We are simple creatures really! Our focus is primarily on Frisco Politics and things happening in the city. If we believe we have a reason to question them then we will start the process of investigating. When that happens, we must first determine if that person is a public figure as defined by Texas and U.S. law. Public Figures are defined in two ways:
Public officials are government employees with substantial responsibility or control over public affairs (e.g., city council members, police chiefs, school superintendents).
Public figures include:
General-purpose public figures: People with pervasive fame or influence (e.g., celebrities).
Limited-purpose public figures: Individuals who have voluntarily thrust themselves into a particular public controversy to influence the outcome (e.g., activists, podcasters, social media influencers, religious leaders, local business owners, candidates for office, voluntary participants who give media interviews, and people who give press conferences or statements on public matters).
In a rare instance, someone outside of the “City Hall” circle or local Frisco politics may give us a reason to look their direction. Recently for example, we were surprised to learn we were the hot topic in the cul-de-sac of FAKE NEWS.
That’s right, a local nobody, who likes to think they are somebody important, decided to come after us. This is someone who was never on our radar. Guess what? They are now! To be fair, we have received numerous emails from different people across the city, calling this nobody into question. We chose not to investigate at first because he was not directly connected to Frisco Politics. However, when the Cul-De-Sac came after us and our followers, we couldn’t sit back. That means … Game on!
Sit back, grab your popcorn, because we are about to tell you a story! We are going to call our main character Mr. Romero! It is, of course, his alias! Mr. Romero likes to pretend to be this amazing online influencer in his prime with great clarity, but some things don’t add up. He once said, “Sometimes the best way to understand yourself is to genuinely understand someone else first.”
According to multiple reports from Been Verified, Intelius, PeopleCheck and more, Mr. Romero graduated from high school around 1989. We were curious about what happened after high school. Well according to public records, Mr. Romero supposedly married a woman on December 20, 1990, in San Antonio, Texas. The honeymoon didn’t last long because in November 1991, Case# 1991CI16543 was filed in Bexar County District Court by the couple filing for Dissolution/Divorce.
Wonder why it didn’t work out? We don’t have the answer to that question! But soon after Mr. Romero allegedly found himself intermingling with the law several times. Based on public records under Mr. Romero’s legal name which we will not mention we found the following:
1/4/1992 THEFT $20-200 CHECK – Bexar County Case: CR9 551259
1/6/1992 Driving While Intoxicated 1st – Bexar County Case: CR9 513420
1/6/1992 Unlawful Carry WPN – Bexar County Case: CR9 513421
9/20/1993 Driving While Intoxicated 2ND – Bexar County Case: CR9 559070
2/5/1994 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR9 568762
2/11/1994 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR9 569252
12/24/1995 Fail Ident To P-O With TX WARR – Bexar County Case: CR7 623448
7/30/1996 Poss CS PG 1 Less Than 1 GRAM – Bexar County Case: 1996CR5694
SENT START DATE: 09/06/1998 DEPT OF CORRECTIONS 1 YEAR
5/12/1998 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR4 701007
6/20/1998 Driving While Intoxicated 3D/M – Bexar County Case: 1998CR4448
Probation Expired – Case Reopened on 07/29/2004
6/20/1998 Driving While License Suspended – Bexar County Case: CR4 697836
6/13/2009 Assault FV (Family Violence) – Dallas County Case: M-0911359
1/31/2008 Z&C Plano vs (Legal Name Removed)
07/10/2009 (Legal Names Removed) Case: 417-53316-2009 Protective Order
2/25/2017 Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or more – Denton County Court Case F17-1751-158
04/18/2017 Occupational DL Compliance Hearing with Judge Robert Ramirez (Denton County)
4/29/2019 (Name Removed) vs Texas Dept of Public Safety – Petition for Occupational License (OCA) Case: CV-2019-01412-OL in Denton County Court Law 2
10/20/2022 Offender and Vehicle Interlock Removal Order Case: F17-1751-158
6/7/2023 Device Removal Order Transdermal Ankle Monitoring Device (same case)
We noticed two big gaps in the timeline, the first was from 1998 to 2009. What happened during that time? Well, allegedly Mr. Romero began to dance. His little tippy toes and hip rolls drove the woman crazy!
According to his Flicker account, dancing took him around the world. His description reads, “His body of work has allowed him to travel and compete all around the world. He has visited and competed in many parts of the globe including Italy, Florence, Tuscany, Verona, Rome, Venice, Banff Canada, Hawaii, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Chicago.”
In 2007, Mr. Romero competed with his amazing partner in Italy doing the Bolero Solo.
Romero also competed in the Associate Bronze Tango in Italy 2007.
Feeling like we were reading a new version of Dirty Dancing, all we could think is no one puts baby in a corner! Back to Mr. Romero, who continued in the interview, “But in his defense, he couldn’t help himself. I love to dance; it’s in my soul.” Source Dallas Morning News (Assoc Press Oct 18, 2008)
In 2008, Mr. Romero’s dancing took him all the way to jail! That’s right, we found several online reports about it. One report said in a “jailhouse interview that he advertised his services and provided forbidden dance lessons to students in the area.”
Another article published by JonathanTurley.org in October 2008, reads Judge Roach in Texas did not like Romero’s stomping on a dance floor and sent him to jail where he is now desperately trying to look like a psycho gang banger. Turley, quotes Romero, “that without the Tangos – he is nothing – even suggesting that is a sin and [If i stopped] it would be like blasphemous.” Turley continues, that Judge Roach appeared to find contempt in Romero’s dance moves when he taught dance (before the 2009 deadline) at the Tango & Cha Cha’s dance studio in Dallas.
Why is this a big deal? Because Mr. Romero had been employed by Arthur Murry in Plano and had a non-compete. Turley’s states, “A client signed the incriminating affidavit, identifying Romero as the man who took her through the unlawful dance moves.” That violated his non-compete and the case went to court in Collin County District Courts.
The second big gap in the timeline is from 2009 to 2016. We know in August 2010 Mr. Romero was still dancing with those amazing feet! A video posted on YouTube shows Mr. Romero at DanceSport Studio teaching a group class. He is talented!
According to PRLog in 2011, “Dancing Superstar Eric Romero Lands in Laguna Beach…” It says that former Texas Resident and acclaimed ballroom dance instructor Eric Romero who has been moved by dance since he was 4 years old, is celebrating his new location of dance in Laguna Beach, California.
In March 2013, Mr. Romero appeared in a YouTube video called Letting the Oceans be the Oceans with Celebrity Ballroom Dance Coach Eric Romero. Romero continues to talk in the video to let God be God and let him take over the overwhelming burdens in your life and allow him to let beautiful things happen.
The other discrepancy we found was his education. Romero’s LinkedIn has the following:
McLennan Community College 1999 – 2002 Business Administration & Management General
Baylor University: 2000 – 2005 Business Administration & Management General
Collin College 2015- 2016
University of North Texas 2017 – 2019 Bachelor of Business Administration – BBA Communication and Media Studies
University of North Texas Jan 2019 – Dec 2021 Masters in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies/Learning Technologies/Interactive Communications
According to Romeros Flicker account he attended Baylor and studied Business Administration and ARTS? We don’t see arts on his LinkedIn.
On his professional website today, he lists his Professional Achievements as:
Associates & Bachelor’s in Digital Video Production & Film – FROM WHERE?
Bachelor’s in Interactive & Virtual Communications Studies, University of North Texas
Romero claims to have completed this from 2017 – 2019 but according to UNT’s website this is an “On Campus” format only and takes 4 years to complete. We called UNT and spoke to an Academic Advisor and asked if they would take credits from a previous educational institution from 2000-2005? The advisor said they will not as that was too long ago, and methodologies would have changed since then which could make it difficult to understand the current material. Now we are left scratching our heads! How did he finish it in 2 years? Things that make you go HMMMM!
Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies focused on Learning Technologies & Communications, University of North Texas -3.89 GPA
Romero claims to have a Master’s – this program offers a Master of Arts or a Master of Science. Why doesn’t he list which one he has on his website?
Mr. Romero claims in Digital Journal article that his experiences helped him develop empathy for others and that empathy now fuels his mission to support transformative conversations that inspire healing. From what we see online Mr. Romero does not have a lot of empathy at all. He actually appears to be condescending and arrogant in most of his social media replies to people who disagree with him or question him.
His alleged legal history shows family violence charges, 5 DUI’s with the most recent in 2017 which allegedly appears to be an active case according to public records. He has multiple social media accounts under his legal name, business name, and alias going back 10 to 15 years. Knowing all this he goes out and pokes his nose into Frisco Politics, comes after us at Whistleblower, residents of Frisco, and candidates for office clearly showing he has an alleged anger problem. I mean who spends the time to make a video like Cul-de-sac Curtis attacking a resident for wearing a shirt and then exposing names of private figures just because they like our post. Funny, he seems to be the only one who knows Curtis and posted the video.
Even more concerning is how city leaders like Laura Rummel and Former Councilwoman Tammy Meinershagen have flocked to appear with this person, and like all his posts. Do they even know anything about Mr. Romero? Maybe questioning the judgement of our local leaders and other local influencers is reasonable after watching how they have flocked to this man’s side.
Second chances are a beautiful part of the human experience—proof that we can grow, evolve, and right our wrongs. But with redemption comes responsibility. For community leaders, influencers, and those in positions of trust, embracing someone’s “new chapter” doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to the previous volumes. Character counts. And patterns—especially those involving violence or repeated recklessness—deserve scrutiny, not selfies. When a person with five DUIs and a history of family violence becomes part of the public sphere, we must ask ourselves: is this rehabilitation, or reputation laundering? And when friends publicly toast their “changed” buddy with offers to drink again, are we witnessing growth—or just more bad judgment? Second, chances don’t erase consequences—they walk hand in hand with accountability. We all have the right to change. But we also have the right—and duty—to question who we choose to stand beside. Because in the end, the company we keep speaks just as loudly as the words we post.
Source: Collin County District Court Records, Denton County District Court Records, Dallas County District Court Records, Orange County District Court Records, BeenVerified, Intelius, PeopleCheck, TruthFinder, Dallas Morning News, Public Social Media Accounts
Disclaimer: The information presented in this blog post is based on publicly available records and sources believed to be accurate at the time of publication. Frisco Chronicles and its authors do not guarantee the completeness or reliability of this information and cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from its use. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This content is provided for informational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as legal, professional, or personal advice.
Frisco Chronicles: What Lies Beneath … in the Agenda?
Every other week, like clockwork, the Frisco City Council releases an agenda packed with the usual suspects: zoning changes, budget adjustments, proclamations for pickleball appreciation month—nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
You ever hear that old saying, “The devil’s in the details?” Sometimes, here in Frisco, the devil doesn’t just visit the details—he rents a room in the city council agenda. But this week is a little DIFFERENT! Let’s Dive In!
First Up: Executive Session: The Vault
This is where transparency goes to die. Behind closed doors, council members discuss land deals, lawsuits, and personnel matters—away from public ears and cameras. Yes, some of it needs to be private. But some of it? Let’s just say if the public heard the full audio, they’d be polishing pitchforks by sunrise. So, what is happening during The Vault this week? Agenda Item 2(C) is about Personal Matters, and it says they will “DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT OF MAYOR PRO-TEM, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO-TEM AND CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES.”
The actual vote will happen under the “Individual Items” and our vote is for Brian Livingston for Mayor Pro-Tem and we encourage everyone to email you council members today and tell them to vote for Livingston for Mayor Pro-Tem for the last year of his term.
Second: Individual Items – Special Events
We expect the council chambers to be packed with supporters of Burt Thakur and Jared Elad on Tuesday night as they will be sworn in. There has been a buzz in the air since the election night of the runoff race. Seat will be filled, cameras will be rolling, and the room will be electric with that rarest of municipal emotions: hope.
Because Tuesday is not just another city council meeting it is changing of the guard! With right hands raised and left hands resting on the city charter, Burt Thakur and Jared Elad will be officially sworn in as the newest members of the Frisco City Council.
Why is this important, because they were not appointed to the seat, they were elected by you! By the small business owners tired of red tape. By the residents who want Frisco to thrive, not just survive. And they came in not to blend, but to stand.
The room will be electric, and you will be able to feel the shift in the room. Smiles from supporters. Side-eyes from the establishment. A few city staffers quietly clutching their blood pressure meds. It will end with applause. Loud. Sustained.
Welcome to the table, Burt and Jared. Frisco’s watching!
Next up, The Consent Agenda: Where Democracy Goes to Nap
We have said it before, and we will say it again, the most exciting thing most Frisco residents glance over is the “DETAILS” in the CONSENT AGENDA. If you stop, squint, and scroll past the “Consent Agenda” (which is code for “let’s pass this all without discussion”), you’ll find the real story. Because what lies beneath those bland agenda titles are buried treasures—or more often, ticking time bombs.
This is where the “Devil Is in the Details!” Basically, the Consent Agenda is where they stash the stuff they want to hide. Think of it like the junk drawer of city government—contracts, appointments, expenditures, land swaps, and sometimes even lawsuits—all passed with a single vote and zero debate.
After our blog “City Halls Troubled Sea’s” everyone was quiet about the mysterious disappearance of the HR Director and several others in her department. In fact we have had PIR’s in for over a month a now and they are delaying them and going to the Attorney General. According to item 24 in the consent agenda they will approve a settlement agreement and release between the City and Sassy Safranek. We will file a PIR for that settlement agreement.
Yes, this is the same Lauren Safranek who led the witch hunt against Former Fire Chief Mark Piland and continues to oversee the court case against Assistant Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer. She has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on unnecessary investigations to cover up her flagrant forgeries and other mistakes!
What we find interesting is that the city could have settled with Cameron Kraemer, who WON his PTSD Injury Claim by the TDI Workers Compensation Division in Dallas. You can read more about in The Local Profile, but instead, Safranek and the city pushed forward, continuing to spend taxpayer dollars on a losing case. Something in the Council Chambers smells like the crap in Exide. Why will the City settle with Lauren Safranek and not Former Asst. Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer? Demand answers, Frisco!
Learn more about Lauren Safranek in a few of our old blogs:
Last Up for The Night, The Regular Agenda – aka The Cryptic Language 101
Usually, items here are often worded in such vague terms that only a decoder ring or a PhD in municipal bureaucracy could translate it! Most of the time this section can be pretty boring but NOT TONIGHT!
Remember when Brian Livingston supported Mark Piland two years ago against Mayor Cheney – well he was removed from all the committees he served on and so were many of his supporters. Why? They didn’t play Cabal Ball. In the past, you didn’t walk away from that, like nothing happened. No, instead you were punished! Well tonight Livingston and hopefully our new council members will take their rightful place on these committees again!
It’s time to speak up and demand changes not with our council representatives but what happens deep down in the city on these committees. It is time for us to make our voices heard! There are more Cabal Busters than Cabal God Fathers.
What Can You Do? Read the agenda. Seriously, someone must. Ask questions. Email your council members. Show up. Be annoying. Speak out at Citizens’ Input, have your message included in the record. Demand clarity. If an item sounds vague, ask why. If they dodge, follow the money. Watch for patterns. When the same developer keeps getting breaks or the same contractor keeps winning bids, take note.
Help us! Share what you find. That’s what we’re here for. To shine a flashlight into the shadows and say, “Hey… what the hell is this?” Frisco isn’t just growing—it’s morphing. And what gets decided in those meetings shapes the city we live in, the traffic we sit in, and the taxes we pay.
Lastly, tomorrow you can bet some Cabal Godfathers will be upset. Maybe one will write another HAIKU on her page full of hidden meaning and endless blah, blah, blah. The Cabal will all respond to it on queue for sure as they are supposed to do. Don’t worry, we know they are butt hurt but we are moving forward with change while they wallow on yesterday. Most of all remember, the next time someone tells you the council meeting was boring, just smile and say: “Sure… until you read what lies beneath.”
Since the release of the now-infamous Toxic Tammy Tapes, we’ve seen just about every excuse imaginable tossed into the public arena to discredit them:
They’re fake.
They’re deepfakes.
They’re AI-generated.
They’re illegally recorded.
They’ve been “heavily edited.”
There’s an “ongoing investigation” into them by Frisco PD
But here’s the thing: in Frisco, when someone’s caught saying the quiet parts in a safe space out loud, suddenly the how/why/when it was recorded becomes more important than what was actually said.
Even spouses of current Frisco City Council members have taken to social media soapboxes, proclaiming—without evidence—that some shadow investigation is under way. “Illegally recorded tapes!” they cry. Well, we filed a Public Information Request (PIR) with the Frisco Police Department over 10 days ago asking if there was any investigation into the origin, legality, or content of the recordings.
So far? Crickets.
How Did We Get The Tapes
How did we get the tapes? Simple. An insider—tired of the two-faced politics, of the backroom manipulation, of the fake smiles and public gaslighting—decided the people of Frisco deserved better. They handed us the recording because they trusted us to tell the truth, and that’s exactly what we did. Again, we want to make it clear that it was not a candidate for Place 4, but it was someone within the person’s circle and from what we understand that could be a lot of people.
We made a few promises when we were approached about the tapes. The first was to remove the voice of the second person, we did! We did not know at the time how difficult that would be and time consuming because we did not want to alter the message communicated. The second request was to remove the identifiable background music we did! The third request was from the source who delivered the tapes to protect them, we did! We will say the source proved to us how they received the tape and the conversation they had about the tape being released to Whistleblower. We can say nothing illegal was done, how it was obtained was not illegal and it was not recorded in any way that was illegal.
With that mutual agreement … We had the tape. It is very real. It is raw. And now, they have been fully transcribed, verified, and timestamped throughout.
How Were The Tapes Transcribed:
We ran the recordings through Otter.ai, which created the first draft of the transcript. Then we did what no AI or spin machine can do: we sat down, put on the headphones, and listened very closely to every inch of the conversation again. All of it. Start to finish. We painstakingly cross-checked each statement, verified speaker identities, and confirmed the accuracy of every quote.
In places where the background noise (music, clinking water glasses, running water or fountain sound) made things tough to hear, we noted it. We didn’t guess. We didn’t fill in blanks. We kept it honest—because the truth doesn’t need editing.
Why We’re Releasing It:
After much debate with our team, we have decided to release the transcript of the whole recording because it does not violate any of the three things we promised. We also feel the reputation of FriscoChronicles was put on the line and we have always been above board. We understand from the public perspective it appears the recording was released with selective leaks which could appear to have been a politically motivated spin, and we can assure you that was not the case. We release things when we get them and after we confirm the info to be factual. We released the tapes less than 2 days after we received them and after we confirmed them – business as usual.
Truthfully, citizens deserve to know what was said, who said it, and the context in which it happened. Tammy Meinershagen claims to represent our values on the City Council.
And Now… The Backstory We Received
Everything has a backstory, and we are going to share what we were told as it adds to the context in our opinion. The meeting occurred sometime in January of 2025, and it was Tammy Meinershagen who reached out to Voice #2 asking for the meeting. After offering to meet at a local restaurant it was Tammy Meinershagen who insisted on coming to the home of Voice #2.
The context given for the meeting was that Tammy was hoping to advise her on her campaign and help answer any questions (good or bad) the candidate may have. At this point several “cabal leaders” had already reached out to this candidate and told them not to run. Why? It would hurt Gopal who was running for the same seat. The candidate had already made the decision to run and was not going to change their mind or back down and when Tammy reached out the candidate was excited that someone actually wanted to give campaign advice and offer clarification on things they may not understand about the process.
The day Meinershagen came over, the candidate took notes with a note pad and had the phone on the table recording it so they could fill in the blanks later of anything they missed. No evil intent behind it!
A few sources have told us (we have not had this confirmed by the candidate) that it was the direction the conversation went that first upset the candidate and while she didn’t tell Tammy at the time, she felt when it was over that Tammy had been very derogatory to her people, and others and that she had never seen Tammy wish such venom. The candidate felt this was another attempt to for someone to come over and to tell her not to run because it was constantly about “splitting the votes” and that would hurt Gopal. Things progressed in the election cycle and the candidate moved forward running for office and that was the end of it.
Now that is all we were given as backstory, we don’t know more than that but it does align with what we heard in the conversation.
Diving Into The Transcript
Part 1: Small Talk about Place 4
Part 2: Talk about Place 2
After talking about who may or may not be running in Place 4, Tammy stated she believes she will have some opponents, too. The candidate, surprised, asked who? Tammy says, well, first of Sai “Idiot Sia” … she was not prompted to say that. She was not lured into calling Mr. Krishna an idiot. She said what she believed! Why? Because she thought she was in a safe space to speak the TRUTH! Up to this point, there had been no name-calling of any candidates or potential candidates – Tammy threw the first flame! Oh, and Tammy continued to throw the flames without any leading questions or being tricked into saying anything.
The truth is Voice #2 – The Candidate, got quiet when the conversation turned, which matches what we were told, that she was surprised at where the conversation went.
We invite you to read the transcript for yourself. Don’t let someone else think for you – find the link at the end of the blog.
You Decide
It goes on, and on, and on! In our opinion, Tammy was not led into any of her statements. They were said of her own free will, they are her thoughts and she made the choice to say it! I think the candidate whom she was speaking to that day learned some things about her Friend that she didn’t like. Tammy’s true colors began to show and anyone would wonder – what does she say about me when I am not around?
Personally, while everyone is condemning “the recorder” or the person who transferred it to us, we think they deserve a community applause. As voters we have the right to hold our city leaders accountable and to a certain level of professionalism. We also have the right to know what they truly think of the population they represent.
What the South Asian or Desi community needs to understand is that their VOTE for Tammy Meinershagen contributes to this continued behavior. They have only shown up to get your donations or your vote – where are they the rest of the time? Are they attending your HOA meetings, are they showing up late to the festivals, just have to have their picture taken at the end to say “we were here!”
That is how it appears to most of us and honestly if the South Asian community is not offended by that – then let us know so we are not offended for you. We are going to let you decide! The full transcript is just as bad as the shortened portions we published earlier. In fact, we think its worse because you clearly see this is who Tammy Meinershagen is.
We could call out her supporters and their attempt to discredit, hurt, and attack Burt Thakur, another South Asian, and Jared Elad to help you forget about the tapes, but we won’t!
Before you believe the latest PR PUSH to blame AI, or that she was tricked into her comments read it and come to your own conclusions. At Frisco Chronicles, we believe sunlight is the best disinfectant. And this, dear readers, is one hell of a toxic spill.
Please excuse any typos or grammatical errors on the transcript, we did not want to change what was transcribed. We only made sure it matched the recording and that the statements were assigned to the right person.
Frisco, Texas has been the poster child for suburban prosperity, but according to our Mayor it is now experiencing a notable shift as residents pack up and head elsewhere. Just days before the May 3rd election, an article stated that said “Cheney is drawing attention to a surprising trend: Frisco residents are leaving the city in search of more vibrant arts and entertainment options.
Shocking! Right? After all, when they wanted to approve all of these “GRAND DEVELOPMENTS” the last ten years all we heard from Cheney and the council was that these would create a “HALO EFFECT” that would bring more to Frisco. In fact, Community Impact did an article on the 2 year mark of the PGA in 2024 titled “HALO EFFECT” from PGA touches north Frisco development, provides boost to local economy.
In the article they quote Mayor Cheney as saying, “Because of this halo effect and the investments, … this region is going to be second to none for destination retail, dining, shopping, all the office parks, and likely that part of our city will develop 20 years faster than it otherwise would have,” Cheney said. The article went on to say, “Multiple large developments and projects coming to Frisco are a result of the PGA’s success, Cheney said. This includes the Universal Kids Resort theme park, Fields West mixed-use development, and the Firefly Park mixed-use development.” Then the article quoted our own Frisco Chamber CEO, Christal Howard, “The halo effect is not just for multimillion-dollar developments. We talk a lot about all the new businesses that come as a result of a relocation, like the PGA headquarters, but the effect on the current businesses is important too,” Howard said.
Can you imagine our surprise then to residents when all of the sudden we hear they are leaving Frisco, sound the “ALARM BELLS” to voters! On April 25th, The Local Profile released an article titled “Why Frisco Keeps Losing Big Business Deals To Nashville” and after reading it we thought, what happened to that Halo Effect you were talking about Mr. Cheney?
The article quotes Mayor Cheney as saying, “The story nobody ever hears are the deals we have lost, there have been some painful Fortune 500 losses we thought we had. It seems the last few years every major deal comes down to Frisco and Nashville, and unfortunately, Nashville has been beating us out on these deals.” It goes on to say, “The reason is strikingly consistent. The common thread is companies that want their employees to have access to arts and culture. The exit interviews all sound the same… Frisco has it all… except for that.”
Then just days later on April 29th, The Local Profile produces another story title, “The Biggest Reason People Leave Frisco, According To Mayor Jeff Cheney” and the article mentions a study that confirms what residents already know! The article states, “A key part of the city’s case is backed by a detailed analysis commissioned by Visit Frisco and conducted by consumer analytics firm Buxton.” Apparently, Frisco commissioned the study to better understand what draws people to — and away from — the city. Cheney believes this data backs up what many have felt for years. “The Center for the Arts solves this by retaining and attracting visitors, whose spending will strengthen our tax base and support our public services. It’s a win-win for residents, whether you’re an arts enthusiast or not.”
OH MY GAWD – SOUND THE ALARM! THE SKY IS FALING THE, THE SKY IS FALLING ACCORDING TO CHICKEN LITTLE! Media outlets started to pick up the story and it was featured on the news! Businesses are leaving Frisco!
We immediately wanted to see this study, so we started looking at the City’s Website for the Performing Arts Center, the hub for residents to find out the latest information. Nope, not there! Then we checked the Frisco EDC and found a study in 2024, but it was not the one quoted by Cheney in the article. We forgot all about it after the resounding VOTE NO election until we were flipping through the City Facebook page the other night, watching some of the Frisco City Council “Council Recap” videos. We came across a recap video from February 4th that includes Mayor Jeff Cheney, Tammy Meinershagen, and Bill Woodard.
In that recap video, Tammy talks about “THE STUDY” done by Buxton … IN 2019! Excuse me, did you say … 2019? Mayor Jeff Cheney used a study that is over 7 years old to go have the local media run a story in 2025. Headlines read, “WE ARE LOSING BIG BUSINESS,” but they failed to mention it was based on a study done in 2019. I would assume any major or reputable outlet would have a copy of the study quoted in their article. Not! Did they knowingly publish the article and withhold how old the study was? Think about it, 7 years ago, the pre-COVID era, and that since then, things may have … CHANGED!
If that is not MISLEADING or MISREPRESENTING the TRUTH DIRECTLY TO VOTERS AND RESIDENTS, then what is? It was the justification they used for all of us as residents to vote and SAVE FRISCO! We found a Buxton PDF online (click here) with the Visit Frisco logo.
The study used GPS data, gathered from mobile devices, and Buxton geo-fenced all hotels and major attractions, tracking over 54.8 million location pings and identifying 2.6 million unique visits within one year. The findings were clear: Frisco residents show high volumes of traffic at nearby lifestyle destinations like Legacy West, and those same residents are also far more likely to visit entertainment venues such as the Toyota Music Factory and Lava Cantina. This pattern signals a strong local appetite for mixed-use developments that include arts and entertainment components. “The data indicates that any complementary entertainment venue(s) in or around such spaces would also have a high rate of utilization among Frisco residents.”
QUESTION: HOW IS A $360 MILLION PERFORMING ARTS CENTER A COMPLEMENTARY VENUE TO LAVA CATINA AND TOYOTA MUSIC FACTORY?
Oh wait, it’s not! They left that part out of the data results, too! This was a clear, concise and manipulated lie to voters to “get what they wanted!” Every single council member supporting the Frisco Arts Center should be held up on ethics charges for misleading and lying to the public. It should also be investigated as voter intimidation because if they influenced anyone’s vote based on a 7-year-old study from 2019, without disclosing that. Residents should be asking “What The Hell Is Going On In Frisco?”
On top of that, Tammy has been spreading rumors that the tapes we released with her own comments were altered; she was lured into making those comments, or they were created by AI. Again, she lies! Soon we will prove that too! Stay tuned for that! How many more times will Tammy Meinershagen and council members LIE TO US?
Tammy Meinershagen speaks of how she loves “governance” and that is her favorite part of the job as a councilwoman. One “best practice” and vital component of good governance is transparency. Why is transparency so important? It boosts public trust, confidence, and citizen participation. Transparency has become a virtue in public management and public policymaking. It is an important democratic value that a trustworthy, high-performing, and responsible government pursues.
WHY IS FRISCO NOT TRANSPARENT?
We have to assume everyone reading our blog is new and may not have read previous blogs. In 2023, when Mayor Cheney was running for re-election against Retired Former Fire Chief, Mark Piland we wrote the blog Tangled Web of Lies (click on the title to read it) which detailed out how acting HR Director Sassy Lauren Safranek set in motion a calculated witch hunt to protect her job and wrongdoing against then Fire Chief, Mark Piland.
Why is that blog so important? In it, we mentioned that on April 4, 2024, the Frisco City Council, after emerging from an executive session, voted on one item from its executive agenda. “In connection with item No. 2A, ii on tonight’s agenda, Bill Woodward made a motion, “I move to authorize the city manager to release the second investigative report, dated Sept. 1, 2022, concerning Mark Piland.” That night, the Frisco City Council, with a 5-0 vote, moved to pass the motion. Mayor Cheney conveniently recused himself. It is important to note that Bill Woodard, Angelia Pelham, John Keating, and Tammy Meinershagen had already endorsed and been helping with Mayor Cheney’s re-election campaign. That night, it was clear the release of this document was designed to be a political hit job. Since that night, Woodard also ran a PAC against our Firefighters and started the Vote Yes for Broadway PAC with Tammy Meinershagen.
CLEARLY, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE COMPROMISED AND SHOULD HAVE ALSO ALL RECUSED THEMSELVES ALONG WITH JEFF CHENEY! BETTER YET, IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN VOTED ON BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS – WHY NOT SEND IT TO THE AG INSTEAD?
They didn’t want to wait 45 to 60 days because that would have been “after the election,” and they were worried Mark Piland might win. So, shaking in their boots, they took it upon themselves to vote at the council. The same council that determines ethical complaints against each other!
Fast forward to 2025 and we write our blog City Hall’s Troubled Seas last week that questions why “TOP BRASS” HR Director, Sassy Lauren Safranek and Assistant HR Director, Jacinta Shanks just vanished into the dark night. Missing for weeks, internal sources telling us that they both had been suspended, investigations were ongoing, and their return dates to the office were unknown made us file some PIR’s for more information.
FIRST PIR REQUEST: JACINTA SHANKS
4/1/2025: FWB Filed the Public Information Request
“We would like all documents and information regarding the investigation into, administrative leave of, and outcome of Jacinta Shanks – HR. We would like any and all investigative records, including emails, screenshots, and messages regarding Jacinta Shanks and fellow employees that refer to them making racist remarks/comments to other black subordinates, disparaging employees, and making fun of other employees. We would like to know if Jacinta Shanks received a promotion after this investigation.”
4/16/2025: City of Frisco responds and asks us to “CLAIRFY” our request to the city
4/22/2025: FWB replied to the request
5/7/2025: We assumed in the eye of “GOOD GOVERNANCE” they city would be transparent just like they have been with previous employees, right? No. Absolutely Not!
We received the response that reads, “The City of Frisco has reviewed its files, and has located documents responsive to your request. However, due to issues of confidentiality, the City has chosen to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding the release of the responsive documents. Please see attached for a letter from Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Hullett, PC, attorneys for the City of Frisco, informing you of the City’s decision to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of the Attorney General has up to 45 business days in which to make a ruling regarding your request.”
SECOND PIR REQUEST INTO JACINTA SHANKS AND JIREH SHOE
4/1/2025: FWB filed a PIR Request
We also filed a second PIR that reads, “Related to the Jacinta Shanks and Jireh Shoe Investigations or any other HR employees. We would like a copy of any NDA signed by a new employee related to their failure during the probation period. We would like to know if any female employee received a payout or payment related to this investigation, was asked to sign an NDA, who was released, terminated, removed, etc for failing their probation period.”
4/11/2025: City of Frisco responds and asks us to “CLAIRFY” our request to the city (sound familiar)
4/22/2025: FWB replied to the request
1. Jacinta Shanks and Jireh Shoe Investigations: We are specifically requesting any investigative reports, findings, HR communications, termination notices, or disciplinary actions related to Jacinta Shanks and Jireh Shoe. If these individuals were involved in internal investigations conducted by HR or Legal, we request all documents reflecting: • The nature of the investigation • Dates of the investigation • Parties interviewed or named • Final outcomes or recommendations • Settlement agreements, if applicable
2. NDAs Signed by New Employees Who Did Not Complete Probation We are requesting copies of any Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) signed between January 1, 2021, and April 1, 2025, by employees of the HR Department who were released, terminated, or resigned before completing their probationary period. If a list of names is required to narrow this down, we ask the City to identify individuals who meet the criteria during that time frame so we can refine accordingly.
3. Female Employees—Payments or NDAs Related to HR Investigations We are seeking records that show whether any female employee involved in an HR investigations between January 1, 2021, and April 1, 2025: • Received a financial payout or settlement (voluntary or involuntary separation) • Was asked or required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement • Was terminated, released, or otherwise separated during or at the end of probation These may include settlement agreements, NDAs, HR exit memos, or other documents reflecting these outcomes.
We are not asking the City to answer legal questions—only to provide existing documents that meet the above clarified criteria. If there is a more efficient way to identify the documents—such as a keyword search (e.g., “probation,” “settlement,” “NDA,” “termination”) or a specific custodian of records—please advise. We are happy to work with you to facilitate this.
5/7/2025: Guess what, we assumed for a second time that in the eye of “GOOD GOVERNANCE” they city would be transparent. I bet you can guess their response; it was identical to our other PIR. Literally, identical!
We received the exact same response as the first PIR which reads, “The City of Frisco has reviewed its files, and has located documents responsive to your request. However, due to issues of confidentiality, the City has chosen to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding the release of the responsive documents. Please see attached for a letter from Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Hullett, PC, attorneys for the City of Frisco, informing you of the City’s decision to seek a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of the Attorney General has up to 45 business days in which to make a ruling regarding your request.”
THIRD PIR WE ARE FILING NOW: Lauren Safranek HR
Now we are going to file a PIR for everything related to Sassy Lauren Safranek and what do you want to bet, we are going to get the same response. Using delay tactics to push it out, then send it to the AG to further delay it. Why? What do they not want to come out before you and I vote at the polls? The delay is purposeful and if they truly wanted to show “GOOD GOVERNANCE” – Tammy Meinershagen couldn’t you vote to release the files? Lead the charge for transparency!
GOOD GOVERNANCE: JUST VOTE ON IT!
In our opinion, the city set a precedent with Mark Piland on what is or is not confidential in an employee’s HR file when they went to the council and voted to release his record, especially when that vote was by four members of the council who endorsed and were working on Mayor Cheney’s campaign against that employee. So why can’t they vote again to release the HR file for Safranek, Shanks, and anyone else in the HR investigation? Show the voters you have nothing to hide and that it is consistency of GOOD GOVERNANCE.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We think all the citizens of Frisco who want transparent communication should email the city attorney’s office, the entire city council, and the City Manager’s office, demanding the release of all documents from the HR Department investigation, just like they did with Former Fire Chief, Mark Piland. If there is an issue, they should be able to vote on it at a city council meeting. We would expect the same transparency in a 5-0 vote to release it. Because good governance is transparent, right?
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing as a citizen of Frisco to request full transparency on behalf of the city, to release all HR documents related to the HR investigation into Jacinta Shanks, Lauren Safranek, and any other employee. For us to trust our city government, we need to see transparency, even if that means it has to go to a vote at the city council meeting to be released.
What are they hiding? It should alarm citizens that the city will vote to release one employee’s or a former employee’s records and not release others. One was running against the mayor for office, while the others were not. If you didn’t believe us in 2023 when we called it a political hatchet job, then you should believe us now! Why else would they fight the release of HR records for other employees under investigation?
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