I am so excited that Tracie Reveal Shipman has stepped up during this critical time to once again serve our great city. For those that don’t know Tracie (and I’m not really sure who that may be in this city), she was one of the visionary citizens and then council members who created the plan for what Frisco was to become.
Some many argue that this is “all in the past” and we should be focusing on Frisco’s future. Well, no-one can demonstrate a better commitment to our city’s future than Tracie. Tracie led the council session that set the foundation for the nationally recognized (and award winning) Millennium Plan, which was approved in 2000. She was elected to council in 1999 as a commitment to support the mission and goals of the plan, and create a city that has become one of the jewels in the crown of city planning in this country. Tracie’s contribution to this plan, along with many of our early city leaders from 1996-2003 established the vision that led to our controlled, exponential growth over the past two decades.
Frisco’s future is dependent on our past. To suggest that experience doesn’t mean anything (as has already been suggested by some), is not only insulting but it is an ill-advised strategy, especially as the city continues to focus on who will lead this city for the next few decades. We need someone who understands our city’s history so we can continue to plan for our future in a smart way. That is what great leaders do. That is what Tracie will do.
With all due respect to more recent city council members, there has not been a more visionary group of people since that council set the direction for our city, and which all other city councils have followed. If you want to believe – as some as suggesting – that one person can’t have both experience and vision, then I’d ask you to take some time to get to know Tracie.
Tracie has been an independent thinker for as long as I have known her (over 20 years), and she is the type of person that even when we haven’t agreed (and there have been times when we have not), she has not let that impact the relationships she has with people. Tracie has never stopped being involved with (and in) our city since the time she moved here. There is no-one more experienced or committed to the future of our city for all citizens. This is why I am on board #TeamTracie for Frisco City Council Place 5.
As an aside, prior to Tracie announcing her candidacy, I had shared with Laura that I would be supporting her. Once Tracie announced her intentions, I advised Laura that my support would be directed to Tracie as I believed she was the more experienced and visionary candidate for our city.
Take some time over the next few weeks to meet Tracie and talk with her. When you do, I hope you will see why Tracie is the right choice for Place 5 this election cycle.