For years we have watched our city leaders and city management make rules for thee but not for them.  Residents are tired of those on the dais making up their own rules.  The final straw was then they allowed a private citizen who was not sworn in as a council member because there was an open recount into closed session.  That evening potentially broke so many Texas Open Meetings Act rules and it is time for the pipers to pay the price.

Help us share the petition, spread the word across the community via social media tools to have Frisco Residents, Frisco Business Owners, and Frisco Landowners demand better.

Sign Today at https://c.org/45dZHbCrMD

Full Petition Reads

Petition Title: Demand Investigation into Potential Texas Open Meetings Act Violations on February 17 Frisco City Council Meeting

Petition Addressed To: 

1. Greg Willis -Collin County District Attorney
2. Texas Attorney General’s Office
3. State Bar Association of Texas

Call To Action: Hold Frisco Officials Accountable for Potential Violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act

On February 17, 2026, the Frisco City Council recessed into an Executive Closed Session under the Texas Open Meetings Act to discuss sensitive legal, personnel, and economic matters.  Executive sessions exist for one reason: to allow limited, confidential discussions among authorized officials when the law permits it. 

However, during this closed session, Frisco resident Ann Anderson, who recently won a special election by a small margin of votes and was facing an official recount, was reportedly allowed to attend the confidential executive session.  At the time Anderson had not been sworn in and taken her oath at a city council meeting in front of the public. 

Matters Discussed Per City Agenda include:

A. Section 551.071. Meeting with City Attorney regarding a matter(s) in which the duty of the City Attorney under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas conflicts with the Open Meetings Act regarding:

i. Receive legal advice regarding trademark issues.

ii. Receive legal advice regarding proposed interlocal agreement with Collin County, Texas, and other political subdivisions for the use of the Collin County Animal Shelter and related issues.

iii. Receive legal advice regarding JDHQ Hotels LLC v. City of Frisco, Texas in Cause No. 493-07806-2025 pending in the 493rd District Court in Collin County, Texas.

These topics involve sensitive negotiations and legal strategy, which is precisely why the law restricts who may attend such sessions.

B. Section 551.072. To deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property located:

i. North of Stonebrook Parkway, west of Preston Road, east of Dallas North Tollway, and south of Eldorado Parkway.

C. Section 551.074. Personnel Matters: Section 551.074 authorizes certain deliberations about officers and employees of the governmental body to be held in executive session:

i. Deliberate the appointment of Mayor Pro-Tem and Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem.

D. Section 551.087. Deliberation regarding commercial or financial information that the City has received from a business prospect or to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect.

Why This Investigation Is Necessary

1. Potential Destruction of Attorney-Client Privilege

The closed executive session included legal advice from the City Attorney.  Section 551.001 et. seq. Texas Government Code reads “Consultation WITH ATTORNEY – to seek legal advice on pending or contemplated litigation or settlement offers.”   The purpose of this provision (Texas Government Code §551.071) is to protect confidential legal advice and attorney-client privilege.

Allowing an unauthorized individual into such a meeting may waive privilege and undermine the legality of the session.  It also violates the confidentiality required by the Texas Open Meetings Act. 

The presence of an unauthorized individual (Ann Anderson) during legal consultations may invalidate attorney-client privilege, potentially exposing the City of Frisco to legal and financial risk.  This raises serious questions regarding the actions of City Attorney Richard Abernathy and whether the integrity of the executive session was compromised.

2. Protection of Public Transparency

The Texas Open Meetings Act exists to ensure public business is conducted openly and lawfully.  If the rules governing executive sessions are ignored, the public loses trust that decisions are being made legally and transparently.

3. Pattern of TOMA Concerns

Many Frisco residents have raised concerns about potential TOMA violations over the years.  Examples include:

For example, Mayor Jeff Cheney maybe repeatedly violate TOMA when he responds to citizens at length during Citizen’s Input or Public Testimony.  Or when the city has prepared a full presentation which is displayed during Citizens Input to try and suppress residents from speaking.

Walking Quorum: That is where members violate, Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA), Section E which states a violation occurs when there is a series of communications outside a public meeting among members of a governmental body is used to secretly deliberate public business and collectively involves enough members to constitute a quorum.  That includes backroom, back-to-back, whisper-to-whisper communications about city business that add up to a quorum. Doesn’t matter if it’s by text, email, smoke signals, or gossip in the golf cart.  Section 551.143 spells it out: if you have a walking quorum – you’ve just committed a criminal offense.

We published text messages which showed a potential walking quorum in our blog Walking Quorums and Wobbly Ethics.  For years the council has been having discussions about who should be Mayor Pro Tem and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem in private.  However, ALL COUNCIL DECISIONS (LIKE MPT / DMPT) HAVE TO BE POSTED AND DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC. 

Example: 4 City Council Members Seen Together at PGA

Call To Action:

For this reason, we are calling for an immediate investigation and enforcement of the Texas Open Meetings Act.  Relevant Texas Law states, “Under the Texas Open Meetings Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 551), closed meetings are strictly regulated.”

I. Criminal Investigation by Collin County District Attorney’s Office (Greg Willis)

We ask Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis to investigate whether violations of Texas Government Code Chapter 551 occurred during the February 17 executive session.  If violations are found, we are asking the Willis to enforce the law and penalties that apply.

 II. Attorney General Review

We ask the Texas Attorney General’s Office to determine whether the presence of an unauthorized individual waived confidentiality, and whether documents, recordings, communications, and notes related to the session should now be treated as public records.

III. Professional Conduct Investigation by Texas Bar Association

We ask the State Bar of Texas to investigate whether City Attorney Richard Abernathy violated the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct by allowing a non-authorized individual to attend privileged legal discussions.  Ann Anderson’s

Who Should Be Investigated: Any investigation should review the conduct of those present in the executive session, including:

1. Mayor Jeff Cheney
2. Mayor Pro-Tem Angelia Pelham
3. Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem Laura Rummel
4. Council Member John Keating
5. Council Member Brian Livingston
6. Council Member Burt Thakur
7. Council Member Jared Elad
8. City Attorney Richard Abernathy
9. City Manager Wes Pierson
10. Frisco resident Ann Anderson

In Closing: Sign This Petition

Residents of Frisco deserve a government that follows the law. The Texas Open Meetings Act exists to protect citizens from secret decision-making and backroom politics.  If elected officials or city leadership ignore these laws, the public’s trust in local government erodes. 

Accountability is not optional. Transparency is not negotiable. The rule of law must apply equally to everyone.

Sign this petition to demand transparency, accountability, and enforcement of the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Disclaimer: This blog includes satire, parody, and comic relief.  It contains summarized accounts created solely for humor and commentary.  Any resemblance to real events is either coincidental or intentionally satirical.  Reader discretion — and a sense of humor — are advised.