1) Why do you feel you are the most qualified for the position you are running for?

[FOL Editor]

1) Why do you feel you are the most qualified for the position you are running for? (ex. work or life experiences you expect to leverage)

[FOL Editor]

Place 1 - Bob Allen (Incumbent)

Frisco has seen great change in the past 20 years and I have been honored to be a part of that change. I have been fully invested in this community for those 20 years and I have a passionate vision for the future. In addition to serving the citizens of this community for 8 of the last 10 years on the Frisco City Council, I have served on numerous committees, boards, and regional initiatives. I have served as Chairman of the Frisco Economic Development Corporation Board, including 9 years of service and President of the Frisco Education Foundation Board, including 7 years of service. I have spent most of my professional career as a leader at EDS/HP. In my professional life, I have 30 years experience leading organizations and delivering successful results, while providing large scale financial management.

Frisco is ~72 square miles in size, but only about 50% developed. Frisco’s current population is just over 124,000 citizens, on our way up to an estimated build-out at about 280,000. Given these important factors, it is critical we have leaders that will focus on the master planning process and demonstrate the discipline to see it through. I am that leader, with a proven track record of success; and I have a vision for continued development that leverages the investments of the past, with an eye to the future.

Place 1 - Brent Billhartz

My wife and I are both local veterinarians. We have close and personal relationship with the families of Frisco. These relationships put me in a unique position to serve the needs of the city. I will know of the problems and successes from private conversations long before a blue card is ever filled out publically in City Hall.

We have grown our company month after month no matter the economic climate and we continue to add jobs right here in Frisco. My success as a local businessman and local employer gives me the skill set and outlook needed on City Council. During the dark days of the downturn we chose to forgo our salary to avoid laying people off. We were unwilling to ask our company to sacrifice before we ourselves had sacrificed. Our sacrifice was rewarded with success.

[FOL Editor]

Place 3 - Dan Bollner

I am on the board of the Frisco Economic Development Corporation (FEDC). The FEDC is a significant arm of city government. Serving on this board has given me insight into the intricacies of how Frisco functions.

Spanning four decades of my career, I have held executive leadership positions in finance and business development. I have held financial and marketing VP positions in major subsidiaries of ConocoPhillips Oil Co.; and, had a leadership role in creating hundreds of jobs in Texas and across the Southern United States, with associated jobs in the 1000s.

My experience and education (MBA Southern Illinois University), paired with my leadership and ability to bridge factions and bring them to the same table, uniquely qualifies me for Frisco City Councilman. Over my career I have gained the knowledge and wisdom required for this office.

Place 3 - Will Sowell

I am running for office to continue my history of service in the community. As a 12-year resident, I have witnessed the incredible growth of our city. We are now at a critical juncture – Frisco is just over half built out, and we need leaders who have the experience to offer creative solutions for problems and also have the courage to make decisions that are in the best long-term interest of the city.

My background and broad experience derived from leading a global company of 1,500 people and a budget of $250M provides me with a unique perspective to bring to Frisco City Council. I understand the complexities and challenges that come from running a large and fast-growing complex organization because I’ve already managed them first-hand.

I have developed specific solutions on economic development, managing human resources within the city, keeping the tax rate low, and presented my detailed positions on difficult challenges facing Frisco such as Exide, water, and the growing demands on public safety. I am not afraid of tackling tough questions and tough problems, because I know that tough problems don’t have quick, sound-bite solutions.

Lastly, I understand economic development in Frisco from a perspective that is not just academic but is hands-on and proven effective. In leading two different companies to relocate to Frisco, I brought 250 jobs to the city. And my relevant corporate experience means that I know first-hand what companies are looking for when they come to Frisco.

[maimai]

Frisco is the fasting growing city in the US and we need the continued leadership of Bob Allen on city council. This is a great city to raise a family in or come to retire. Bob has been on the council 8 of the last 10 years and is a big part of this city's success.

[rbrodner]

Originally Posted by maimai

Frisco is the fasting growing city in the US and we need the continued leadership of Bob Allen on city council. This is a great city to raise a family in or come to retire. Bob has been on the council 8 of the last 10 years and is a big part of this city's success.

And right there in a couple of short sentences, you've shown why it's time for a change. "Elected official" is not a career. Unfortunately, Bob's opponent is a dud.

[bizguy]

Originally Posted by rbrodner

And right there in a couple of short sentences, you've shown why it's time for a change. "Elected official" is not a career. Unfortunately, Bob's opponent is a dud.

My guess is that Bob cruises to re-election...

[rbrodner]

Originally Posted by bizguy

My guess is that Bob cruises to re-election...

Yep...

[Piiilot]

Originally Posted by maimai

Frisco is the fasting growing city in the US and we need the continued leadership of Bob Allen on city council. This is a great city to raise a family in or come to retire. Bob has been on the council 8 of the last 10 years and is a big part of this city's success.

The only reason Bob will is because his opponent is a bit of a buffoon. Bob being re-elected is not necessarily a good thing, it's the lesser of 2 evils. In this - if we could choose "none of the above" I have no doubt that would be the choice.

[Frisco119]

Originally Posted by maimai

Frisco is the fasting growing city in the US and we need the continued leadership of Bob Allen on city council. This is a great city to raise a family in or come to retire. Bob has been on the council 8 of the last 10 years and is a big part of this city's success.

?????

Bob fought hard to waste $20-40 million of tax dollars on the Arts. Fortunately (against his strong protest) the city council put the issue back to the voters so we only wasted $3 million or so on it.

Bob brags about being part of the development of NTEC, an abysmal failure which now costs the city close to $800K per year (per EDC members) not to mention the multi millions in sunk costs. The only viable company incubated quickly moved to Plano, a clause Bob admitted in this forum (see NTEC question) "needs to be tightened up. Ya think?. PS, I don't think incubators are bad per se, I along with many people think ours was set up very poorly.

In an interesting twist, Brent Bilhartz has EXACTLY the type of background needed to help fix NTEC.

In 2009 Bob lead the charge to raise our taxes when hundreds if not thousands were struggling to keep their homes or losing them.

Now Bob claimed he was "irritated" people keep bringing up his record at the last candidate forum. If your record bothers you, perhaps you should have voted differently.

while I appreciate his service, he couldn't be more opposite of what many (including other candidates you seem to support) think is a prudent approach to the management of municipalities.

Piilotl calls Brentt a buffoon. A buffoon who built a company over the past 10 years which employs about 10 people and trains 2-3 interns a year to enter into veterinarian training.

A buffoon who put his wife through college working as a cancer researcher developing protocols being used today to stem the growth of leukemia cells in patients with cancer.

Had any other poster called Brent a buffoon but one of the 3 stoogies, it would have been insulting. Instead it is typical of a guy known for being often wrong but never in doubt and seldom very informed on the issues.

[bizguy]

Originally Posted by Frisco119

?????

Bob fought hard to waste $20-40 million of tax dollars on the Arts. Fortunately (against his strong protest) the city council put the issue back to the voters so we only wasted $3 million or so on it.

Bob brags about being part of the development of NTEC, an abysmal failure which now costs the city close to $800K per year (per EDC members) not to mention the multi millions in sunk costs. The only viable company incubated quickly moved to Plano, a clause Bob admitted in this forum (see NTEC question) "needs to be tightened up. Ya think?. PS, I don't think incubators are bad per se, I along with many people think ours was set up very poorly.

In an interesting twist, Brent Bilhartz has EXACTLY the type of background needed to help fix NTEC.

In 2009 Bob lead the charge to raise our taxes when hundreds if not thousands were struggling to keep their homes or losing them.

Now Bob claimed he was "irritated" people keep bringing up his record at the last candidate forum. If your record bothers you, perhaps you should have voted differently.

while I appreciate his service, he couldn't be more opposite of what many (including other candidates you seem to support) think is a prudent approach to the management of municipalities.

Piilotl calls Brentt a buffoon. A buffoon who built a company over the past 10 years which employs about 10 people and trains 2-3 interns a year to enter into veterinarian training.

A buffoon who put his wife through college working as a cancer researcher developing protocols being used today to stem the growth of leukemia cells in patients with cancer.

Had any other poster called Brent a buffoon but one of the 3 stoogies, it would have been insulting. Instead it is typical of a guy known for being often wrong but never in doubt and seldom very informed on the issues.

Reading Brent's answers to the questions here on FOL says he is not ready for prime time... sorry precinct captain...