There are nights in Frisco where City Hall hums with civic purpose—budget talks and zoning plans along with the occasional citizen input regarding traffic lights, speeding issues, or the raccoon has taken a liking to someone’s yard and gives them the side-eye. December 2nd was not that night.
In a developing story that has left political scientists, veterinarians, and three confused squirrels scratching their heads, two former council members marched into Frisco City Council Meeting on December 2nd to take on the mic at Citizens Input. They delivered what experts are calling “the strongest recorded case of post-election butthurt in city history.”
That’s right it was open mic night for sore losers, who still think their name plates are waiting for them like a forgotten pair of sunglasses at Lost & Found.
Eyewitnesses tell us Bill Woodard and Tracie Reveal Shipman, strutted into the chamber like they were about to perform a cover of “Glory Days.” When Bobblehead Bill’s name was called for Citizens Input he approached the podium like he was a man who just discovered someone else parked in his old council seat and that lead to him having a full-blown emotional support tantrum disguised as “citizen input.”
Frisco Chronicles took the time to break down Bill at the Mic:
Act 1: Bobblehead Bill may have gained a new nickname “Patron Saint of Selective Outrage”
Bill took over that podium with the confidence of a man who still introduces himself as “Former Council Member” at dinner parties. And boy did he come ready to lecture like a college professor. He launched into a monologue so dramatic; I checked my phone twice to make sure Netflix hadn’t started auto playing a reboot of The West Wing.
He reminded us—several times—of his 20+ years of service in his neighborhood scouts, various non-profits and clubs and course his 17 years of volunteer work for the city. Of course, he started off talking about himself because he thought that was impressive kind of like your uncle at Thanksgiving who recounts his high school athletic stats.
Bill Woodard: “In all my years on that dais one of the things I was most proud of was the professionalism the various board and council members exhibited. No matter what our personal relationships were, positive or strained, whether we all agreed on a topic or had differing opinions, when it came time to step foot on the dais everyone was professional.
Frisco Chronicles: What does Bill mean by “when it came time to step on the dais everyone was professional?” Is he referring to how they had all the discussions in executive session, so they had a united front on the dais in order to make it look professional?
Bill Woodard: When traveling to represent the city, everyone was professional. Certainly, there have been times for levity and to show a more relaxed side, but when it matters, everyone was professional.
Frisco Chronicles: Would Bill testify under oath that the behavior of Jake Petras in Colorado was appropriate, professional and represented the city well?
Bill Woodard: In the last 6 months, however, I have observed or been made aware of the following which concern me for the reputation of the city and more specifically this council.
Frisco Chronicles: In the last 6 months? You only became concerned about the citys reputation and the council’s reputation in the last 6 months? Mr. Woodard – why were you not concerned when the following events happened (source local news reports):
In 2017, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Tim Nelson was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated after a traffic stop where police alleged, he was swerving across lanes on a highway. Allegedly the incident occurred shortly after his wife was arrested for allegedly for assault bodily injury family violence.
In 2021, when Current Revolt published photos of John Keating Place 1 who allegedly got caught over the July 4th holiday weekend in a community public pool with a woman who was not his wife.
In 2021, when Councilman John Keating, Place 1 (now mayoral candidate) held up a sign during a Rail District Scavenger Hunt with the words “GET NAKED” covering his genital area creating the appearance he was naked (luckily, he had boxer shorts on). Wasn’t that you Mr. Woodard, the Mayor and the Mayor’s wife snickering in the picture?
Back to our point and question, you only became concerned about the city’s reputation and the council’s reputation in the last 6 months?
Act II – Woodard’s Scroll of Sins
Woodard began listing out a scroll of sins he was concerned about seeing over the last 6 months which in our opinion should have their own zip code:
Bill Woodard – Sin # 1: A wildly inappropriate, if not racist, joke told on the dais.
Frisco Chronicles: Was it appropriate? We don’t know and we don’t care. It was a joke that no one has talked about since. If it made the city look so bad, why would you come to citizens’ input to bring it up again?
Bill Woodard – Sin # 2: A council member on an exchange trip was wearing shorts as an official representative of the city, when clearly this was not appropriate attire for the meeting.
Frisco Chronicles: Picture #1 of Jared Elad in shorts on a city trip standing two people down from another man in a pair of shorts. Where was your disdain for this man wearing shorts? Picture #2 another trip where Jason Young is wearing shorts, is this inappropriate for man who uses his voice to represent our city so much? Picture # 3 – What about you at Didi’s wearing you City of Frisco polo in shorts holding what appears to be libations?
Frisco Chronicles: Ah yes, Bill Woodard, Frisco’s self-appointed Hall Monitor-in-Chief, called out Burt Thakur for a critical infraction: post-meeting bunny ears. Arrest Him Now! According to Bill, Thakur’s two-finger salute to whimsy has single-handedly “damaged the professionalism of the council.”
Bill Woodard – Sin # 3: “Bunny ears” behind people on camera after a council meeting
Frisco Chronicles: Bill, what about the time (during a meeting) when Councilman Keating held up a big picture on a stick of his face – you didn’t seem outraged then by the whimsy fun? What happens after a meeting is over offends you?
Relax, Bill. The meeting was already adjourned, democracy survived, and no one mistook the gesture for official city business. If a harmless photo gag rattles the watchdog kennel this much, maybe the real problem isn’t professionalism… it’s a tragic shortage of humor vitamins.
Bill Woodard – Sin #4: Use of Chatgpt to figure out what questions to ask during a work session (yes, people can see what you are doing). It shows an utter lack of preparedness.
Frisco Chronicles: First, who knew this event even happened? No one! At least not until you felt the need to come to council to point it out like a bully in a roid rage. Many industries use ChatGPT today, including government. Isn’t this the city leadership who continues to talk about INNOVATION, using TECHNOLOGY to make our city better?
Bill, if I recall, you were accused once of scrolling Facebook during a work session? Two new council members who are trying to learn the ropes, one or both may use AI for assistance and that is bad? I commend them for the innovation to use it.
Bill Woodard – Sin #5: Absences and Tardiness. I’ve counted more meetings in the last 6 months where members were noticeably late, wholly absent from, or left early, from meetings than I can remember in years. Personally, I missed 3 meetings in 9 years, and less than that in the 6 years prior on P&Z.
While I understand work commitments the citizens of Frisco expect and deserve representatives show up to do the work. On time and prepared. It’s not only disrespectful to the citizens, but to colleagues and the staff who tirelessly work for everyone.
Frisco Chronicles: We agree! Shocked? Unlike Bill Woodard here we don’t sit and count every meeting because who has the time to do that? Maybe someone who wishes they were still sitting on the council? We don’t know who has been absent or tardy, but they should be on time, and they should respect that seat that citizens voted them to sit in. However just because you had near perfect attendance that does not set the precedent for what others must do. You are not the judge and jury of that and again the public probably would not have even noticed until you came to the podium to embarrass our council.
Act III – The Public Scolding Continues
Bill Woodard: The train was not out of steam and Bill Woodard kept on going. He continued, Jared and Burt, in the last couple of meetings the two of you look like elementary school kids, at times poking each other and joking around during meetings. It’s one thing to have a side bar for purpose, it is another to act the way you do in front of the public during a meeting. Your actions have an unprofessional appearance.”
Frisco Chronicles: Mr. Woodard do you think your behavior at citizen’s input was professional? Scolding sitting members of our council as a former councilman? Did you ever reach out to them privately to see if you could help them with the transition to their new seats? What about going past the clock (timer), was that professional? You used to cut people off when they did that but again this is about rules, and those rules apply to thee not me! Have you always felt the rules don’t apply to you? Ignoring the Mayor the one-time he said softly “okay bill, that’s enough” to lift your head and look at him “I have two more sentences” then I will be done in a scoffing tone, was that professional? Nothing you did in those 6 minutes was professional sir!
Bill Woodard: He continued calling out Thakur for mentioning his name at the November 4th meeting. He said, you were nowhere when that vote was taken in 2024. While it may have been my last term and I may have requested to serve in the position, it was my colleagues that I had earned the respect of that allowed me to represent the city for my last year. It was an honor and privilege, and it was never about “me”.
Frisco Chronciles: Well, Bill that is not true, it is always about you! Even these six minutes at the pulpit – were about you. You being heard, you being the bully, you appearing to be the man who was judge and jury of every person sitting on that council because you served. I don’t see other previous council members and mayors coming out to the pulpit to scandalize the city. No, it was and always is about YOU!
Bill Woodard: It was always about serving the city and the citizens. These positions should be earned through respect, knowledge and an ability to professionally represent the city in the absence of the Mayor.
Frisco Chronciles: Correct, and nothing you displayed at citizens input was about serving the city or the citizens. Nothing you did that night at the pulpit was about respect, knowledge or showed any professional ability. Clearly, you are never fit to be our Mayor so thank you for that recorded meltdown which can be aired on Reloop when and if you try to run in the future by your opponents.
Act IV – The Ending, Thank God!
Bill Woodard saved his best comments for the end. He went on to say while some of my comments have been pointed, I do hope they are taken in the spirit they are intended to make our city better. I’m not trying to be a referee blowing a whistle to call someone out. Our reputation in the region, the state, and nationally matter.
Frisco Chronicles Conclusion: Taking the time out of your day to come to a city council meeting with your best friend was not done with the emphasis to being a good steward. It was done out of retaliation and anger. The people of this city spoke and they selected new leadership fair and square. You may not like that leadership and that is fine, but they better uphold the values they ran on to be transparent and bring change. Why? That is what THE RESIDENTS WANT!
What we learned from this display was your outrage was very selective towards two council members Jared Elad, our openly Jewish Council Member and Burt Thakur our first South Asian councilmember. You never stood up on the pulpit when these other incidents happened demanding the same professionalism from your counterparts. DWI – no problem! Cheating – no problem! Appearing to be naked – no problem! Shorts BAD! Bunny Ears BAD!
Good heavens—Bill, my man—if we’re handing out lessons on professionalism, maybe start with the candidate who allegedly turned Family Swim Time into “Fifty Shades of Chlorine” or stood in the Rail District wearing nothing but boxers and a sign over his nether-regions encouraging the public to “get naked.”
Bill defended that, but suddenly shorts are the downfall of civilization. Buddy… If pants length is where you finally draw the moral line, we need to schedule a wellness check.
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.
In a city that prides itself on transparency, Frisco sure has a funny way of showing it. The departure of city employees should be a straightforward matter. But nothing says, “honest government at work” quite like a settlement agreement wrapped in an NDA and buried beneath layers of off-limits files that are shadow labeled “confidential” and will only magically appear if someone knows exactly what to ask for.
It’s almost poetic, really. City Hall bangs the drum of accountability every election season, even though they know the city turns around and stashes public records like they’re safeguarding state secrets. One might expect this sort of maneuvering from Washington, where the filing system seems to be a combination of smoke, mirrors, and selective memory—but from Frisco? The city that can’t even agree on a dog shelter without a special called meeting.
It is amazing what buried treasures you will find when reading through these settlement agreements the city has with ex-employees. It is also interesting to see who is getting paid and how much! For example, Elise Back, who worked for the Frisco Economic Development Corporation, agreed to accept a gross payment of $125,000 and Frank Morehouse accepted $112,500. What and why are we paying this kind of money in secret NDA’s?
After months of whispers about “HR “mishaps,” and a public records chase that felt more like spelunking through a city-funded labyrinth, we now have a Settlement Agreement for the newly minted EX HR Director, Lauren “Sassy” Safranek. Let me tell you finding this and getting our hands on this was tough and the city thought they had sealed it tighter than a Prohibition-era wine cellar. And just when we thought we’d finally uncork the truth, out pop second files, “confidential” folders, and documents shuffled around like a crooked card dealer at a back-alley poker table. But the saga of Lauren “Sassy” Safrenak takes the cake, the bakery, and the delivery truck.
Frisco’s leadership keeps insisting to the public this is all perfectly normal, nothing to see here, folks, but is it normal? Is this just a standard, everyday NDA? We decided to peal it back and unwrap the taxpayer-funded mystery treasure chest (I mean document). Frisco, where transparency is optional, NDAs are fashionable, and the truth is apparently stored somewhere in File Cabinet B—the one nobody is allowed to open.
BACKSTORY
Lauren Safranek has had reputation in the city for years. Management loved her! Employees had great disdain for her! Back in June 2023 I questioned why Lauren Safranek wanted to change the Nepotism Policy and revise the Employee Code of Conduct policy that had been in place since 2006. We wrote about it in our blog All in The Family. Then we wrote about the Workers Comp Policy Changes in our blog Sassy Safranek and the mean-spirited memo written by our Professional HR Director Sassy Safranek. In December 2023 we did our 12 Days of Malfeasance blogs. Day 3 was about the HR MALFEASANCE which was about good ole Lauren Safranek forging the signature of then Fire Chief Mark Piland to a document that would change the pay scale for an entire department. Did she really think this would not raise any eyebrows and her forgery would be unearthed? Yep, she really thought she was that smart!
When she realized, she had gotten caught she kicked into overdrive to find a fake reason to investigate then Fire Chief Mark Piland and his staff. We presented all the receipts in our Day 12: Tangled Web of Lies blog!
If you forgot about all this drama you should go back and read it because this is the heart of why the city, the mayor and the cabal are trying to destroy one man who has a 40+ exemplary career years, plus positive job reviews in the city of Frisco year after year until Lauren uncovered some “malfeasance” in order to cover her own forgery of legal HR documents
SASSY SAFRANEKS LITTLE CONFIDENTIAL SECRET WRAPPED UP IN AN NDA
Remember transparency is supposed to be the heart of good government here in Frisco. Truthfully it is more of a suggestion, something politically ignored much like turn signals on the Tollway side roads. The Lauren Safranek NDA reads like a political thriller written by a board attorney on a Friday afternoon. It has pages of legal yapping designed to make sure the public learns absolutely nothing about why the City’s top HR official suddenly needed to be paid nearly a year’s salary just to walk out the door quietly.
Is this a general release? No, it is so sweeping it could double as a Tornado Warning. Safranek isn’t just leaving her job, she’s legally erasing every single gripe, claim, concern, complaint, or whisper she ever uttered about the City. Ethics Complaints filed against her? Gone. Any HR violations she witnessed? Gone. Any retaliation she alleged? Gone. Potential whistleblower issues? Vaporized.
The Payout: A Golden Parachute Stuffed with Taxpayer Cash
40 weeks of salary. 40 weeks of COBRA medical, dental, vision coverage. A lump-sum payout for her accrued leave that has not been used. Payment by city for $1,716.65 for a conference she attended. Payment by city for employees attorneys fee’s in the amount of $7,600.
City will compensate Safranek for time spent assisting with the defense in pending lawsuits at a rate of $100.00 per hour, such payment to be made in 30 days of submission.
ASK YOURSELF: An at-will HR director being handed nearly a year’s pay to quietly resign is not “normal.” It’s not even “Frisco normal,” and this city has normalized some Olympic-level gymnastics around accountability.
The Most Alarming Part: The Secret Second File
Buried deep inside the NDA is the crown jewel of municipal opacity: The City agrees to take all negative documents—complaints, investigations, findings, her ethics complaint, and more—and remove them from her public personnel file and place them in a separate, hidden, confidential file.
Transparency Hidden In – A literal second file.
According to the NDA “these documents will be agreed upon by Safranek and will include, at a minimum, the following: Shank’s complaint, Coulthurst’s complaint, investigation findings, employee’s ethics complaints,” the letter from the Deputy City Manager dated June 16, 2025 and this agreement.
It also notes that basically the second file the public will not see, that is kept “to the extent permitted by law,” which is lawyer-speak for “we’ll hide it unless someone catches us!” WE CAUGHT YOU!
This is the Frisco leadership and government equivalent of cleaning your house by shoving everything into the garage and padlocking the door. Frisco taxpayers deserve better than a filing system borrowed from Watergate.
The City Also Requires Her to Help Defend Them in Lawsuits
Safranek must cooperate in two ongoing lawsuits involving Cameron Kraemer and Jesse Zito, paid at $100/hour — and she gets to keep her notes connected to those cases.
A city that insists it did nothing wrong is apparently very eager to keep its former HR Director close at hand… just not on staff, not in the building, and not talking.
A “Neutral Reference” to Keep the Story Contained
If a future employer calls? HR will give a bland, robotic response confirming her dates of employment. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing truthful.
Because when you’ve spent thousands of taxpayer dollars hiding the mess, the last thing you want is someone in HR accidentally telling the truth.
City Admits Nothing, Explains Nothing, Accepts Nothing
As expected, the NDA contains the standard “we did nothing wrong” boilerplate. The City denies all wrongdoing, says they’re settling merely to avoid “cost” and “distraction.” Right — because nothing says “totally innocent” like hiding negative documents in a secret secondary file and giving your fired HR director 40 weeks of hush money.
Council Approval: Your Elected Officials Signed Off
Don’t miss this detail: The NDA was contingent on City Council approval at a public meeting which happened on July 1, 2025. This was the meeting that Burt Thakur and Jared Elad were installed as new council members. How much did they know about this agreement is to be seen. We are curious how much knowledge Jeff Cheney, John Keating (mayoral candidate), Brian Livingston, Angelia Pelham, and Laura Rummel had.
Fact remains, every elected official who voted “yes” signed off on lying to the public, a year’s salary and cobra benefits, withholding information from the public in a secret file, hiding negative or truthful reviews to a future employer and more. Keating made the motion to approve, and it was seconded by Angelia Pelham.
Crazy part is if you go to that agenda on the city website and click on Item 24 it has not documents attached to it. Why because the city PLAYED HIDE AND HOPEFULLY, THEY WON’T SEEK!
The Bottom Line
You could hide a small nation’s war crimes under a release this wide. The Safranek NDA isn’t a routine HR separation. It’s not a miscommunication. It’s not an exit interview gone wrong. It is a coordinated legal shutdown, executed at the highest levels, designed to hide information from the public and neutralize the City’s own HR Director.
The City didn’t just settle a dispute. It purchased silence. It buried documents. It built a second file. It erased complaints. It sealed the story.
And they used your tax dollars to do it.
Frisco deserves transparency — not confidentiality closets, political NDAs, and under-the-table golden parachutes.
More to come.
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.
In Frisco, secrets don’t stay a secret for long—especially when Frisco Chronicles can file a Public Information Request! Word on the street (and at every coffee shop from La Finca to Summer Moon) is that John Keating has his eyes on the mayor’s seat and plans to run for Mayor! The catch? He’s not exactly shouting it from the rooftops. Even with no formal announcement yet he is talking about it quietly behind the scenes with many different people. If you directly ask him, you get just a wink, a nod, but pay attention to his suspicious uptick in handshakes and photo ops.
Why the hush-hush? Maybe it has something to do with the City of Frisco – Home Rule Charter. Article V covers Nominations and Elections aka Filing for Office. Section 5.02 (2)(G) reads: The office of an incumbent elected city official shall become vacant when the person holding such office files an application to have his name placed on an official ballot as a candidate for any elective public office other than the one such person holds, unless otherwise prohibited by law.
What does all that mean? If John Keating announced he is running for Mayor, he would have to vacate his current seat on council / and his role as Mayor Pro Tem. John Keating is using his current role to have conversations about running for Mayor to gain support.
How do we know John Keating is allegedly running for Mayor? First, let’s travel back to the Tammy Tapes where Tammy says “Well, John sat me down and said he wanted to, you know, he’s like, I’m gonna be running for mayor. I’m like, I know John, I know. And he goes, there are rumors that you are running for mayor. And I said, “Well, those are just rumors.”
Whose Lying? Either Tammy was lying in that conversation, or John is misleading the voters now!
Recently we filed for the text messages between city council members talking about running for mayor, and the positions of Mayor Pro Tem and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem. We received messages from 3 council members. We know there is more because we have a copy of a message that was not included in the request from a source. Begs the question, which members of the council are holding their messages?
We compared the messages we received from John Keating and Brian Livingston. We received 16 pages of text messages from Brian Livington and only 2 pages from John Keating. We printed out both sets of messages, then we lined up the text messages that matched each other. The Result: We were able to determine the different parts of the message that our Mayor Pro Tem John Keating, withheld from the request. Everything below is from the Livingston text messages. Anything in “RED” was submitted by John Keating. Anything in “BOLD BLUE” is a question by Frisco Chronicles. Did Keating break the law by withholding parts of his conversation that clearly fit the PIR request and are subject to Public Information?
Tuesday, May 13
John Keating to Brian Livingston: “I had this sent to me last night.” Then it has a picture of the Frisco Chronicles blog called Tammy’s Hot Tea.
Brian Livingston: “Yep. Just checking that you saw it.”
John Keating: Any one can speculate if I’m running for Mayor; and I can say I’m “considering” running for Mayor, so ….
Frisco Chronicles: It appears John Keating, Mayor Pro Tem is using SEMANTICS to hold on to his current seat even though he has every intention of running for Mayor.
Blacked Out Image
John Keating: No, those are her words… There are other people who have said I’m running that I have never talked to…
Keating Continues: That’s like Dan saying he heard I said I’m running, or I told him I’m running, so therefore I’m running and need to resign… Doesn’t work like that for obvious reasons. Exactly what they’re doing now.
Keating Continues: I’m not that stupid, and have been over this more than once with Richard…
Frisco Chronicles: Richard Who? Richard Abernathy the CITY ATTORNEY? The City Attorney represents the CITY not John Keating and we hope the City attorney is not helping him break the rules of our city charter.
Brian Livingston: “HaHa” the comment
John Keating: I’m still “seriously considering” running for Mayor…! (Fireball Emoji)
Brian Livingston: I think you, Shona and Scott all missed a huge opportunity to separate yourselves from each other.
John Keating: I imagine you would support Shona, but I’d love to have you on my team!
Keating Continues:Scojo (Scott Johnson) has no chance. No money, and his ex will sandbag him the whole way…
Keating Continues:Shona is forgotten and out of touch. Coming back as Mayor after three years is asking a lot.
Blacked Out Image
Brian Livingston: They still think Tammy has a shot at being Mayor?
Keating: Thumbs Down Emoji to Livingston’s question
Blacked Out Image
Sunday, June 8 @ 9:15 AM
John Keating: Are you seeking DMPT / MPT? (stands for Deputy Mayor Pro Tem and Mayor Pro Tem)
Brian Livingston: xxx-xxx-xxxx for Jared and Yes, I would like to be MPT for my last year on council. I’m free for lunch tomorrow.
John Keating: Who would be DMPT? I’d support you for MPT, if either me or Angelica could be DMPT?
Keating Continues: I’m not sure where Laura lands with all of this, but under the circumstances, I’d expect her to get crushed next year…
Brian Livingston: I’d prefer you as DMPT and think that would be fun. But I have no problem with Angelia.
John Keating: And I am “seriously considering” running for Mayor, and would certainly love to have TX GOP support! As I’ve said before, I’d support you for county commissioner as Mayor…
Frisco Chronicles: Is this a violation of “Reciprocal Favors” in the City Charter under Section 2-302 Unfair Advancement of Private Interests? It says a city official may not enter into an agreement or understanding with any other person that official actionby the official will be rewarded or reciprocated by the other person, directly or indirectly. Keating clearly states that if Livingston endorses him and supports him for Mayor, then as MAYOR he would support Livingston for County Commissioner. That would be an “official action” in response to support.
John Keating: Let me bounce this off Angelia. She’s on vacation. I know she wants unity, and she’s definitely not on Team Tammy, Jeff, Lorie, Bill…Neither am I…! (smiling emoji)
Frisco Chronicles: Tell us how Angelia really feels Keating!
John Keating: Angelia is proposing MPT for her and DMPT for you, to show unity.
Brian Livingston: No, that shows the status quo.
John Keating: Agree
Brian Livingston: It’s my last year and I just turned the council.
John Keating: She knows I want to run for Mayor, and she will support me. I’m ok with her being DMPT, with you as MPT. I told her I would like to be DMPT until I announce, then I can resign my seat and DMPT, and she can take over…
Frisco Chronicles: It is not “considering” when Keating makes it clear repeatedly to other city officials that he is running – which is a violation of the CITY CHARTER!
Brian Livingston: She was part of kicking me off Budget and Audit, unity would be supporting me now. A split vote isn’t going to look good.
John Keating: I think the unity piece is in Angelia as DMPT, as much as I want it… It would show your magnanimity…
Brian Livingston: After that vote, let’s have dinner and talk about next year. My seat, mayor, etc. Maybe we can go somewhere in McKinney.
John Keating: or AZ…(smiling/laughing emoji)
John Keating: Angelia will take DMPT, but suggests we vote on DMPT first, make sure she gets it, then support you for MPT. You’ll get it either way, as I will promise to support you, so you have the 4 votes you need. More would be nice. Could be 6-0 for you upstairs and downstairs if we do this right…
Brian Livingston: I am fine with that. She not trust me? Have you reached out to Tammy? Should I text Gopal?
John Keating: She feels you villainize her and ran Redmond against her. She had nothing to do with Budget & Audit and couldn’t (not legible)
Brian Livingston: Odds that somehow, I get fucked over for MPT?
Frisco Chronicles: Livingston must have futuristic powers because he knew John, Angelia, and Laura were going to screw him overfrom what it sounds like.
John Keating: I think you’re good to go! Angelia and I are on board.
Brain Livingston: I’ll remember that. I promise.
John Keating: Thumbs Up Emoji
John Keating: And you, Jared, Burt, me support Angelia for DMPT…!
Brian Livingston: Done
John Keating: Brian: MPT & Angelia: DMPT
John Keating: I’d like to get your perspective on Mayor’s race next year. It seems pretty clear Jared P will endorse Shona, along with the Colberg’s several others. IMHO, bringing Will and Shona back is a bad idea!
Brian Livingston: I think right now it’s a dead heat. Nobody is doing anything to differentiate themselves. Probably between you and Shona unless someone jumps in and surprises us. You need to separate yourself from Jeff without going nuclear. Look mayoral and statesman like. Your biggest advantage is that you are a sitting elected official. Need to solidify GOP support. A lot can change in a year. We’ve just seen that.
John Keating: I am thinking about MPT, so we should talk. I’m thinking if I want to run for Mayor, I should be MPT. If I do run for Mayor and lose, this would be my last year…! I do want to be Mayor and would endorse you for county commish, that hasn’t changed.
Frisco Chronicles: I do want to be Mayor! John Keating again proves his word is useless. Everything is about him, only him and no one else matters
Keating Continues: I am surprised to hear about the social media stuff. Not sure what’s driving that or why this would happen now…? Is there another Whistleblower article???
Frisco Chronicles: How would Livingston know if there is another Whistleblower article coming? He has nothing to do with Whistleblower!
Brian Livingston: Nope people just started calling me saying Jeff unfriended them so I looked on Facebook.
Friday June 13 @ 11:24 AM
John Keating: At the same time, I want to honor my commitment to you, and distance myself from “Team Tammy”…
Frisco Chronicles: Clearly, John Keating does not understand the term “honoring my commitment,” and of course, he wants to distance himself from “Team Tammy.”
Brian Livingston: I’ll be honest, I was taken aback by that text. This is my last year no matter what and I think I have earned the MPT. While I like and respect you, that would definitely change our political relationship at this point.
John Keating: I’m concerned about Shona running for Mayor and what level of support she will get. It seems pretty clear JP will support her. I don’t want to look foolish supporting you for MPT, and then you endorse her. Not a good look for me…
At a US Army luncheon…
Frisco Chronicles: Welcome to the Keating Show, where everything is about … Keating!
Brian Livingston: I think you should do what you think is best. I’m not going to trade an endorsement for MPT as that is unethical (not saying you suggested that in any way). Most of my thoughts about this don’t need to be texted and probably not even said. Just remember you gave me your word in front of Burt. Have a Happy Father’s Day weekend.
Frisco Chronicles: This is the best statement in the whole text thread. Livingston makes clear it is borderline unethical – but that is the Frisco Way!
John Keating: Yes, agree. Happy Father’s Day!
Monday, June 30th @ 2:30 PM
Brian Livingston: Rumor is that Tammy is going to run for your seat when you announce for Mayor. You have picked someone already?
John Keating: Rob Altman has asked about it. I’d like to get TX GOP support for me and him, maybe for Ann Anderson – she wants to run for your seat… I’m obviously not supporting Tammy for anything…
Brian Livingston: Colberg may step in and if she does, I’ll probably support her. No idea for what seat. I just want us to have a head start on Tammy.
John Keating: LR is pissed about DMPT
Black Out Image
Brian Livingston: Also, you and Altman will need to work on Elad and grassroots since you supported Gopal. Plenty of time just can’t waste it.
Black Out Image
Brian Livingston: Between us, I get really flexible on things after getting MPT.
Frisco Chronicles: Ding, ding, ding – Brian Livingston is correct. It was on the agenda! It doesn’t take a genius to know that.
Let’s Break It Down
Is John Keating Running For Mayor? Yes! He has made that clear to Tammy Meinershagen (which she repeated), he has made it clear to Brian Livingston (based on text messages). Then we have his statement “She (referring to Angelia Pelham) knows I want to run for Mayor, and she will support me.” If you have made it clear to Angelia Pelham that you are running for Mayor, she should be calling for you to step down. Is she bending the rules for you?
Residents should be calling on the City Attorney, City Manager and City Council and enforcing the City Charter that requires him to step down!
Is John Keating Mayoral?No! When you represent our city (even in private) you should hold yourself to a high standard. Talking shit about current and former council members and previous employees is inappropriate. Saying Shona Sowell is forgotten, out of touch and asking a lot to come back after three years is disgraceful especially when you know the reason she chose to step down was to focus on her personal health and her battle to beat breast cancer. Just one thought, Mr. Keating at least she had the courage to step away.
Saying Scojo (aka Scott Johnson) has no chance because he has no money, and his ex will sandbag him, is also disgraceful. Whatever Johnson did in private is none of our business, unlike YOU, MR. KEATING, who got caught in a community public pool on a holiday weekend with a woman who was not your wife! Wouldn’t it be interesting if Keating’s EX ever got the guts to sandbang him? Gloating that his wife will sandbag him is the pot calling the kettle black! Also, it is not MAYORAL, nor are posts like joking around about getting naked.
Then let’s talk about your comments on Laura Rummel, “under the circumstances, I’d expect her to get crushed next year…” What circumstances are you referring to Mr. Keating? While we don’t disagree with you, we are not running for office. Have you said this to her face? Probably not! Two-faced statements are not very becoming of a Mayor.
Keating’s behavior over the last several years has been far from Mayoral! Then he wants to sit on this thrown and judge others – is that who want leading the city?
Keating wants the local GOP support. Keating knows how to hob knob with the establishment liars, but both theCollin and Denton GOPs are more “grassroots” republicans. Keating has endorsed democrats and donated to democrats, which is a HUGE party NO-NO! He has done nothing over the years to establish a relationship with the grassroots republicans. He is the definition of what many call a RINO!
Quid Pro Quo Offer. When John said he was “seriously considering” running for Mayor and would love to have Livingston’s support, and in return he would support him as Mayor for Denton County Commissioner, he violated the City Charter again. The City Charter (Ch 2, Sec 2-302) clearly states (2) Reciprocal favors: A city official may not enter into an agreement or understanding with any other person that official action by the official will be rewarded or reciprocated by the other person, directly or indirectly. Keating said if you support me, then AS MAYOR (which is an official capacity) he would support Brian. That is probably why Brian quickly responded that his text was borderline unethical!
Closing Thoughts
Keating’s playing the “mystery candidate” card. By keeping it quiet, he avoids early scrutiny, dodges critics who’d love a head start, and keeps potential rivals guessing. Think of it as political poker: he’s hiding his hand until the pot’s just right. But let’s be honest—Frisco isn’t buying the act. When a politician suddenly cares it’s not out of pure civic joy. It’s campaigning in disguise.
Keating is lying to VOTERS and we have said it before this council runs with Rules For Thee, Not For Me! Is it MAYORAL to lie to residents about your plan to run for Mayor so you can continue to hold on to your seat on council? Is it MAYORAL to negotiate the Mayor Pro Tem and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem positions?
At this point, we are asking the City Manager and City Attorney to have John Keating step down because clearly, he is running for Mayor. It is not “considering” when he makes it clear to multiple people he is running. It is a violation of the CITY CHARTER – it is time for the CITY OF FRISCO to do the right thing!We are also calling on the City Attorney, City Manager, and City Council to respond to the PIR’s in full. Did Keating violate the law by leaving quite a bit of his conversation out of the response that fit the PIR request? Why would he do that? Is he trying to cover something up? Is that Mayoral? Also, we would like to know if his comments violated the city charter section on “Reciprocal Favors?”
Stay tuned—because the only thing more entertaining than the race itself will be watching how long he can keep pretending he’s not in it.
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.
Something curious is making its way through the quiet cul-de-sacs and HOA-lined streets of Frisco, Texas. No, it’s not another pizza coupon or a glossy mailer featuring a smiling city councilmember holding a bulldozer. This is something far more… poetic. Mysterious. And, depending on your reading, slightly unhinged.
We’re talking about the letters—written in a flowing, subtle cursive that feels like a mash-up between Jane Austen and a B-movie villain monologue. One such letter arrived in the mailbox of a former council member. Then, they texted it to a friend, and the friend asked, “Can we send this to Frisco Whistleblower?” Next thing you know, we have a “You’ve Got Mail!” notice!
It opens like this:
Well, well, well… Thought you were being careful, didn’t you? A whispered word here, a sneaky move there — so subtle, so clever. But here’s the thing, darling: nothing stays hidden forever. Especially not when we’re all watching.
Ah, the classic tone of someone who just finished binge-watching House of Cards and decided to give the calligraphy font a whirl.
The second paragraph sharpens the tone, sharpening its verbal knives:
We know what you’ve been doing. All the schemes, the backdoor deals to collaborate or protect, every dagger wrapped in a smile. You thought you would get away. But the cracks are showing, and the truth? It’s crawling right up behind you.
If this sounds like something you’d expect from a disgruntled screenwriter trying to get back at a former HOA president, you’re not alone.
It continues:
Whispers have become conversations. Conversations are turning into confessions. And let’s just say … receipts have a way of resurfacing when you least expect them. Even with VPNs and modern methods to shield oneself. Tick-tock. Your time is almost up. And when the fallout comes? No one will be left to clean up your mess. Actions have consequences, sweetheart. And yours are finally catching up, courtesy of JH. We might not know her, but we love her. XOXO – Frisco.
Cue dramatic music. Okay, we actually laughed instead.
Now, about that name-drop. We’re confident JH didn’t co-sign her name or give approval to someone to use her name in what could best be described as a mash note from a petty godmother of vengeance. But hey, this is Frisco, where political affection and shade often share the same cocktail napkin.
Will she sue them? Try to depose whoever’s scribbling love threats with a cursive fine point font? Probably not. Especially if the sender is a devoted admirer of her work and is just a few unsent letters away from crafting a shrine.
Here at Frisco Whistleblower, we believe in publishing our letters, not licking stamps to send thinly veiled threats via the U.S. Postal Service. Our readers? They email us and comment openly, and don’t hide behind RBG stamps. They don’t channel Emily Dickinson meets Dexter in cursive and drop lingering lines in the mail.
But this strange week isn’t just about letters. It’s also been one filled with Hikois being written (shoutout to whoever resurrected that word) and declarations of love for local political figures being sealed with metaphorical kisses.
If you do receive one of these letters, we encourage you to:
Keep the letter and envelope.
File a report with Frisco PD.
Consider reading it aloud with dramatic lighting and a glass of wine on Facebook Live, because, frankly, it’s kind of a performance art piece.
And now, to close this odd dispatch from the frontlines of Frisco mailboxes, we leave you with a poem — a collection of words that mean everything and nothing, much like the letters themselves:
A Poem of Unknown Words The ink remembers what the lips forget, Dandelion silence in a whisper-net. Shadow sewn to sunshine’s hem, Pages curled like lies at 10 p.m.
Umbrella thoughts in moonlit code, Spoken softly down Morse Road. Blink twice, and secrets bloom — In cursive threats and sweet perfume.
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.”
I went to her to ask for help with an issue my child that was getting nowhere with the school,…
So whatever became of the $17 million dollars that the city council gave the Mayor to beautify a drainage ditch?
At last count, there are 3 different "spa/massage" businesses in the small office park at the northeast corner of John…
I literally just saw this. Yeah, she used to forward everybody’s emails behind their backs.
You're dropping truth bombs! These mom and pop shops are what should be the least of Karen's worries. If they…