Welcome to Frisco, where city forums are held in churches and the post-debate fellowship feels more like WWE Raw match than Sunday service. If you came to the Frisco Chamber Candidate Forum expecting polite civic engagement and balanced moderation, you were about to get body slammed by reality. Because after the cameras stopped rolling and the applause faded, the real action kicked off in the lobby of Grace Church, where things took a turn for the bizarre—and borderline unhinged.
According to multiple witnesses, Frisco resident and self-appointed political pitbull Jake Petras decided the Frisco Chamber Forum evening wasn’t over. Before we continue, for context purposes, this is the same man who recently showed up at the political polls to support Tammy Meinershagen, holding a picture/poster that many found offensive and degrading to a female South Asian candidate. A local news channel did a story on the poster/photo after the incident. At the time, Petras told the news he was sorry, and issued an apology to anyone who may have been offended.
Petras made his way across the lobby of Grace Church to verbally harass Place 4 Candidate, Jared Elad. Petras began engaging in an aggressive and unsolicited confrontation with Elad. It was a moment so far removed from civic discourse; it may as well have come with entrance music and a steel chair. A Frisco Police Officer who heard the confrontation made his way over and stood next to Elad. Fortunately, one brave resident—a quiet observer turned unlikely hero—stepped in to defuse the situation, pulling a classic wrestling move of their own: the well-timed interference.
Petras then began telling the resident, he wanted to talk to Elad because he was upset that Elad blocked him from his candidate Facebook page. He also talked about “that day at the polls” and told the resident he did not have a sense of humor because “it was funny.” Petras apologized for the optics when that incident happened, but apparently, he had a change of heart and thinks the sign at the polls was funny again. He continued to say if he has something to say to Petras, say it to his face, own it, own it.
At the same time, another supporter of Elad and Thakur went over to Mr. Thakur and informed him of the escalating confrontation. They recommended he get his signs and get out of there because it was clear Petras wanted a confrontation, and they were worried that if he did not get it with Elad, he might turn his attention to Burt Thakur. We are told Thakur gathered his signs and quickly went out the front door.
But he didn’t stop there. As Elad left to go to his car, accompanied by a local supporter, seeking an end to the evening’s chaos — Petras followed him into the parking lot, heckling him the whole way. What was the point? Why would Petras do that? Surely it was over once they got to the car, right? Wrong!
After Elad loaded his signs into his vehicle, he and his local supporter headed back to the church and like a subplot from a reality TV drama no one asked for, Petras followed Elad back to the church, continuing the pursuit until Elad asked a Frisco Police Officer who had been watching the whole event for help. At that point the officer stepped in and asked Jake for his name and ended the confrontation.
Elad went into the Church while his supporters remained outside. One of the folks at the church sent us this video. When we asked her why she recorded it she responded, “Jake wanted a reaction and with the current climate, I was worried about what narrative would be portrayed to the public if something went sideways.” She recorded from the Church lobby as they walked to the car in a group, the second time. She continued, “Elad avoided the confrontation the best he could by ignoring Mr. Petras, who was hoping for a reaction.”
Lastly, she mentioned the Frisco Police Officer who was there for security purposes should have had the entire event on his body cam footage. He was standing next to Elad in the church during the confrontation and watched Petras follow Elad to his car through the front doors of Grace Church. We have requested this through a PIR. Will the city be “TRANSPARENT” and turn it over to us?
As Elad left the church for the last time, surrounded by multiple supporters, the video clearly shows Jake Petras, Lori Medina, and Steve Cone standing together, talking. We have many questions!
Jake Petras is mad that he is blocked from someone’s Facebook page. I wish we lived in Las Vegas, because I would bet a million bucks on the odds that Petras is blocked by numerous people! Yet, he couldn’t care less that his friends like Mayor Jeff Cheney and Councilman John Keating block residents from their page every day! We are blocked and we are not confronting people at forums, raising a ruckus!
Was this a setup? Was it motivated or intentional?
Was Lori Medina involved? She made it quickly to Petras side after the confrontation ended.
Who knows! What unfolded that night wasn’t just embarrassing for the Chamber — it was a chilling look at how toxic and personal Frisco politics has become. No one stepped up to help the candidate except for one man – and to that person we thank you for doing the right thing. Instead of being a time to “inform and educate” the election cycle has been replaced with “intimidate and escalate.” This wasn’t a forum. This was a verbal cage match with a Tammy supporter.
Next, stat tuned for the door-to-door delivery drama!
In April of 2021 you would have thought an El Paso dust storm full of tumbleweeds came through Frisco and upset the equilibrium of our city. As we discussed in our earlier blogs Where There Is Smoke PT 1 and There is Fire PT 2, there has been a long standing point of contention between the Frisco Firefighters Association and the city in regards to workers compensation.
In 2021 the city opposed House Bill 2242 brought forward by Jared Patterson, Texas State House Rep for Frisco. In 2023 the FFA and Patterson brought HB 471, and they have been working extremely hard to get it or similar legislation passed in Austin that would protect first responders across Texas. The fight for more protection by the FFA and Jared Paterson has continued into our 2025 Texas Legislative Session.
Even though we knew about the El Paso dust storm, my wife and I were still shocked on May 16, 2023, after tuning into the city council meeting online, like we have done every other Tuesday for years. Mayor Cheney presented a proclamation to Denton County MGMR, for all the work they do each day relating to mental health. Mental Health Awareness Month aims to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being and provide resources and information to support individuals and communities in need of mental health support.
At that same meeting, during Citizen Input (23:00 minute mark), Frisco Firefighters Association President, Matt Sapp, along with Retired Frisco Fire Chief Mark Piland, and Assistant Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer to address the termination of Kraemer, a 27-year Veteran of the Frisco Fire Department.
What? After 27-years serving our city and its residents without hesitation, Kraemer was terminated BY EMAIL while on medical leave and under medical supervision for PTSD which we go into more detail about in our blog Backdraft which we really encourage you to read.
By the end of the meeting, I wanted to scream like Alanis Morrissette…
Isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think? A little too ironic
Where are we two years later? It is Mental Health Awareness Month again, and the second anniversary of Kraemer’s termination BY EMAIL while on medical leave. The fight is not over, not even close! It’s time to peel back the curtain on a firehouse-sized problem simmering here in Frisco? Buckle up, this one’s got smoke, politics, and no small dose of Texas-sized irony.
Smoke, Stigma & Silenced: Mark Piland
Since then, Retired Fire Chief Mark Piland has had his name wrongfully smeared and his 40-year stellar career in public service wrongfully attacked by City of Frisco leaders for speaking out on behalf of Kraemer and the Frisco Firefighters Association when he attempted to run for Frisco City Council.
The Legislative Lifeline
When your city will not support you, what do you do? The Frisco Firefighters Association has continued the fight and has been in Austin off and on the last several weeks with local State Rep Jared Patterson to fight for more protection for public safety employees in the State of Texas. Just today, HB331 officially headed to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law! The bill marks the final piece of legislation language from last session’s HB471 that our Frisco Firefighters have been advocating for the past three legislative sessions.
A Firefighters Fight: Cameron Kraemer
And Cameron Kraemer, where is he? Kraemer, while still under medical supervision, started the fight of his life against our very own City of Frisco. After a hearing on September 21, 2023, before the Texas Department of Insurance, the DMN reports that the administrative law judge hearing the case ORDERED THE CITY OF FRISCO, which is self-insured, to pay Kraemer benefits and any accrued but unpaid income benefits in a lump sum with interest as provided by law. According to John Riddle, president of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, Kraemer’s case is being watched throughout Texas, and it is important to the state’s 18,000 firefighters in 195 communities. Riddle said in the DMN, “For now, Frisco is among the most aggressive cities in fighting its injured employees at City Hall and the Legislature — and because of that, employees like Cameron Kraemer pay a high price.”
The battle continued as Kraemer took his case before the DOJ for them to determine if he was able to sue the city for wrongful termination which we wrote about in our blog Big Time Casino Payout. The DOJ ruled Kraemer could move forward with a lawsuit so in August 2024 Cameron Kraemer filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination against the City of Frisco in Collin County. Based on the research we have done, Kraemer is going to win, and we think he will win big! You can learn more in our December 2024 blog Kraemer vs City of Frisco that we wrote which lays out the details.
Final Thoughts from the Hillside Winery Whistleblower
Ask yourself why. Why is the city spending hundreds of thousands on a private law firm to fight so hard and drag this out for so long, when clearly, they are in the wrong? Why is the city spending tax dollars fighting our public safety employees instead of protecting them and just doing the right thing? What will this cost us, the taxpayers, when he wins? Our guess…. MILLIONS! But that is not all. We are hearing rumors of other lawsuits that have been or will be filed by former employees of the FD against the City of Frisco. We are digging into that now!
They had all the time in the world to prance around asking us to vote to change the use of EDC funds for a Frisco Center For The Arts but they cannot simply make things right with the firefighters. Instead, we have Councilwoman Meinershagen calling them 300lb bullies and complaining that they are fighting for protections that directly affect their life. We have Bicycle Bill Woodard, who wants you to believe the firefighters are lazy (his words during the May 2024 election), and they want to bankrupt the city. You can’t get a paycheck from a bankrupt city, so why would they want to do that? Cheney and Keating want you to believe that our RETIRED Fire Chief was fired after a stellar career with the city and 10 years of perfect performance reviews. Not to mention, in our PIR requests and federal FOIA’s, we found his entire 40-year career was stellar with not one deficient performance review. Lastly, no one is paying attention to the fact that in the last 6 to 8 months, several (rumor is 6 to 8) of our firefighters are saying Hasta La Vista Baby either via retirement or quitting their job. They are going to work for other organizations and cities where they are valued.
Just hope and pray your house does not catch fire because we were already short staffed and now it is getting worse! The city loyalists just turn a blind eye as always, and function as if nothing if wrong. They want you to believe we have nothing to be worried about, but as a taxpayer you can bet, I am worried! Big Time Payouts, the loss of experienced firefighters from our roster puts citizens and businesses in jeopardy.
Back in the day, Frisco was known as a dormant suburb, north of Dallas, but today Frisco is a community undergoing vast changes and becoming its very own urban Metroplex. Gone are the rural days when everyone knew their neighbors, and a trip to Stonebriar Mall was the excitement for the week. Today, we are at a crossroads of transformation, and the experience of change has been both loved and hated along the way.
The reason my wife and I moved here was because we loved the sense of community, the schools, and the feeling of being safe. The truth is all of that has changed with the massive development that has taken place in the last 10+ years. Yes, we knew Frisco would develop and we looked forward to that at one time. However, that is when you had a city council who engaged and listened to the residents and decisions were made based on what was best for the community.
Frisco has changed, and to be very honest, it is now filled with dirty politics on all sides. Secret deals are happening, and our city council is misleading us to approve projects that are in their best interest, and they are leading with iron fists. Our priorities have shifted, and our sense of community is disappearing every day. Today is election day, and each of us has a chance to vote for change.
We debated on releasing the tape of Tammy Meinershagen when we received it. In the end, we felt voters have the right to know who they are electing. Meinershagen’s statements against the South Asian community are offensive. Calling both South Asian candidates idiots and other names is disgusting and shows a lack of leadership and integrity. She then goes on to talk about how she is not afraid of bullies, even if they are 300lb firefighters or a black woman. Since when are those who protect and serve bullies? Her reference to a black woman being a bully because they disagree on how to do things would be the same as calling her an angry black woman, which I am pretty sure the black community would find an offensive stereotype. Then she references that the Frisco population is only 1% Asian, so she has no base here, and with a laugh, says that means she is white. Frisco’s lack of an Asian population does not make you white, Ms. Meinershagen, but it is clear that you want to be.
Then she goes on about her opponent saying she is “offended and insulted that he would run for city council.” So, she is offended that a citizen who had every right to run, is running? She pointed out at the Chamber Forum and on this tape how her opponent ran for Congress and lost – well Ms. Meinershagen, John Keating ran for higher office as well. In fact, he left his seat early to run and when he lost he came back and took over another seat during a special election so does that make him incompetent to run?
Ms. Meinershagen continues to talk about other local leaders, Scott Johnson, Jared Patterson, and Shona Sowell. Then she talks about residents who are or have taken a chance to run for office, like Mark Piland, Burt Thakur, Jared Elad, and Gopal Ponangi. While many may be upset, we released these tapes. The bigger question is, WHY ARE YOU NOT UPSET ABOUT WHAT TAMMY MEINERSHAGEN SAID?
Today Jamie Heit posted on her FRWC page that we have some shady behavior by certain candidates this cycle including that of a current candidate running for office. Heit ignores all the shady behavior her best friends have done in the past and finds excuses for that but now she sits upon a hill of moral authority accusing this candidate of secretly recording a conversation, questioning her morals and integrity.
Here is the problem with Heit’s statement: how does she know it was secretly recorded? Who told her that? Who told her that the conversation was with this candidate? There are only 3 ways you would have known the who, when, where and if it was secretly recorded:
1) Ms. Heit you were there, and you participated in the conversation and if that is the case why were you not disgusted then with the comments by Meinershagen? We know you were not there so we know this option is not possible.
2) Tammy Meinershagen would have had to tell you who this conversation was with and that she was unaware of it being recorded. If that happened, it means TAMMY IS ADMITTING TO THE CONVERSATION AND WHAT SHE SAID IN IT?
3) The candidate whom you have accused of doing this would have had to tell you they did it. We are pretty sure that did not happen. It would make no sense to be a whistleblower and then yell from a rooftop “It’s me!”
Our guess: Ms. Heit, you know about the conversation because Tammy told you, which means she is admitting to her statements. Secretly recorded or not, nothing illegal was done as Texas is a 1-party state. That means Tammy is admitting to her offensive and objectionable conversation. Someone like that should not be a leader in our city, as her statements clearly show she Tammy has no integrity or ethical morality laying out everyone’s personal business to someone.
Then you have Jake Petrus, otherwise known as the “Town Bully” for the cabal. He posted that this was a private conversation, secretly recorded at xxxx home. The only way Jake would know who the other person was or where it was recorded is if TAMMY TOLD HIM! If he is right, that means he talked to Tammy or someone who had talked to Tammy, to know how and when. THAT PROVES THE CONVERSATION IS LEGIT AND THAT TAMMY IS CONFIRMING HER ROLE AND STATEMENTS.
Either way it doesn’t matter if Tammy knew or didn’t know – what matters is Ms. Heit and Jake Petras would not know “the how, when and with who” without Tammy confirming it. That means she knowingly said nasty, hurtful, demeaning, racist things and spread the personal business of those who had trusted her to others in the community like a game of show and tell. Personally, if I were Johnson, Keating or Pelham, I would be glad to know about this. Clearly it shows they cannot trust Tammy, who they thought was a confidant/or a friend.
I don’t think those who considered her a friend would have ever guessed she is spilling the secrets of their lives and private conversations too others. While we are not the greatest fans of Angelia Pelham and John Keating the fact is they have the right to know their fellow city councilwoman was talking trash about them to others in our community. Simply put, this was probably not the first time Tammy allowed her loose lips to talk trash – it was just the first time she got caught.
If Heit or anyone, for that matter, wants to claim that someone who recorded this is not fit to be a leader, then we want to know why Tammy’s statements and behavior which clearly show a lack of integrity, knowledge or ethical morality is not being called out to be a leader in Frisco? She should resign!
In closing, Tammy kept referring to Frisco as “my city, my city, my voters, my budget, …” – this is not her city, it is our city! She seems to have forgotten that on her quest for Broadway or to be on Broadway. We also want to be clear that we will always protect our sources at Frisco Chronicles. We do want to make it very clear; WE DID NOT RECEIVE Pelham’s text or the Meinershagen conversation directly from the candidate Heit and Petras are currently calling out. We received the text from Source A and the recording from Source B, and neither of them was the candidate Heit and Petras are attacking online.
As for Broadway Frisco – Prop A & B we would ask you to consider this before voting:
Today, we hear “Tourism, Tourism, Tourism,” and most recently, how we need to be more like Nashville. The thing is, Nashville has a deep history back in the 1920s. They had a thriving publishing industry, then came the advent of the Grand Ole Opry in 1925. When WSM began broadcasting live performances from the Grand Ole Opry, it positioned them to become “Music City USA.” By 1945, it was one of the most popular radio programs in America and established Nashville as a hub for country music. They made urban renewal a priority and renovated several landmarks, including the Music Hall of Fame and The Sommet Center. Broadway (similar to 5th Street in Austin) became known for bars and a honky tonk music scene. It was the cornerstone for emerging young artists and a short distance trolley ride from the iconic Music Row. Major record labels headquartered themselves in Nashville, and it became a gathering place for the arts, entertainment and music. They did not simply build a 340-million-dollar Broadway, and become Nashville overnight!
What is the problem with Frisco being more like Nashville? We never implemented our identity as we began to grow and develop into a Nashville. Purefoy took us down the road to being Sports City USA! It worked! Now the city council says we must be more like Nashville to compete, or else! With every development, we have heard Mayor Cheney say this would have a HALO Effect on our city, making us the greatest city in America. Now, all of a sudden, if we don’t spend $160 million or $340 million to get FRISCO BROADWAY, we will lose the economic boom to Nashville? The AMC Awards are happening here, not in Nashville, why? It is being held at a great venue. We didn’t have Frisco Broadway to win over the AMC Awards. We are not Nashville! We will never be Nashville! We are Frisco, Texas!
Please vote no to the propositions in order to protect our community and the residents who live here.
Tammy says, “I don’t like bullies! I don’t care if they are 300lb firefighters or black woman!”
Tammy on Scott Johnson: “He is the weakest leader I have ever seen.”
Tammy continues, and it sounds like she is gloating when she talks about his divorce and his wife potentially spilling the tea if he runs for Mayor.
Tammy on Angelia Pelham: “She also voted Republican for the first time. Why would she do that? She is a staunch democrat.”
Tammy continues to talk about Angelia’s poor leadership, how she doesn’t care if she ever talks to Angelia at an event, how she doesn’t have a lot of respect for Marcia (John Keating’s girl), and how Angelia has not done anything for our city.”
Tammy on Shona Sowell: “She was a nice person at the beginning, I heard, but at the end of the six years, she was a monster.”
Tammy, the reason you gave in this conversation is not the same reason you have previously stated as to why you ran against Shona Sowell. Which one is the truth?
Tammy on John Keating: “He should not get married until after he loses the Mayoral race to see if Marcia sticks around.”
Tammy continues to talk about John, his ex-wife Leslie, his kids, and we are curious why you would ever have a conversation with someone and discuss someone else’s personal life. You are okay spilling others’ secrets and talking about their lives, so let’s see how you like now that it is happening to you.
Gossip is human nature. At some point, we all talk about others or are talked about. Not all gossip is evil. Some of them are mindless chit-chat. But it can hurt someone else and also backfire. Those who are busy discussing your life are probably not happy about theirs. Tammy needs to take a good look in the mirror and re-evaluate her choices. She doesn’t want folks talking about her husband’s Ketchup Caddy, yet she thinks it’s okay to expose anyone and everyone’s secrets.
Well Frisco, you might want to set down that Yeti tumbler and grab a porcelain teacup, because in this episode we’re not sipping sweet tea — we’re serving it scalding.
On today’s episode of “Who’s Mic Is It Anyway?” Tammy Meinershagen — our poised, polished, picture-perfect council darling — trades in her charm-school pearls for brass knuckles and pours out the kind of hot gossip that makes Bravo executives weep with envy.
You know Tammy: the one with the Barbie-blonde poise, high-heeled grace, and the kind of curated Instagram aesthetic that screams “I’m just like you but with better lighting.” For years, she’s been Frisco’s go-to for classy civic engagement and picture-perfect smiles. But as that hot mic keeps rolling, so does a side of Tammy that’s less Pageant Queen and more Petty Queen.
This time her tea kettle is pointed directly at fellow councilman John Keating — and boy, she doesn’t just spill the tea, she upends the entire teapot: ☕ John’s engagement disaster? Tammy’s got the play-by-play. ☕ His leadership skills? According to Tammy, “dumb and weak” might be putting it politely. ☕ Veterans backing him for mayor? Not according to Tammy’s version of events ☕ His girlfriend/fiancée/wife-to-be (we lost track)? Tammy claims she’s got the inside scoop on how that relationship’s less of a fairy tale and more of a soap opera. ☕ Talks to his ex-wife all the time? Tammy says yes. John’s privacy? Not so much.
At this point, the only thing hotter than Tammy’s tea is a July afternoon on the Star’s turf field.
So here’s the question we have to ask, Frisco: Is Tammy the well-spoken, community-loving stateswoman we all thought? Or is she Two-Faced Tammy — the master puppeteer sipping tea while setting matches? Better yet… which Tammy is running the show today?
Lastly, if John Keating is telling people he is running for Mayor, then doesn’t that mean he has to step down if he has started campaigning? 🫖🔥
One thing’s clear: In Frisco, trust might be harder to come by than a Legacy West parking spot on Saturday night.
👂 Stay tuned, because the tape keeps rolling… Who needs Ketchup Caddy when you have Two-Faced Tammy. Bring on the drama.
Maybe
Tammy’s supporters have a real pattern of poor ethics. Is it a common thread that Tammy supporters have questionable morals…
i speculate one of them three horse sisters of Cheney. they fight like roller derby girls. i bet they can…
Illegal activity from Tammy’s campaign: 3 All other campaigns: 0
Frisco police should absolutely investigate. It may even be an FBI matter.