Calm before the Election

It has been a long and rewarding process to get to where we are today. The election is this Saturday, May 10th. I have really enjoyed making new friends, meeting new citizens and spending time with old friends and supporters. My family and I have really enjoyed the last few months and words cannot convey to you how thankful we are for your support.

With over 400 volunteers, I can't say thank you enough times or list the countless times someone has come to our aide to make this campaign the huge success it is. Everyone helped; from the supporters in red to the many financial contributors to the campaign, which was necessary to get our message out.

Every volunteer, every effort, every minute was just as important in our effort to make Frisco the best place to live.

Our volunteers could have easily spent their time taking care of their family, getting that extra time in to organize their home or spending their volunteer time at their church or the many other organizations we have in Frisco. Yet, they still found time to make a difference to my campaign and that means the world to my family.

Together, we spent a lot of time in our community. We attended over 30 meet and greets in the homes of our citizens and answered their questions. We helped sponsor several charity golf tournaments. We attended community events and spoke to anyone that had a question for us. Our supporters attended every debate, every event. They were there right by my side to support me, to hold me up and to give me the strength to work hard for our community.

Our volunteers brought tents, chairs and materials to the early polling locations every single day. We used a lot of sun-screen, that's for sure! Sometimes we had one or two and sometimes we had 10, but they were there every day, every hour.

My volunteers became experts in city operations and issues. We had many long days and late evenings. It was fun and it was tiring, but we spent time with quality people who care about their community. Next time you see one, ask them what NTMWD stands for, or why water conservation is important. Ask them about our tax revenues or expenses and why it is so important to tighten our belt during these challenging times. I bet you they can answer your questions.

When we asked for help with our signs, I expected five or ten volunteers to come for some good pizza! We ended up with over 60 volunteers! Needless to say, we had to order some extra pizza :-)

We had young children and seniors, we had new residents and some that were born in Frisco! It was truly a team at work. What used to take most of the day only took a couple of hours with time for social talk and visiting with friends. Some of our volunteers knew each other and some became friends on the spot!

We had "runners" to stack the signs and "troubleshooters" to help solve problems. Have I told you about the great team we have? What an amazing group of individuals.

The picture to the right tells it all - the team included kids and teens. Just look at the focus and determination on their face! This is what makes all the hard work so worthwhile and satisfying.

I look forward to seeing you this Saturday at the polling location. We will have volunteers at each location, so please stop in and say hi to them. All the candidates worked very hard and have taken time away from their families to serve our community. Please say thank you to them as you go in to vote or on the way out. They deserve to know that you appreciate their effort.

Most of all, thank you for taking the time to get educated on the issues and going to vote. In the end, we should all be thankful that we live in such a great city with so many volunteers.

Please join us on Saturday evening starting at 7PM at our poll watching party at Pizza Hut Park in the verizon club. Please let us know you are coming so that we can plan accordingly.

Join over 500 of your fellow citizens in celebrating this election. RSVP by clicking HERE. Make sure you vote first and head our way - the polls are open from 7AM to 7PM. I hope I can meet you in person!

Sincerely,

Maher Maso

Citizens Speak Out

In the ongoing saga of trying to protect the health of our citizens, the residents of Turnbridge Manor and Hunters Creek had a great showing at a TCEQ meeting tonight.

Approximately 125 residents showed up along with our City Manager and an attorney from the City of Frisco to a public hearing by the TCEQ on the APAC batch plant permit renewel. I attended to see what the TCEQ had to say and was not too pleased to find out that this hearing had no real bearing on the permit renewal process. I was disappointed, to say the least, that none of the comments would be presented to the TCEQ commission in Austin when they consider this issue.

Our residents were very prepared on this issue and many of them spoke. TCEQ did not have many answers. I ended up saying a few words as well as our City Manager, George Purefoy and the attorney that represents the city. We started down this path several years ago when I, along with the City Manager, met in the home of a committee that the citizens appointed to address this issue. We still have a ways to go to solve the impact this has on the health of our citizens. I look forward to attending the hearings in Austin.

Grateful for the Support and Endorsements

I just wanted to take a moment and again thank all my supporters and volunteers for their hard work on my behalf and on behalf of the future of Frisco. I can't put into words how much your friendship and support has meant to my family. I know you may have been reading about the ethics complaints about my opponent and you have probably seen his response basically blaming me, my campaign team and my volunteers. His attack does not warrant a response, period.

I do, however, want to make sure you know how much I appreciate you and your help. As we have discussed over the last several months, I want you to continue to focus on the issues at hand, which is managing our growth, keeping taxes low, building needed roads and infrastructure and public safety. We know we are running a campaign focused on making Frisco the best place to live and we are talking about what we have to offer.

I AM PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS AND CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. DO NOT LET ANYONE DRAG YOU INTO THEIR PROBLEMS!

To that end, I thought I would throw out some facts and figures about the campaign so that everyone can see what we have accomplished together!

-- To date, we have approximately 400 active volunteers!
-- We have received approximately 235 financial donations to date! THANK YOU - We could not run an effective campaign without your support.
-- We have attended over 30 meet and greets in the homes of Frisco citizens (THANK YOU!!) At times, we have had two or three on one day (now you know why I have been behind on answering e-mails and voicemails). I have learned many things from our citizens on how they would like our City to grow.
-- We have over 1700 small signs placed in the front yards of Frisco voters and over 100 on the waiting list. THANK YOU!
-- We have approximately 68 large 4x4 signs out with permission!
-- We have over 300 Maso for Mayor shirts being worn around town.
-- We have over 20 magnetic signs on cars and another 100 window stickers.

-- Our kick-off party had approximately 750 friends and supporters in attendance

-- Our sign-making party had over 50 volunteers come to my home and put together the signs in a record time!

-- Our campaign rally/fundraiser at the Founders Club at the Dr Pepper Ballpark was at capacity with over 150 people in attendance

-- The debates were attended by numerous supporters in red shirts and we clearly have your support.

-- The campaign team and supporters have attended too many events to list, including several golf tournaments, HOA meetings and Events, City Functions, Meet the Candidate and other public events (and we are not finished yet!) Our team has done a great job getting out in the community with our message.

We have been endorsed by the Dallas Morning News, The Frisco Enterprise and the Collin County Association of Realtors. Click on the names above to see what they wrote!

We also appreciate the hundreds of citizens who have come to us with their support and provided their endorsement of our campaign. I appreciate you and my entire campaign team appreciates you. Together, we will continue to make Frisco the best place to live.

And the March goes on

The first week of May was as busy as ever, but what else is new? The day started out with setting up the table at College County Community College for early voting. I was joined there by several of our volunteers. I could only stay there a short time, so if I missed you coming to vote, I apologize. From the voting location, I walked across campus at 9:30 to attend a Collin County Association of Realtors presentation where they recognized me and shared their endorsement of me to be the next Mayor of Frisco.

With their blessing, I took some extra muffins and walked back to our campaign location and shared them with our volunteers and those of the other candidates. Continuing the hectic pace, I again promptly left there to attend the Garden Club of Frisco luncheon, which was sold out. Mayor Mike Simpson gave his last presentation (for the Garden Club!) as Mayor.

The rest of the day was spent at the polling locations. From there, we had two meet and greets scheduled in Stonebriar and our team left the polling location early to make it. With the number of meet and greets at over 30, there were several days where we had multiple events planned. This was one of them!

This was on Thursday! The next day was not much easier as we repeated the polling day presense. That evening was a treat at the first ever dinner at Babe's restaurant. Mayor Mike Simpson was honored for all his hard work. Most of the Council and staff were in attendance.

The entire campaign team attended the Curtsinger Elementary golf tournament at Plantation Resort on Sunday. We had so many red shirts and cars with signs out there, I think the public thought it was a campaign rally! We appreciate all the thumbs up and horn honking. It was great to meet so many of our fellow Curtsinger parents. We were also very successful in raising over $700 for the Curtsinger PTA with our "spin the wheel". Thanks Andrea!

I had to take a short break from the tournament and head over to Fire Station 6 grand opening. What an amazing station staffed with the best firemen. The station is located at 3535 Eldorado Parkway and is our newest station. Thanks to our citizens, we have opened new fire stations on a regular basis!

We had our last "coffee with the Maher" on Monday, the 5th. If the citizens chose to elect me as the next Mayor, I plan on continuing these meetings! We have filled the room on just about every Monday, so thank you for making these meetings a huge success!

Frisco Family Services held their annual Mayor's Golf Tournament on Monday. Our campaign team sponsored a hole and I spent the day riding in a golf cart (notice I didn't say playing golf. Playing golf means you can actually hit the ball!). It was a great evening. Our first lady, Sandy Simpson, was honored with a "tea party" early in the evening and then Mayor Simpson was honored with a special recognition later that evening. The tournament raised close to $100,000 for Frisco Family Services!

The next morning was the Mayor's Breakfast where Frisco Citizens, Staff and Council honored the families that made up "Frisco's 100,000th citizen". You will be reading more about that in the near future. Frisco is now officially in the 100,000 club!

Until next time,

best regards,

Maher Maso

Meet & Greets and Coffee with the "Maher"

I want to publicly thank everyone who has hosted me in their home to discuss my vision for Frisco. I have really enjoyed discussing our City, past, present and future with our citizens. I have learned a lot about what is important to you and I hope you have learned something from me.

I want to recognize my campaign team for their hard work and dedication; I could not do this without them. By election time, we will have had over 25 meet and greets in homes along with several events and debates/forums. Yes, it is a hectic schedule :-)

The Monday morning "Coffee with the Maher" meetings are going great. We are filling the room at Le Peep restaurant. YOU ARE INVITED! Please join us for coffee and muffins as we discuss issues that are important to our future. This is an informal gathering; come as you are! Join us from 7:30-8:30am every Monday. Le Peep is located at the Southwest corner of Preston and Stonebrook. I hope to see you there.

Community Saturday

Campaign season is usually very busy, but today took that to a new level. I really enjoyed with visiting with hundreds of our residents. Keep in mind, on my mind the entire day was my son, Brandon. This was the day that he would be taking his flight-test and becoming certified as a private pilot. It was hard to focus at times knowing he was "up" there.

The day started innocently enough. We had an early "cold" soccer game for my 10-year old goalkeeper daughter. It was exciting because the two first-place teams played each other. It was exciting to watch out team play the best game as they pulled out a win 3-1.

Our first event was the Grayhawk Spring Festival which was held at Boals Elementary. The HOA was kind enough to invite all the candidates. Some of our campaign team joined me as we met many of the homeowners. This was an example of a community creating an atmosphere that welcomes the residents to get out and meet each other. The HOA should be congratulated for being practive. The food was great and the kid's activities were really fun (I know, Layna was there playing!)

We quickly left Grayhawk to meet up with some of the volunteers who were visiting residents by going door-to-door. From there, we rushed over to another group of volunteers who were setting up a tent at the Kyle Lee Memorial Golf Tournament, where we sponsored a hole.

The day did not end there as we again sped off (at the legal speed limit :-) ) to the Panther Creek HOA social at mourning dove park. The HOA, again, was very gracious in inviting all the candidates to their event. Panther Creek really made it a fun event by having a crawfish boil, music and activities for the kids. Turnout was very high! Way to go HOA board and Social Committee!

The day did not end there; we were not able to stay until the end. Party of my campaign team stayed at the crawfish boil and the rest of us went to attend a meet and greet at Hunters Creek. THis was one of over 25 meet and greets.

I want to close by saying how blessed Val and I are that we have so much support and help. This campaign is very time consuming and we could not do it without your support and help. Thank You!

Busy Early march

The one thing you can't say during campaign season is that you have nothing to do! March 2nd started with a big sign-making party at my house. I did not realize how BIG! I did not count, but parking was at a premium and my guess was well over 50 volunteers showed up. I remember back in 2000 when I ran my first campaign, Val and I were out there with the hammer and nails. We are truly luck to have so many friends and supporters. I will post pictures soon!

Coffee with the "Maher" have on Monday mornings have been going great. I have met many new people and have had the opportunity to hear the concerns of our citizens. We are now in the big room in the back at Le Peep (it is a nice problem to have outgrowing the large round table in front! Don't forget to join me at Le Peep every Monday morning from 7:30-8:30AM.

It has also been a busy with with answering questionnaires from different entities. At times, it is hard to keep up, but I enjoy discussing the long-term vision of our City and our accomplishments. The week ended early with several cancellations due to the weather.

This Time in History

I thought I would share some of the things that took place during this period over the last few years while I served on council.

Early March, 2000 -- I attended a meeting with the City Council that discussed the Frisco Jetport (I worked hard with a group of citizens to not allow an airport in the middle of our City). During this period, I was also a candidate for City Council, which I eventually won. It was a busy time with many meetings.

Early March, 2001 -- During this period, I was full in full swing in my first year on City Council. We had a joint City Council/P&Z meeting during the first week in March. Many other meetings during the week including one with our downtown merchants.

Early March, 2002 -- More meetings (I sound like a broken record!). This is the first time I met congressional candidate Keith Self during his campaign. I also had a meeting with the board of the Frisco Community Theatre (all on a Sunday). The rest of the week was made up of Tax Increment Finance District Meetings, Art Board Meetings and a citizen meeting.

Early March, 2003 -- Highlight of the week was the 2nd annual police awards dinner at St. Francis. We had a joint meeting with our housing trust fund board and also held an appreciation dinner for our boards and commissions.

Early March, 2004 -- My first year as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem, appointed by the council. Lots of other meetings (almost every day).

Collin County Association of Realtors Endorses Maher Maso for Mayor

Press Release

For Immediate Release Contact: Kyle Tarrance
Ph: 214.546.1829
Email: andrea@masoformayor.com

COLLIN COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
ENDORSE MAHER MASO IN FRISCO MAYOR’S RACE

Maso honored to receive key endorsement


FRISCO, TX, APRIL 7, 2008 – The Maher Maso Campaign today announced the endorsement of the Collin County Association of Realtors (CCAR) in the race for Frisco Mayor.

“We carefully evaluated both candidates and we believe Maher Maso is the best prepared to lead Frisco,” said Linda Taylor, Chair, CCAR’s Government Affairs Committee. “Maher has the right background and experience needed to carefully plan for our growth and expansion.”

“I am proud and deeply honored to have the support of such a great organization,” Maso said. “I support and commend their goals of protecting the real estate market and keeping home ownership affordable.”

Maher Maso moved to Frisco in 1992 with his wife, Val and 3 children. Since that time, Maher quickly established himself as a community leader through his tireless work in the civic and non-profit communities. Maher served on the Frisco City Council for seven years, and was appointed by his colleagues a record five times as Mayor Pro Tem.

For more information on the Maher Maso Campaign, please call (214)546-1829 or visit www.MasoforMayor.com

###

I am a Cancer Survivor

I wrote a welcome page for my personal page for the Relay for Life event in Frisco and I thought I would expand on it here. Besides my personal page, you can reach my team page HERE.

I am honored to be asked to be the honorary chair of this years Relay for Life - please join me in helping this great organization!

I am a Cancer Survivor

"I am a Cancer Survivor" is a simple sentence, but it was not something I would ever say or talk about. You see, I had cancer when I was very young. I think I was around 20 years old. That tells you a lot when I say I "think". It was something I erased from my memory. I never brought up. I would avoid discussion of the subject and would never share this part of my life with my friends.

With maturity and community service, I realized that having Cancer is not something to not be ashamed of. As I saw many friends battle this disease; some that did not make it and others who have won their battle, it finally became clear to me; Life needs celebrating.

Relay for Life is a time to celebrate life and to remember those we have lost. We are in this together. We can win this battle. By participating in Relay for Life, you are giving hope to those that may not see hope. You are helping revive dreams of those that have lost their dreams. You are coming together, with a team, to say we won't be quiet. We won't be embarrassed and we won't be ashamed. You are saying that I am personally going to do my part to help others. For that, I thank you! I know that the American Cancer Society thanks you and most of all; I know all those who have been touched by cancer thank you!

Please make a donation to me or join my team. You are helping deliver the hope that future generations will not have to endure cancer threatening the lives of their friends and family. You have the power to fight back against a disease that affects millions. To make a donation, visit my personal page at Relay for Life at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/mahermaso. Please consider giving!

Sincerely,

Maher Maso

Busy Saturday (or how would I do it without my wife?)

You know, sometimes I don't give Val enough credit. Val, my wife of 18+ years, has been the rock-solid wall behind everything I do. She has been my support system that has allowed me to do all the things that I have done. Val is no slouch with community service either; she has served on the board of Plano Symphony Orchestra as well as served in the PTA, Frisco Family Services and Frisco Association for the Arts committees and as well as a room Mom for our children over the years. She has also been through the Frisco Citizen's police and fire academy and served on the Frisco Citizens on Patrol program. She understands Frisco issues as well as anyone else!

Many of you know I am finishing my Masters program at UTA and today was class day. So Val attended the Congressman Sam Johnson reception at a home in Chapel Creek on my behalf. Congressman Johnson has not only been a friend to Frisco and has served our Country so well, he is a friend to Val and I. Brandon, our son, is on the Sam Johnson youth advisory committee and I have enjoyed watching him grow in that program. Of course it is no surprise that I support Congressman Sam Johnson for re-election, so please vote on March 4th and continue to support that man that has served our military, paid a heavy price as a POW to protect our freedom and is now serving our Country as a Congressman.

1st Annual African American History Celebration

I had the opportunity to attend the 1st African American history celebration at Centennial High School today. There was a slight mix-up in the start time; I thought it was 10AM and they had actually started at 9:00AM. When I arrived at 9:45, the program was in progress. Our City Manager, George Purefoy and his wife Debra, were in attendance as well as our City Secretary, Nan Parker. Also, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Joy West was also present from the Council.

Shana McKay Wortham from Frisco ISD spoke which was followed up by an awards presentation. Congratulations are in order to the following persons and organizations:

• Frisco Resident & Historian Bro. Jimmy Jones
• Frisco Residents of Color
• Todrick & Monica Johnson, Owners of Epitome Magazine
• Jake & Vinita Reed, owners of Frisco Thunder Arena Football Team
• Bob & Andree King, owners of Farmers Insurance Agency in Frisco Square
• Pastor Hugene & June Purdy, Trinity Resource & Ministries Coaching
• Dr. Bryan Bullitt, Frisco Chiropractic
• pastor Arthur Maxwell, Himilton Chapel Baptist Church
• George Purefoy, City Manager, City of Frisco

Presentations were made by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Joy West on behalf of Mayor Mike Simpson, the Frisco Boys and Girls Club, the Frisco Police Department, Frisco Chamber of Commerce, Nan Parker, Frisco City Secretary and a few others. While the program was long (I stayed until after 12:00pm), the content was very rich and the event was a huge success. I look forward to seeing this event continue to grow.

Chambe of Commerce Quarterly Luncheon

If you have never attended the Frisco Chamber of Commerce quarterly luncheon, you should make the time to do so. The room is always filled with local elected leaders and business people.

Aaron Demerson, Executive Director of the office of Governor- Texas Economic development and Tourism, was the guest speaker. I had met and gotten to know Aaron in 2007 when I spent the day with Texas One at Texas Stadium. Aaron is a great Representative of Texas.

Aaron discussed the Texas One program and shared some of the economic data of the business community in Texas. I introduced some friends to Aaron and I was happy to see that he already was close friends with the Frisco Chamber of Commerce President, John Land. Our very own Scott Johnson, who is a candidate for the Frisco City Council this year also serves on the board of the Texas Economic Development Corporation. All in all, a great day!

Frisco Rotary

I was invited by a friend to attend the Frisco Rotary, which I have done on several previous occasions. I always enjoy a good lunch with my friends, but this day was even more special. Several guests attended including the main speaker, State Representative Ken Paxton.

Representative Paxton did a great job bringing the audience up to speed on upcoming State issues, including the complex TxDOT review, appraisal caps, education and many other things. Ken is always a pleasure to listen to as he is a wealth of information and he is always working hard to represent our City. Next time you see Representative Paxton, thank him for his efforts on our behalf.

It was also a pleasure seeing Congressman Sam Johnson at the same luncheon. Congressman Sam Johnson is a great role model for our community. I have had the pleasure of spending a considerable amount of time with Congressman Johnson and his wife, Shirley, over the last seven years. We are very fortunate having him serve us and our Country. Sam has sacrificed so much for our Country, from serving in the military, being a POW and now as a Congressman.

Thanks are in order to DBU for hosting the Rotary every month. Dallas Baptist University is another class act that adds to the family atmosphere and ethical leadership in Frisco.

Collin County Community College

For this entry, I thought I would touch on Collin County Community College, or as we call it, Collin College. Frisco is a successful city because of the partners we have to help build our community. Collin College is a key partner in many of the things we do. Not only does Collin College provide an education for our citizens, but they also participate in several city programs including the Tax Increment Finance District, which has helped build Stonebriar Mall, Pizza Hut Park, DR Pepper/Stars Center and helped keep our property taxes low.

I serve on the Collin County Community College Education Foundation which helps provide scholarships for students. With over 40,000 students and 100 degree and certification programs, Collin College is a very important educational institution. I serve on the board and also on the executive committee as the secretary of the organization along with several community leaders. I am very lucky to have the honor of serving with this board of very experienced community leaders and volunteers. We are always looking for new donors and board members to help provide scholarships - we always have more scholarship requests than funds to meet it. Please consider becoming part of the team!

Worldcamp Dallas 2008

While attending the City Council meeting tonight, I heard about an interesting conference that is being held at City Hall in the Council Chambers. John Pozadzides gave a presentation about the conference he would like to bring. For all you bloggers out there, this is probably an interesting event to attend held right here in our City.

You can get additional at John's blog at http://onemansblog.com or the official web site at http://wordcampdallas2008.eventbrite.com/.

All you WordPress users may want to check this one out.

Coffee with "The Maher"

The first "official" coffee with "The Maher" went really well. Le Peep was relatively slow that morning and only three tables had people having breakfast. However, it turned out that I knew all three tables. So, after saying hi to everyone, we were well into our 7:30-8:30 time.

I am looking forward to meeting even more citizens as we continue our campaign. I am hoping to see some new faces in the coming weeks, so please do not be shy. This is very informal, just bring yourself and I will provide the coffee and muffins. If you have specific questions or just want to talk about Frisco, everything is on the table! Let's discuss infrastructure, schools, taxes, city government, transportation issues, rail, zoning or anything else you would like.

Time: 7:30-8:30AM
When: Every Monday morning
Where: Le Peep Restaurant at the South West corner of Stonebrook and Preston Road.

Daddy/Daughter Dance

This is one event my 9-year old daughter, Layna, thinks about all year long. She will usually bring it up at least once a month if not more often and always ask if it is getting close. I can't recall how many I have been to, but I think I attended it the very first year it was held!

If you have never been to one of these, it is hard to put it in words. If I were to try; one of those words would be "amazing". Everything about the Daddy/Daughter dance is "amazing". It has grown to be the largest one in the Country (yes, I said Country). I remember having to wait in line 6 or 7 years ago at 8AM just to get tickets and back then, it sold out quickly. Of course, sold out meant about 500 tickets and it was held at Frisco High School.

Well, it has expanded just a little bit. Now, four dances are held on a Saturday, starting at 2PM. Approximately 5,500 dads and daughters attended this year and some came from as far away as California and Houston. Amazing!

If you tried to go to dinner on Saturday, you probably saw a whle bunch of little princesses, not mention having a long wait for seats. You see, part of the tradition is taking your princess to dinner either before or after the dance.

This year was a little bit tricky. Collin College Education Foundation, where I serve as a board member, was holding their annual fundraiser, Collin Cabaret, at the same evening and the same location (The Frisco Convention Center). And no, I didn't even consider skipping the Daddy/Daughter dance - it was not an option knowing how much Layna was looking forward to an evenin out on a date with her dad. Val to the rescue!!! Val and our friend, Terri Green, attended for me and they were able to enjoy the show while Layna and I were tearing up the dance floor right next door.

The dance ended at 9:30PM and Layna had the opportunity to mingle with some adults at the cabaret as we caught the end of it. It was important to support the College as they provide so many scholarships to those that really need it.

Layna and I really enjoyed the evening. We started out with dinner at Macroni Grill in Frisco with 4 other fathers and their daughters. The young ladies were all very beautiful and excited to be going to the dance. After a great dinner, we left for the last dance of the evening at 8PM. We won't talk about my dancing abilities, so we will just skip right to the end; my favorite dance. Since it is a slow dance, I do just fine. In fact, I'm always afraid to look up because I don't really want to see grown men crying :-) In case you have not guessed it, the song is "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle [LYRICS].

All in all, one of my favorite evenings of the year.

Proclamation Record

After having served on City Council for over seven years, I can factually say I have never seen so many proclamations at meeting as I have tonight. Mayor Mike Simpson nevers lowed down as he read each one and recognized every group. The Boy scouts and their many recognitions won hands down with numbers, but all the groups are to be commended. The council chambers were full with the friends and family members of those being recognized.

The record number of proclamations is an indicator of the type of community we live in. The quest for excellence and accomplishment is very telling of the type of citizens we have living in Frisco. What it is yet another Eagle Scout, or an award for community service; we are fortunate to live in Frisco.

A presentation was also given titled The Looming Transportation Crisis. The presentation discussed the age of our road system along with other transportation issues.

Newsletter Correction

The Friscofirst newsletter went out this morning and I am sure this Blog is getting a lot of previews since I mentioned it in there. A quick correction to the newsletter: The link to the Warren Harris web site is incorrect and did not work. Warren Harris can be found at http://www.warrenharris.net

The picture also did not work for some. Here it is:

Coffee with "The Maher"

If you review my old blogs, you will note that I am meeting someone for coffee or lunch on an almost daily basis. A week or so ago, my campaign team and I discussed having a regular scheduled meet the candidate coffee on a weekly basis. Then we promptly put it on our CALENDAR

So, come on out to an informal "Coffee with The Maher" every Monday from 7:30-8:30AM at Le Peep at 7151 Preston Road (at the SW corner of Preston and Stonebrook). MAP.

The coffee is on me, just bring yourself and your questions/comments. Look for a sign on the table if you don't recognize me (here is a picture just in case!)

Continuing my years of being accessible to any citizen, I plan on making the "Coffee with The Maher" a permanent fixture in Frisco, except we will correct the spelling :-)

Maso files for Mayor press release

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

____________________________________________________

MAHER MASO FILES CAMPAIGN FOR FRISCO MAYOR

Former Mayor Pro Tem Seeks To Keep Frisco

A “Very Special Place To Raise A Family”

FRISCO, FEBRUARY 11, 2008 - Former Frisco Councilman & Mayor Pro Tem Maher Maso today filed his candidacy for Frisco Mayor for the election to be held May 10. Maso is seeking to replace his longtime friend and current Mayor Mike Simpson who is not seeking reelection due to term limits.

"I have a deep passion for Frisco and want to make sure our close-knit community continues to improve," said Maher. "I've worked with our Chamber of Commerce to grow our economy, helped our children as a volunteer coach and served on the City Council where I kept taxes low and fought for more state funds to reduce our traffic. Now I want to bring my enthusiasm to the Mayor's office."

"We all know Frisco is the best place to live, work and raise a family," added Maher. "As our Mayor, I will use my experience and energy to keep our community a very special place to raise a family."

Looking to get an early start on the campaign, Maher was waiting on the doorsteps of City Hall when it opened this morning, the first day candidates can file for office.

"My family is excited to start my campaign for Frisco Mayor," said Maher. "I can't wait to talk to our residents about my plans to reduce traffic, grow our economy, keep our taxes low and protect our families from violent crime."

Though it is early in the campaign, Maher has already received the endorsement of Senator Florence Shapiro, former Frisco Mayors Bob Warren and Harold Bacchus, former Frisco Councilmembers David Buck, Gary Downey, Mike Zapata and Kelly Doster, and former Planning & Zoning Chair Baxter Brinkmann.

Maher and his wife of almost two decades, Val, and their three children moved to Frisco in 1992. He was first elected to public office in 2000 and was re-elected in 2002 and 2004. Maher was the longest serving Mayor Pro Tem in Frisco, appointed by his colleagues five times from 2003 to 2007.

Maher was chosen as the Frisco Citizen of the Year in 2005 and one of the 21 for 21st Century leaders in 2004, which is given to Collin County leaders who have demonstrated leadership in varied fields in the new millennium. Maher is the Vice President of several privately held corporations and serves on the board of directors of Network Cybernetics Corporation.

A more detailed resume of Maher's civic, business and elected experience is attached. For more information about the campaign, please call 469-556-2631 or visit www.masoformayor.com.

Maher Maso Biography

Education & Certifications

Bachelor of Science in Business Management, graduated with Honors. Executive MBA - Graduation in 2008 - University of Texas at Arlington

Texas Municipal League - 350+ hours in Government training including State Certified Public Funds Investment Officer

Boards and Commissions

Frisco City Council

- May 2000-June 2007

- Mayor Pro Tem, May 2003-June 2007 (5 appointments)

- Deputy Mayor Pro Tem, 2002-May 2003

- Chair of Budget & Audit sub-committee, 2003-June 2007

- Frisco Tax Increment Finance District Zone Board, 2000-June 2007

Collin County Community College District Education Foundation

- Mission Statement sub-committee Chair

- Audit sub-committee review member

- Executive Committee Member and Secretary, May 2007-Present

Frisco Public Library Foundation

- May 2007-Present

Frisco Square Management District (FSMMD)

- Board of Directors, May 2000-June 2007

Arts of Collin County Commission

- Commission Member & Vice-President, 2004-Present

- Treasurer, May 2003-2004

- Founding Steering Committee Member, 2002-2004

Frisco Association for the Arts

- Advisory Board, 2007-present

- President, 2005-2007

- Vice-President, 2002-2005

- Board of Directors, 2000-2007

- Member since 2000

Leadership Frisco

- Chairman of the Board, June 2003-2005

- Curriculum Committee Member, 1997-2005

- Facilitator & co-Facilitator, Regional Government Day, 2003-2007

- Facilitator, Local Government Day, 1999-2002

- Interview Committee, Class 1

Frisco ISD

- Technology Committee Member, 1997-present

- Clark Middle School Campus Committee,e 2006-May 2007

- Curtsinger Campus Committee, 1997

Collin County Council on Volunteerism

- Board of Directors, 2006-Present

Association of Mayors, Council Members & Commissioners (AMCC)

- 2006 Nominating Committee

2006 Relay for Life

- Honorary Chair, 2007

Collin County Bond Committee

- Facilities committee, 2002-2003

Plantation Resort Homeowners Association (PRHA)

- President, 1993-1995

Misc. Civic and Local Organizations

- YMCA Boys Basketball Coach, 2002-2003

- YMCA Girls Basketball Coach, 1998-2003

- YMCA Girls Basketball Assistant Coach, 2006-present

- Frisco Baseball/Softball Association Coach, 1997-1999

- Frisco Baseball/Softball Association, Assistant Coach, 2005-2006

- Frisco Chamber of Commerce Membership Drive Co-chair, 2007

Memberships

- Heritage Association of Frisco

- Frisco Association for the Arts

- American Planning Association

- Plano Symphony Orchestra

- Frisco Chamber of Commerce

Awards and Recognitions

- Frisco Citizen of the Year, 2005

- Voted one of the 21 for the 21st century leaders in Collin County, 2004

- 7-year recipient of recognition for continuing education from the Texas Municipal League with 350+ hours, 2000-2007

- Accepted 5-year award on behalf of Frisco from TML for 5 consecutive years of continuing education

- Awarded Proclamation of Outstanding Service by Mayors of Allen, Plano & McKinney, 2004

- Inside Collin County Business "Portrait of a Leader" Recognition, Inside Collin County Business, 2005

- Certificate of appreciation, Stonebriar Village Neighborhood Committee, 2007

Ready for the Rain?

Because it is coming our way... I will never complain about the rain in Texas, especially after the drought we went through recently. I am quickly trying to get my outdoor things done before it comes.

Several exciting things are taking place in the campaign. First, you have probably already seen the press release about being the first to file for Mayor. If not, I will post it here. My campaign Manager, Andrea Wright, her daughter and her Mom, Rosa Cross, all joined me as we waited for the doors to open at City Hall.

It was exciting to take the oath (picture on left) as I submitted my application. Leading a city of over 100,000, which we will shortly be, is a job that I take very seriously. I am honored that so many have placed their trust in my candidacy and I will work very hard to be your public servant.

I rushed from City hall to meet a citizen for a coffee to discuss several issues. As always, I enjoyed the meeting. The "short" meeting, which really was about an hour and a half long rolled right into another lunch-time meeting with a Frisco resident. Now you know why I have gained some weight :-) I really do enjoy enjoy meeting with our citizens as it is a great opportunity to offer insight about our city and also learn from the wealth of knowledge in our community.

On a personal note, Brandon, my son, took his written exam for his private pilot license. He recently turned 17 and has enough hours to receive his certification. That alone made my day a very happy day. Brandon recently flew his first cross-country solo flight and wrote about it. When I have a minute, I will place it on this blog. For now, you can find it here: http://www.group3txwing.org/content/0802/newsletter0802.htm (it is about 1/2 down the page, just search for Brandon Maso).

Leadership Frisco

Friday, February 8th, was a day that I was looking forward to for the last several months. I have been involved in the Leadership Frisco program since the first year when I served on the original curriculum and applications committee. Every since that first year, I have been involved in some form or fashon with this outstanding program that is sponsored by the Frisco Chamber of Commerce. Besides serving on the curriculum committee over the years, I also served as Chair of Leadership Frisco for two years.

Friday was the culminiation of working on the agenda over the last several months. With received feedback from last years class; we wanted to change things up a bit. The day was really about regionalism and learning about the partners around us. The new format worked really well! First; we met at the Embassy Suites for the ride to the City of Prosper. Little did the class members know that I would have them as a captive audience in the van ride to Prosper! I think some of them were planning on taking a nap on the way since we left early; but I never pass up an opportunity to help educate :-)



On a serious note, I really enjoyed it. I think we touched on just about every part of city operation. The class has some very good questions and before we knew it, we were in Prosper. The Prosper presentation was outstanding as the class members learned about the issues that a small town has to deal with. It was not that long ago that Frisco was that size (in fact, I was here, in 1992, we were approximately 6500 population). The also learned about how much that Prosper and Frisco work together.



From there, we packed back into the van for the drive to Plano city hall. Yep, you guessed it, another opportunity to "present" to the class. I should call it the rolling presentation :-)



Plano was an oustanding venue for the class to learn about the challenges that a mature city faces. City Manager Tom Muehlenbeck and Mayor Pro Tem Sally Magnuson presented to the class and they realy enjoyed it, especially the question and answer session. The class was able to see Tom's passion for Plano.



From there, we boarded the bus again (yep, more presentation by yours truley) for a trip to NTTA headquarters. We met in the board room and had lunch served. We didn't slow down though, NTTA gave a presenation, which is always one of my favorites. The behind the scenes in operating the tollway is always interesting. DCTA (Denton County Trasportation Authority) also came to present followed by HTNB, a country-wide engineering firm that excels on transportations.



This is getting long, so I will end it here. The whirl-wind tour was a big success. If you are interested in the Leadership Frisco program, contact the Frisco Chamber of Commerce (or you can e-mail me and I can put you in touch with the right person).



Class 11 of Leadership Frisco should be commended for making this committment to learn about their community:



Bill Blitt
Heather Bowers
Bart Crowder
Dustin Donley
Lisa Kalka
Marc Kirkland
John Land
Kevin Lofgren
Rhonda Martin
Millicent Mayaka
Jose Monzon
Lawanda Penland
Will Russell
Michael Rodgers
Olga Simmons


Also, my gratitude, on behalf of Leadership Frisco, to The City of Plano, Town of Prosper, NTTA, DCTA, HNTB and the Embassy Suites.

A very busy Wednesday

It's days like this that make you want to clone yourself!

The day started out early as I headed over to Robertson Elementary in the Frisco ISD. I will never get used to how many schools we have in Frisco. When I moved here in 1992, we had one elementary, one middle-school and one high school. I lost count of how many we have now long ago! What is interesting is Robertson is in Little Elm and I had one heck of a time finding it!

The Staff at the school obviously love what they do. Special thanks are in order for Principal James Iorio and first grade teacher Nora Davis. Mr. Iorio obviously knows how to run a school; everyone was very friendly and the students were well-behaved. Mrs. Davis helped set up the presentation and made it very easy for me. I had the opportunity to give two presentations about governments and what it was like to serve on the City Council and as Mayor Pro Tem. One presentation was to the first graders and one was to the fourth graders. It is always interesting to see the different kind of questions you get (and boy did they have lots of them)! There is nothing like speaking to elementary students to get you ready for the rest of the day.

Sports Village USA

From there, the Wednesday roll continued. After leaving Robertson, I headed over to Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q. If you have not eaten there yet, give it a shot. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I had a lunch-time meeting with the Sports Village USA folks. Sports Village is a concept that has been a priority for the Frisco City Council since I came on in 2000. It is basically a PSO type facility for the children of Frisco. However, the actual Sports Village concept is much more than that. As the name implies, it is an entire sports village that will be world-renowned and not only will it be a great opportunity for our children who are involved in sports, but also will bring athletes from all over. Keep a close eye on this project as it develops!

Candidate Debate and Batch Plants

What do these two have in common? Nothing besides the fact that I had to be at both places at the same time !! Thanks to the Frisco Chamber of Commerce; a debate was held for the Collin and Denton County Commissioners races. The debate started at 6:00PM and first up were the Collin County candidates. I was happy to see that Council Member Tony Felker (as a Chamber representative) was in attendance as well as Council Member Jeff Cheney and Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Jim Joyner. They are doing a great job representation the City of Frisco. I know that Mayor Mike Simpson wanted to be there, but was splitting duties by attending the Collin County Community College Education Foundation dinner. CCCCD is a great partner for Frisco.

I was able to stay for a good portion of that debate and had to leave before the Denton County candidates came up. You guessed it; I rushed over to the "Batch Plants" meeting.

A quick (very quick) background: What we are talking about are the batch plants on S.H. 121. The City has been working with Turnbridge Manor and Hunter Creek residents over the last few years. I have personally had several meetings with their committee and other interested residents over the last few years. We really got things going when George Purefoy, our City Manager and I met with Frisco Citizens Air Quality Coalition, a group of concerned citizens from that community. Ronda Figueroa helped set up this meeting in March of 2006. The concern is and has been the particulate emissions from those plants along with the odor. The City of Frisco has invested time and money in studying the impact on our citizen’s health.

This specific meeting was asked for by the City and George Purefoy and Richard Abernathy, City Attorney, were in attendance. Turnbridge Manor and Hunter Creek residents had a wonderful turnout and spirited discussion occurred. The main thrust of the evening had to do with the APAC-Texas' asphalt plant permit renewal. Several options were presented to the homeowners. If you want additional information on the meeting from the homeowner side or any additional background, contact Carolyn Lis at lisfamily@tx.rr.com.

Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Jim Joyner and Council Member Jeff Cheney came in towards the end of the meeting (it was mad dash from the campaign debates) and interacted with the homeowners. I want to again thank them for their dedication!

That's it for busy Wednesday. I think I got home around 10:00PM, but who knows.. you lose track on those busy days!

Can't believe January is over

Think about it, 1/12th of the 2008 is already over with. My kids are no longer babies and the hours really fly by! With the speed of time, I'm trying to fit more and more in to a typical day and it does not seem to be working :-)

February 1st started with a long day at a class in Forth Worth (have I ever told you how much I enjoy learning? I do!). I drove straight home late in the day to attend Mardi Gras Frisco 2008 at St. Francis of Assisi church with my wife Val. We really enjoyed the evening as it has been an annual event for us.

Saturday, February 2nd, was also a very long day. I woke up early to get to the Frisco City Council mid-year worksession. The mid-year work session was an idea I floated in 2000 when I was first elected to office and everyone, at that time agreed. Since then, the Frisco City Council schedules a mid-year work session which is typically held in February on a Saturday. I left the mid-year at around 1PM to go to my 9-year old daughters basketball game (a double header).

We have so many great events in Frisco that you will never lack for something that is family friendly to do. After the basketball games, we headed over to the world Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) international meet at the Embassy Suites. Mayor Mike Simpson welcomed the large crowed and we watched several US teams along with 8 different countries international elite's compete. All I can say is Wow!

Monday, February 3d, was a little more relaxed. Besides the normal family stuff, we had two different campaign meetings with groups that are helping the Maher Maso for Mayor campaign. Did I mentioned we are always looking for volunteers? Just visit our web site and look volunteer link.

Tuesday, February 4th was back to the hectic pace. I started the morning early by meeting citizens who support Frisco adding a dog park. I am always happy to see our citizens take action to attempt to improve our city. I rushed from there to the Frisco Downtown Merchants association meeting. This is another group that works very hard to improve Frisco and downtown Frisco. Amazingly, I actually had a chance to do some work in the afternoon and then headed over to City Hall for the City Council meeting. Turnout was good and several important issues were covered:

The Texas primary is March 4th and early voting starts February 19th. For additional information, you can visit the City Secretary's web site.

I also heard about the Daddy Daughter dance numbers. There are very few tickets left and I believe there are over 5000 purchased so far. So, if you want to take your daughter, you better hurry and contact the Frisco Parks & Rec. department.

The Frisco PD gave an update about sexual offender buffer zones from schools and parks. They said that the growing trend of governmental agencies is to adopt local ordinances regulating where registered sex offenders can reside within their respective jurisdictions. Buffer zones are not consistent between offenders who have been jailed and released and those that are on parole (one is 500' and one is 1000'). The PD is suggesting that it is a consistent 1000'. Of course, nothing is every simple. What tends to happen is that sexual offenders are "funneled" to certain neighborhoods that do not have nearby schools or parks, which can create problems. The PD currently has no enforcement ability with parolees. The Frisco PD is working on an ordinance to increase the buffer and give us the ability to take enforcement action against parole violators. It was decided that they will bring back an updated ordinance for Council to consider.

Staff also discussed the fact that we received a federal grant of $275,000 for a signal system communications project. Staff demonstrated how it helps by providing real-time status of traffic lights and allows synchronization and modifications without having to visit the actual intersection.

February on a Roll

The campaign is really starting to pick up steam. I can tell when I am sending and receiving hundreds of e-mails with the Maher Maso for Mayor campaign team. Our large group is very active and you should start seeing visible signs of the activity all over Frisco. Now you see why we came up with the name TeamFrisco2008!

Tuesday, February 5th started out with a morning meeting at It's a grind with a concerned citizens group. I had to start very early so I could make the downtown merchants association meeting at the Chamber of Commerce at 8:30AM.

Several daytime meetings later, I made it home to spend some time with the family and then off to the City Council meeting. It was an interesting meeting, but one of the key things that caught my attention was the sexual offender ordinance that was being discussed by Council. I was disappointed, of course, that any new ordinance modification would grandfather those near parks and schools. I am studying this issue carefully and will attend the next Council meeting when it is brought up again.

Monday Happenings

I started out the day with a local citizen who likes to keep up on local, regional and state politics. I always love answering questions by our citizens and I hope everyone continues to watch our government in operation. The government is our servant. After the 10AM meeting, I hurried over to DBU for a lunch meeting.

I would tell you about that meeting, but I can't. It is a big secret :-) Let's just say it it was about volunteers in our city.

City Council Meeting

I attended part of the City Council meeting tonight before rushing out to
my daughters basketball practice.

The Centennial High School video production class was recognized with a
proclamation for their awards at a national competition in Philadelphia.
The teens did a great job representing Centennial, Frisco ISD and the
City of Frisco.

At the same meeting, the Frisco police department recognized the
Citizens on Patrol for another successful National Night Out.

A major milestone was reached as the City approved the letting of
Panther Creek Parkway from Teel to Dallas North Tollway. This project
was fast tracked to provide relief to Eldorado. Hopefully, it will move on schedule and an alternate east/west connector to Eldorado will be in place before next year.

Almost the end of the week

As expected, this was a very busy week. I only listed the civic things we did, but you can bet we spent a lot of time with our family and friends. Right after Layna's YMCA basketball game, we rushed over to catch the Plano Symphony Orchestra "Home for the Holidays" concert at Centennial High School. It was a full house and I know the families really enjoyed the performance. Mark this as a "MUST DO" for next year!

We are heading out the door for two more holiday celebrations with friends this evening. They should be a lot of fun!

Tomorrow will be a relaxing day - first Church where Layna has one of the main parts of a Christmas play and then we are thinking of attending another PSO concert with the kids. More next week....

Thursday, December 13

The day started out at 7AM with a meeting two the artistic director and executive director of the Children's chorus of Collin County. This relatively new group is growing rapidly and involving the youth of our County. I look forward to some great things from this organization.

There was a short break from late morning to early afternoon, but things picked right back up in the evening. I attended the Collin County Association for Realtors Reception at their offices in Plano. It was a wonderful gathering with many good friends and elected leaders in attendance. I enjoyed the discussions I had with State Representative Jerry Madden, County Comissioners Phyllis Cole and Jerry Hoagland, and Andy Rittler, who is the North Texas regional director for Senator John Cornyn. Many other elected officials were there and it was a great evening visiting with old friends.

It was a whirlwind tour as our family went right over to the Boys and Girls Club of Frisco celebration. The entertainment by the children was very good. I watched the faces of my girls, Alisa and Layna. They were smiling the entire time and they obviously enjoyed it. Somehow, Val and I had the opportunity to help with the serving of food and drinks. (all of you who had the thought that "it is probably because you were standing there eating it all anyway" should be ashamed of yourself. It is true, but you still should be ashamed ). The cobbler was really good. All the volunteers should be congratulated for a job well done.

Christmas is getting closer

I can tell that Christmas is getting close.. Lots of Holiday parties to attend!

Wednesday saw me have a meeting with a citizen in the afternoon. I always enjoy visiting with the residents of Frisco as they have so much to offer.

I attended the Arts of Collin County commissioners meeting where I serve as VP on commission. It was a relatively short agenda. Afterwards, we went to Two Rows to just spend non-meeting time together. I am proud to be associated with a great group of volunteers and staff members.

The evening saw us attend another holiday party, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

A special Day

I was invited to attend the Collin County Association of Realtors Holiday Breakfast today. CCAR's kindness in inviting me every year is very much appreciated. CCAR is the 5th largest Realtor organization in the State, which is an amazing fact when you consider Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio are all very large communities.

I have had the pleasure of hearing former Air Force Captain Scott O'grady speak before, but you never get tired of hearing about his heroics or his faith in god that helped him get through his ordeal.

New "Blog"

Well, it is time to change the format for the logs. I started using the logs sometime in 2003 if memory serves me correctly. It was a way to let the Citizens know what I was up to in representing them. Since that time, it seems blogs have become very popular for just about everything. I still plan on using them to detail my activities. The old log can be found HERE: http://www.friscofirst.com/weblog/ for the time being.

Just so that I can practice, I am going back to the January 1, 2006 for this log. I will keep the archives active in some form or fashion. As I write this, 2007 is almost in the history books and a 2008 is fast approaching.

Monday December 10th

I was invited to attend a reception for Presidential Candidate Governor Mike Huckabee in Dallas. Val and I attended and had the pleasure of meeting Governor Huckabee and sharing a few words with him. He was a very kind man and I can now say I have met two of the candidates - Governor Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani. I encourage everyone to study all the candidates so that we can make the best possible choice in leading our future.

Rght after the reception, Val and I were invited to a Christmas part at the home of Michael Hitchcock, president of FC Dallas. Michael, as always, was a very gracious host.