The State of The City

A conversational narcissist is someone who constantly turns a conversation toward themselves and is often uninterested in what other people have to say.  In a fast-paced world, they’re eager to get their point across quickly without making true connections with others.  Often a conversational narcissist has an anxious aspect to their personality which is why they talk about things familiar to them such as their business or themselves!  Signs of a conversational narcissist include one-sided conversations.  They have their own agenda, and they can’t move away from it long enough to engage with someone else or to hear someone else’s opinions.  Conversations with them are never interpersonal or interactive, they are more of a monologue or lecture.   They often feel they are the center of the universe, and they will never admit they are wrong and often interrupt.  They will appear visibly uncomfortable, bored, contemptuous, or distracted when other people are talking.  Lastly, they come across as arrogant when speaking to them.

Does this sound like anyone you know?   Well, we think it sounds a lot like Mayor Cheney.  Just look at city council meetings and often you will find Mayor Cheney “schooling” the public or other city council members.  At the recent State of the City luncheon put on by the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor also displayed traits of a conversational narcissist during his 76-slide presentation.  If you want to see Mayor Jeff Cheney’s State of the City Presentation then just visit the city website.

Over our lifetime we have lived in many cities, and rarely did we hear about State of the City Luncheons until we moved to Frisco.  This was our first year to attend and according to the Frisco Chamber Website you should attend because “Frisco is a city like no other!  As for who attends, well it is a who’s who of Frisco for sure.  Individual Tickets were $100 per person, or you could sponsor a table for $900.  But if you want to be a Visionary Sponsor that is $2000 or better yet be an Innovator Sponsor for just a mere $3000.

The mayor of course took pride and time talking about the 2024 Council Top 10 Priorities.  Specifically, the master planning of Grand Park, a new Performing Arts Center, World Cup 2026, and Downtown Frisco.  He could not stop boasting about how great all these things would be for Frisco.

We found the slide about Foreign Direct Investments interesting which stated according to Duns & Bradstreet, there are 71 companies in Frisco owned by a parent company that is ‘OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.” 

The next interesting thing was the “developments” coming.  All we could hear was cha-ching, cha-ching, and cha-ching! 

Downtown Redevelopment: $70-million project

Northwest Community Park: $40-million budget

4th Street Downtown Redevelopment: $16-million budget

Grand Park Development:  Budget TBD

Fire Station 10 – Spring 2025:  No Budget Listed

Police Annex: No Details Given

One thing not covered in depth was the desire for a NEW PEFORMING ARTS CENTER.  On the city website it states that in 2023, the City of Frisco participated in the Americans for the Arts AEP6 Study, which found the arts sector generated $21.3 million in economic activity in Frisco in 2022Read the full report here (PDF).   So that is why they are trying to find a way to get that $500 million Performing Arts Center.   In fact, Cheney didn’t say we hope to have one, he said we will have one because he has wanted it since 2017.  It always has been about what he wants, right? That’s it! 

That is the State of the City here in Frisco according to Cheney.  We only have one question; HOW CAN WE AFFORD ALL THESE PROJECTS?  Yes, we have bond money set aside, but when you think about it, we are spending money like its water just going down the drain and at some point, these city leaders are going to lock us into a rock and hard place financially.

WWE RAW: In Their Own Words

The art of political rhetoric is where promises flow like honey from the lips of our esteemed leaders, only to be swiftly forgotten once the ink dries and the votes are counted on election day.  It is a delightful game of “he said, she said,” politicians masterfully navigate the treacherous waters between sincerity and self-interest, leaving behind a trail of broken vows and conveniently misplaced principles.  We want you to embark on a whimsical journey through the whimsical world of political doublespeak, where words are but mere tools in the grand symphony of deception!

For months now we have heard the political rhetoric about the “Big Bad Unions” coming to town from our city leaders who run the Vote No PAC which is funded by developers of the Fields project.  Keating & Pelham, in their own words, have openly said at forum after forum residents should vote “NO TO UNIONS” and the propositions on the ballot.  

Keating’s political rhetoric via campaign mailers on the other hand has changed and the new approach is to claim he was pro-public safety and that he has been a champion for the police and fire departments.  Was lying to the residents at the forums or is he lying to residents via mailers now?  Now he is trying to change his message at the polls so he has instructed his poll greeters not to hold the “Vote No” signs because he thinks it might be hurting him at the polls.   We think Keating is a typical politician who will spew whatever political rhetoric he wants depending on how the wind blows and that his word is no better than a grain of salt. 

Meanwhile, Matt Sapp, President of the Frisco Firefighters Association, and several Frisco Firemen and women we spoke to told us over and over “Unions are not legal in Texas” and that is by Texas Law called an Association.   If you ask any city leader, they are going to give the big bad union story, but Keating “In His Own Words” admitted that it is regulated by Texas Law and it is an “Association.”  Why are Keating, Pelham, Cheney, Woodard, and Rummel then misleading the people of Frisco with the scary term Union when they know it is an Association?  Well, it better fits their narrative and creates fear in residents which is what they want. 

Pelham has claimed the push for the propositions is because someone wants POWER and CONTROL.  In her own words, she said this is not about the whole fire department, it is about a select few called the Fire Association. 

Well, that “select few” is over 90% of the association made up of 200 or more firefighters according to Matt Sapp.  That leaves us wondering who wants the power and control in question.  At certain times Pelham is about “data” and at other times she is about generalizations which ever best fits the narrative.  Who do you believe?

Why are we sharing this with you?  Voters must realize our elected officials are not being straightforward with us.  That is all we have been trying to show and prove to you since the day we started this journey of Frisco Chronicles.  Voters need to have all the information to be able to make the best decision when they cast a ballot.  Next up more WWE Smackdown of In Their Own Words – Part 2.

Election Fix: Frisco Chamber’s Biggest Failure

Election time comes and night after night there is a new forum to attend.  They are great because you can learn a lot about the candidates and issues.  We like to go to the Frisco Chamber of Commerce Forum because we assumed it would be the most neutral so to speak when it comes to candidates and issues. 

According to the website, the Frisco Chamber of Commerce plays a vital role in the local business community. Their mission is to protect and promote commerce through advocacy, resources, and connections.  If you click on the “ADVOCACY” link it takes you to the government affairs mission statement which is to inform, educate, engage, and advocate for the business community regarding relevant public policy.  It goes on to say, “In order to fulfill the Chamber’s mission statement “to protect and promote commerce,” the Frisco Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs division, along with the Board of Directors, takes a strong and proactive stance on governmental issues.”

We were surprised when several readers who own local businesses sent us a copy of some email blasts, they received put out by the Frisco Chamber.  One resident said, “It was disheartening to see the Chamber involve themselves in an issue that should be decided by citizens.”  Another resident said, “If the Chamber receives money from the city would this be considered electioneering?”  Then we looked over social media and found a post by resident James Nunn that reads, “The Frisco Chamber of Commerce just sent an e-blast to their membership advocating a “no” vote on a local issue relating to the workforce of the City of Frisco.  This is another example of the Chamber pandering to elected (and formerly elected) officials in Frisco.  This action alienates part of the membership and effectively removes the Chamber as an independent voice on local issues.”

We agree 1000% with Mr. Nunn.  It was not just about the TWO e-blasts, one in March and one in April, that concerned us.  On their website, it states after hearing presentations from both sides they are recommending voting no, but did the Frisco Fire Fighters Association ever really have a chance of getting endorsed by the Chamber?  What they didn’t tell you is that the Vote No PAC received money from the Hall Grup and others tied to the Board of Directors before the presentations were ever made.  Plus they had folks from the city, city boards and commissions sitting in on this presentation.  CAN YOU HONESTLY TELL ME THIS WAS A DECISION BEST FOR BUSINESS OWNERS?  CAN THE CHAMBER TODAY SAY THE FIX WAS NOT IN, BECAUSE IT SURE LOOKS LIKE IT.

What if we told you from 2017 to 2024 the City of Frisco has paid the Chamber $393,590.21 for items listed as promotional marketing, dues & subscriptions, travel/meals/lodging, and food & provisions, would that seem like a conflict to you?  Most of that money is for “promotional marketing” of course.   We tried to find out if the Frisco Fire Fighters Association ever paid the Chamber, but we have not heard back at this time.  Even in the remote chance they had, I am guessing they never paid almost $400k.  So of course, the chamber formulated a decision that sides with the city.  It is called ‘MONEY HONEY!’

Even more disturbing is that at the Chamber Forum, we have heard they are giving the Vote No group 10 minutes to speak, but they have not invited the Fire Association.   So that is a DIRECT VIOLATION of three of their “FOUR PILLARS” to INFORM, EDUCATE, ENGAGE, AND ADVOCATE.  In this case, they advocated for one side, not educating the public to make their own decision. Does the Frisco Chamber think business owners and residents are stupid and can’t make informed decisions if given the information?   

We are back to the same old thing, and it is called Money!  The PAC has raised over $100k in two months, the Frisco Chamber is in bed and paid lots of money by the city.  Where in the hell do you draw the line as a resident of what is acceptable behavior from our city and its associates like the Frisco EDC, Frisco CDC, and Frisco Chamber? Did we mention the 2023 Executive of the Year at the recent Frisco Chamber Gala was no other than Mayor Real Estate Mogul Jeff Cheney?  To top it off Admin Professional of the Year went to his own Dolly Chatterjee who works for …. CHENEY GROUP!  

The Election Fix: Politicians’ Pocket Change

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.

Fort Collins Adventure

Are you ready for another adventure, well let’s visit Fort Collins, Colorado.  Every few years the Frisco Chamber hosts a “Leadership Event” and according to the website it’s an opportunity to build new – and strengthen existing – connections among the Frisco business and community leaders that you otherwise may not have the opportunity or time to engage with.  In English they mean it is a chance for the “commoners” to spend three glorious days collaborating and partnership building with the “important people.” 

The event was held September 12 to 15, 2023 in Fort Collins, Colorado.  According to the Chambers website the destination “offers a blend of outdoor adventure, cultural attractions, and a thriving business community. In September, when we will be visiting, the city is particularly beautiful with its golden aspens and crisp autumn air. The downtown area is full of art galleries, independent shops, and restaurants. The city is also known for its commitment to sustainability and its collaborative spirit.”

What is the goal of these fun trips on taxpayer dollars?  To help shape the “Future of Frisco.”  You can be an INVESTOR at different levels.  The “Innovator Investor” costs $4000 and the description reads, “Lead community enrichment as the Innovator Investor. Your investment drives program growth, offers brand exposure, and shapes our community’s future. Benefit from positive community association, visibility, and impactful connections.  The “Visionary Investor” is $3000, and the description reads, “Propel community progress as a Visionary Investor. Your investment aids program growth, aligns your brand with community investment, and supports valuable experiences for community development. Enhance your brand’s image while contributing to community success.  Blah, Blah, Blah…

Lastly you can just be an “Attendee” which is $3250, and it includes airfare, hotel, transportation, and most meals.  A few city insiders told us in the past maybe one to 3 people from the city attended these trips.   However, in recent years Mayor Cheney turned it into the “Popular Club” trip on taxpayer dollars and felt that everyone in the city should go.   We were curious of course over the last few years, who went?

In 2019, Council Member Will Sowell and John Lettellier, Director of Development Services were the only 2 from the city to attend the trip.  Then in 2022, that number jumped to six which included four council members and two city officials.  Last year in 2023, it jumped to 12 people which included five city council members and eight city officials.   It is important to note that 1 to 2 months after the 2023 trip one attendee Paul Knipple, City of Frisco – Director of Engineering, left the city and took a position at the City of Westminster, Colorado.  Do the math: 12 people x $3250 = $39,000 of taxpayer dollars.   

Next we have Visit Frisco, the official destination marketing organization for the City of Frisco.  According to the website it is their mission to generate a positive awareness of Frisco as a premier destination for meetings, sporting events, conventions, trade shows, leisure travel, and to positively impact the economic base of the City of Frisco.  In 2019, zero reps from Visit Frisco attended the Leadership Trip.  In 2022, one Visit Frisco rep attended the trip.  Last year in 2023, Marla Roe the Executive Director attended the trip which cost taxpayers $3250.

What about the Frisco Economic Development Corporation?  Well in 2019, two EDC reps attended and in 2022, one EDC rep attended the trip.  Last year in 2023, two Frisco EDC reps attended the trip which is $6500 in taxpayer dollars.

Then we have the Frisco Independent School District, wait what?  In 2019, two trustees attended, and zero attend in 2022.  Last year in 2023, three Board of Trustee representatives attended which include Dynette Davis – Board President, Gopal Ponangi – Vice President, and Rene Archambault – Board Secretary.   First, why did any member from the ISD Board of Trustee’s need to attend these trips?  Secondly, when did Financial Hot Mess Express better known as Dynette Davis become the President?  That means 3 x $3250 = $9750 of taxpayer dollars – but whose counting…oh wait we are!

Now it is a Chamber Leadership event, so we would expect several representatives of the Chamber to attend.  In 2019 and 2022, the same four chamber representatives went.  Last year, five chamber representatives went.  Two representatives from the Frisco Economic Development Corporation include Stephanie Wagoner – Director of Business Retention & Expansion, Gloria Salinas – Vice President also attended. That means 7 x $3250 = $22,750 dollars.  

Then we had a few people attend that held a place on local boards or committees.  For example, Donna Schmittler of the Heritage Association and Danny Mehta with the Downtown Advisory Board.  We also know Jake Petras attended who at the time was on the Planning & Zoning Board, but according to the registration it shows him under a business name.  We don’t know if the city paid for Schmittler or Petras, but we did receive a registration confirmation for Danny Mehta. Add another $3250 dollars

It really was a “Who’s Who of Frisco” aka “Developer Friends” of the mayor and council that attended from the business community.   A few stood out on the list like Lori Medina, owner of MedinaUSA, also the Mayors Chief of Staff for several years, and his campaign manager.  She is also currently helping Angelia Pelahm in her re-election bid this year.  The other person to stand out is Jake Petras who went under his real estate business name but was a current member of the Planning and Zoning Board.  Correction, shortly after the trip was over he was quietly removed from the P&Z board for an ”incident” that happened in Fort Collins.  You probably recognize other big names like Hillwood, PGA, Hall Group, Wilks Development FireFly Park, Rollertown Beerworks, Tumbleweed TexStyles and Dallas Cowboys.

It makes sense of course because obviously there was a heavy focus on the downtown area of Fort Collins as the City of Frisco is in the middle of a multi-pronged project to redesign and improve the infrastructure of Frisco’s downtown.   The trip was well documented by another attendee Audrey Henvey for Star Local Media and Frisco Enterprise.  “On Sept. 13, Frisco’s city leaders, city staff, school district representatives and business community members soaked up the kaleidoscope of components that make up downtown Fort Collins, Colorado. They took in the color explosion of flower beds nestled throughout the area — a product of the city’s downtown flower project. They took note of the outdoor painted piano, the murals on transformer cabinets and the activated alleyways featuring strung lights.“   Cheney is quoted in the article as saying, ““So we need to make some very strategic decisions, truly, over the next couple of months, adding that work will also continue with Velocity Group, a consultant hired by the city to help forge a vision for the Rail District.”  Wonder how much that is costing taxpayers?  Lastly, Cheney is quoted as saying, “Just seeing the horticulture they do and all the flowers is just so beautiful, and it helps them create that civic pride,”   

The only question we have is, why didn’t the council and city officials who have been very vocal to the Frisco Animal Advocate community, that they would only consider a public/private partnership for an animal shelter stop by NOCO Humane?  Who are they?  Well, they are the PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNER TO THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS to provide animal protection and control services. If they were out there on taxpayer dollars they probably should have stopped by NOCO since that has been a hot topic lately. We would love to hear from an animal advocate on how the city has progressed since they took the Animal Shelter off the CITIZENS BOND last year because they wanted to “ look into public/private partnerships” possibilities. Simple answer, they don’t give two shxts about what the very vocal animal advocates have been asking for, it simply does not fit their agenda of FRISCO.  Goes to show the “citizens” at the top of the org chart are not as important as Cheney’s idea of downtown and the flowers he wants that create civic pride.

It sounds like an amazing VACATION taking in all the sights, just look at the trip agenda.  Did we mention it cost TAXPAYERS OVER $65,000 and that is for one trip, and it could be more if they paid for others to go.  If the goal was how to help “Shape Frisco” did we really need that many people to go look at streets, painted pianos, murals, flower projects, alleyway strung lights?  Could 2 or 3 people go and bring back video and pictures to share at a work session? 

Before our leaders can shape Frisco they need to figure out what Frisco is famous for.  For example, Fort Collins is referred to as the Craft Beer Capital of Colorado as it has 21 breweries, and it is near one of the most beautiful reservoirs in Colorado.   Colorado is naturally an outdoor enthusiast dream, from food exchange outposts, gardens and parks.  That makes sense as it generally does not go over 90 in the summer.  What is Frisco?  What are we already known for that we can build our downtown around?  Build, create and design Frisco around the history of our city instead of trying to create a history.  Instead, we are creating “Cheney’s Frisco” and believe me, he could care less with what residents want as he has already proven that over and over again.

Mayor & City Council Officials: 5 x $16,250

City Officials: 8 x $3250 = $26,000

Visit Frisco: 1 x $3250 = $3250

Frisco EDC: 2 x $3250 = $6500

Frisco Downtown Advisory Board: 1 x $3250

Frisco ISD Board of Trustee’s:  3 x $3250 = $9750

GRAND TOTAL CONFIRMED TAXPAYER DOLLARS: $65,000

Chamber: 5 x $3250 = $16,250

Below just a few of the expense reports

No Business Like Show Business

As a kid I always heard about my dad’s iconic work trips to the Big Apple.  Every time he came home I hit him with a ton of questions, and he would always say son, New York is a state of mind.  Now I had no idea at the time what any of those phrases meant but I dreamed constantly of the day I would finally get to go to New York, the city that never sleeps.  So as a young teen when I overheard my parents talking about my dad’s upcoming business trip to New York City, I begged and pleaded with him to take me across the pond.  To my shock and chagrin, he said yes and the next thing I knew I was in New York City.  Walking down the sidewalk was overwhelming, so I held tightly onto my dad’s hand, and I stared up, looking at all the big buildings thinking this was nothing like the vineyards back home. You are probably wondering why I wanted to go so badly?  Well in 1956, across the pond all we kept hearing about was a tv show that epitomized the ever-evolving aspects of American popular culture. It focused on popular music, youth, dance, fashion trends and relationships. Now sitting in a New York City hotel, I parked myself in front of a little tv and there it was…American Bandstand with host Dick Clark.  It changed my life!  On the way home all I could think to myself was New York was the art epic center of the world.  It offered Broadway, Literature, Architecture, Film and Music and one day I would live there.

In February of 2022 Tammy Meinershagen entered the race against Shona Huffman for Frisco City Council seat for Place 2.  Shortly thereafter Huffman announced she was resigning her seat and withdrawing from her campaign due to a breast cancer diagnosis.  We all know someone who has had breast cancer, and we completely understand her need to refocus on health and family over politics.  Since Place 2 and Place 4 were both uncontested the city council chose to cancel the May 7th general election. It was announced that Meinershagen would be sworn in at the May council meeting. 

In March of 2022, the Frisco Chamber of Commerce held a Leadership Exchange in Cary, North Carolina.   The website for the Frisco Chamber states, “on this trip, a diverse group of leaders will come together with one focus – to keep Frisco the best place to live and work.”  According to an article written by Audrey Henvey for the Frisco Enterprise on March 31, 2022, the goal was to allow leaders to hear from the experiences of city and business leaders from a similar city that continues to grow and evolve like Frisco.  We watched a recap video of the trip and what we found interesting was that Tammy Meinershagen went on the trip.  Why is that interesting?  While she was uncontested for her council position she had not yet been sworn in as a city council member yet, so we figured she went on the trip as a citizen, but a chain of emails stated otherwise.

In a March 3, 2022, email from Jeff Cheney to Holly McCall, he says Tammy has expressed an interest in going on the LEX trip.  He thinks it would be good for her to join to get a head start on her development and start building relationships.  He specifically notes, I know she will still be a council member elect as the time so not sure what hoops we need to jump through.  McCall, Sr. Administrative Asst. to the Mayor & Council responds, “I’m sure it will be fine to pay for Tammy.  We’re just waiting on confirmation/advisement from the attorney’s office before proceeding.” 

Then on March 7, 2022, in an email from Tammy Meinershagen to Tony Felker, President/CEO for the Frisco Chamber she states it looks like she will be able to join “representing the city council” so can you let me know what you need from me.  She also notes she has cc’d Mayor Jeff Cheney.  Tony responded with an email asking Jeff Cheney what the best way for her is to register and then Jeff responds Holly McCall, the Sr. Administrative Assistant to the Mayor & Council, can book it.  McCall responds again that she believes it will be fine to pay for her to go but she is waiting for the official city approval.  Then on March 15 in an email from Brian Davis, Director of Marketing and Event Sponsorships to Henry Hill, Deputy City Manager it states Tony asked me to send over a copy of this invoice for Meinershagens registration for the LEX Trip later this month. 

Fast forward to the April 19th, council meeting, Item #20 under the Consent Agenda (remember that is where they hide things) there is an action to consider and act upon approval of the attached reimbursement request presented to the Mayor and Council.   The memo reads that the $3000 request was the cost for Tammy Meinershagen to travel to Cary, North Carolina for the LEX trip hosted by the Frisco Chamber.  It states she is a ‘CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL RUNNING UNOPPOSED.”  It further reads she will begin her term in May, but members of the council believe the trip provided knowledge and experience that serves the public purpose of the city and was beneficial to the duties of a city council member.  Upon approval a payment of $3000 will be remitted to the Chamber for Invoice 94534 on behalf of Tammy Meinershagen.   The cost was approved!

SO WHY IS THIS ALARMING?  First these trips are paid for by tax dollars.  Tammy, while running unopposed WAS NOT YET SWORN IN UNDER OFFICIAL OATH and she was NOT AN OFFICIAL COUNCIL MEMBER.  Meinershagens own email stated she was going to attend and represent the city council.  Let’s say the city paid for her to go and at the end of April she dropped dead, got a job transfer, or got struck by a meteorite – are you going to say then it was a good use of tax dollars.  We don’t know what tomorrow brings but what I do know is that if Tammy wanted to attend she should have paid for it herself.  Council members have to take an oath and sign and notarize the oath which Tammy had not done at the time of the trip.  When the council approved the expense in April she WAS NOT A SITTING COUNCIL MEMBER.  Runing unopposed or not should not matter – what should matter is she was not sworn in to uphold her official duties as a city council woman.  Post after post we continue to show that the city and some members of the council live by rules for thee (ha, ha) don’t apply to me.  It’s wrong!