Hajoon “HJ” Yun
Dr. Parrish
ISM II
22 Jan 26
ISM Assessment #11 Interview with Deputy Mayor Pro Temp Laura Rummel
“Make sure to have a thick skin and know your principles.” This was the advice that I received from Ms. Laura Rummel, a member of the Frisco City Council. On October 23, 2025, I had the opportunity to visit the George Purefoy Municipal Center to have a discussion with Councilmember Laura Rummel - City Council Place 5, Deputy Mayor Pro Temp of Frisco. First elected in 2022, Ms. Rummel has managed to improve the quality of life for all residents through tax exemptions, park developments, and the creation of the Animal Advisory Committee. During our interview, I asked questions in regards to how she manages to balance her full time job, her city council position, and her personal life.
I began the interview process by asking Councilmember Rummel about her dual role as both a city councilmember and Deputy Mayor Pro Temp and what the difference was between those positions. She responded by giving me a broad overview of the roles that the Mayor and City Council both have with respect to one another. The Mayor is an elected official who provides guidance to a city council that is made up of six diverse perspectives and unites them to serve the people of Frisco. Since the role of Mayor is a part-time position - with the incumbent Mayor, Jeff Cheney, holding a full time position as the Owner and Broker Associate of The Cheney Group - there are two members of Council who are designated to act as the Mayor in times when the official Mayor is unable to perform his duties. The first person in line is the Mayor Pro Temp, currently held by Councilmember Angelia Pelham. If she is not available, the responsibility falls over to the Deputy Mayor Pro Temp, Laura Rummel.
As a city council member, the role is incredibly versatile - and misunderstood. As I found out, city council members also have full-time day jobs that they need to attend to during the week. So, on top of their full-time jobs, members are responsible for attending evening committee meetings, ribbon cutting ceremonies, and responding to citizens’ concerns. Despite the heavy workload, Councilmember Rummel seemed to take pride in being able to represent Frisco and its citizens.
While major cities, such as Dallas and Fort Worth, use city council districts to divide up representation, the city of Frisco uses an at-large system. The at-large system is designed to have the entire city be represented by six city council members who serve staggered three year terms. Ms. Rummel explained how she enjoys the at-large system as it allows the Council to, “make decisions for all of Frisco and not just a pocket of Frisco.” She elaborated that by having citywide elections for each city council position, it keeps the council accountable for delivering results for the entire city. When proposed with districts, Ms. Rummel responded that creating districts in Frisco would be too complicated and would decrease the representation of residents by needlessly dividing up the city. Furthermore, the issue of districts for city council positions seem to come up every five years, with the issue being rejected by voters each time.
Another topic we discussed was the importance of being accessible as a councilmember. By being a part of the most accessible level of politics, council members must be transparent, active, and engaged with the community. Unlike representatives that voters send to Washington DC, councilmembers, are active citizens of Frisco. As Ms. Rummel commented, “we are the people you see at the grocery store.” Because of the added responsibility of transparency, it is vital for city council members to be accessible to residents.
The conversation I had with Councilmember Rummel was very productive and eyeopening. As a long-time resident of Frisco, having the opportunity to talk to a local city council member was an honor. As a member of the Mayor’s Youth Council, the interview was a way for me to go even further into the world of local politics. As somebody who wants to go into politics, the lessons I learned from Ms. Rummel are things that will be carried on as I take the next steps to college.