Investments, and William Vanderstraaten of Chief Partners. Lastly you have Mario Sinacola & Sons who are the excavating group for this big project. James Sinacola, Joseph Sinacola, and Michael Sinacola each donated $1000.
Colin Fitzgibbons according to OpenSecrets.org appears to be hard democrat who has donated to Joe Biden, Act Blue, Colin Allred, donated. Chris Kleinert also donated to Colin Allred in 2023, as well as Mitt Romney in 2012. William Vanderstraaten supports Trump with several donations.
Then we saw the name Ryan Griffin from Rockhill Capital & Investments who donated $1000 dollars. We remember that name from Cheney’s 2020 report which had him listed as FCS Construction. We googled the address on Keatings current report and tada, FSC Construction and Rockhill Capital & Investments both office there. Ryan is listed as the President of FSC Construction and Rockhill has him listed as the Principal & Chief Executive Officer. FCS is currently involved in Fields based on a DMN report and Rockhill was involved with the Estates at Rockhill, and Stonebrook Crossing. Rockhill’s current project is The Preserve – Phase 1 where they are the Construction management for 132 residential lots for Shaddock Homes. I WONDER IF THEY BUILT KEATINGS NEW HOME HE IS CLOSING ON IN THE PRESERVE SOON, that he announced at council a few weeks ago.
As for Ryan Griffin he has donated over $20K to State Rep Jared Patterson, and to a group called Patriots Always Triumph.
Then we saw two names, Richard Reupke and Robert Shaw (each donated $1000) who built Twelve, a high luxury high rise next to The Star. The night of the meeting, I remember them saying it was just a big club house for Jerry Jones and his buddies to have near The Star and of course they would occupy the two top floors. We were curious why they would donate when they have no active projects. You guessed it, they do have an active project right now and it happens to be in North Fields. Of course, we assumed it would be more luxury homes, but we were wrong. They plan to build a “RENTAL COMMUNITY PROJECT” and the first phase will be 620 apartment units. If Keating is going to break any of his density promises to residents, it must be for a buck!
If you do the math, that means Keating took in about $14,500 just from those involved in active developments that connect Hunt and Karahan. It also begs the question; with the money he has taken will he recuse himself from future votes on these projects? Was there a quid pro quo which helped him afford a house as a single man in The Preserve? How long had he kept his house a secret and did he vote at any time, on any project, after he put down his deposit or started building?
Next on the report was Craig Hall and the Hall Group, who is all for the City of Frisco having an arts center. Hall donated $5000 to Keating. We went to OpenSecrets to see the types of candidates Hall donates to and well he is a hard Democrat. Names like Nancy Pelosi, the National DNC and several state-by-state DNC groups, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, Royce West of TX, Colin Allred, Beto O’Rourke and many more. One article on NBC News from 2019 said, “The couple has since given a minimum of $2 million to Democratic Party committees and have donated substantial amounts to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to an analysis of data from the Federal Election Commission.” It goes on to talk about how the Halls like to spend time between California and Texas and how federal regulators had been zeroing in on a series of Hall’s unpaid loans. Another article on MSN.com in Feb 2024 talks about how Hall’s California winery and how the U.S. Department of Justice has filed a subpoena seeking information from several Napa winery owners including the Hall’s.
Some other honorable mentions in Keatings report include Joseph Hansen TYME Capital Holdings (bank) – $1000 and the connection appears to be their Veteran status. Then you have the supposed to be Conservative Laura Rummell who donated $500 to Keating’s campaign and is actively promoting him and fighting against the Frisco Fire Fighters who she took money and an endorsement from. We are assuming Laura has joined the exclusive you donate to me, and I donate to your council club so how could she ever be impartial if an ethics concern came up. We don’t expect much from Laura, to be honest she sold a bill of goods to those who voted for her and put her there. Chances are she will be easy to beat next time she is up for re-election. Our new nickname for her Rollin Out Rummell, it is just a matter of time.
The icing on the cake with a cherry on top is James Webb who on 2/7/24 donated $5000 to Keating. It lists him as the Chairman of Paradigm Development Holdings. Something about this name kept ringing a bell like a little butler boy when you want butter. We found a previous donation from Webb for $2500 in 2017 to Keating. We of course googled and came across an article from the Dallas Morning News in 2016 with the headline, “Major Ken Paxton donor paying $3.5 million settlement after MEDICAID FRAUD PROBE.
Preferred Imaging LLC, a medical diagnostic company headed by James H. Webb of Frisco, allegedly performed services that required the oversight of a supervising doctor without one on-site. According to DMN, “Preferred Imaging LLC did not admit to any wrongdoing or liability in the case. The settlement came after an investigation led by federal and state authorities, including the Civil Medicaid Fraud Division within Paxton’s agency, according to John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.” That means when Keating took the money in 2017 and he should have known about Webb’s “issues” and still accepted the money then and is still accepting it NOW!
There is more to cover in Keatings report, and we will look at that in the next blog drop.
“Well, clearly Keating’s campaign finance report shows that he or some of his friends, meaning Mayor Cheney, called in their chips for donations. Keating probably thinks he could be the next Mayor of Frisco, but he might want to work more on his resident outreach than dating a dental hygienist who can help with him some gold-plated teeth. With as much money as Keating has raised and some of it from questionable donors again, we think he should just fund a yacht party for unicorns and leprechauns and ride a magical wave hoping his constituents appreciate his ability to play both sides of the fence. Mr. Go Along to Get Along!
Keep checking back because we have a lot to drop!
Special Thanks To Our Frisco Whistle Blower Researchers – you know who you are!
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