March 3, 2025 Newsletter

Arlington is a city where citizens are relegated to being spectators, rather than players on the field. The SPECTATOR helps citizens know what is happening on the field. Only a few of the in-house team members are allowed to play ball in Arlington. The SPECTATOR helps citizens understand the game.

GAME SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, March 4: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 10:15am, 2:30pm, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

Tuesday, March 4: AISD Board meeting, AISD Administration Building, 690 E. Lamar Boulevard, 4:00pm. Team building workshop.

Wednesday, March 5: P&Z meeting, 101 W. Abram Street, 5:30pm. (Work session at 2:15pm.)

Thursday, March 6: District 3 Town Hall meeting, Arlington Airport, 5000 S. Collins Street, 6:00pm.

Sunday, March 9: Daylight Savings Time begins, 2:00am. (Spring forward one hour.)

Thursday, March 13: AISD Board meeting, AISD Administration Building, 690 E. Lamar Boulevard, 6:30pm. (You must be signed up online by 3:00pm if you wish to speak.)

Monday, March 17: St. Patrick's Day.

Wednesday, March 19: P&Z meeting, 101 W. Abram Street, 5:30pm.

Tuesday, March 25: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 10:15am, 2:30pm, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

From THE LOCKER ROOM

Arlington City Council Update

The city council met last week. Their next scheduled meeting is this Tuesday, March 4. The first of two committee meetings is at 10:15am. The afternoon session begins at 12:30pm and goes into executive session. The open portion of the afternoon meeting will begin no sooner than 2:30pm. The evening meeting is at 6:30pm.

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Committee Meetings – Last Week

The Community and Neighborhood Development Committee met and discussed the CDBG PY2025 (Plan Year 2025) action plan and CDBG (Community Development Block Grant Review) (presentation, e-binder). They had 20 requests for grants.

The Municipal Policy Committee met to discuss the UDC (Unified Development Code) annual update (presentation).

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Afternoon Meetings – Last Week

The afternoon meeting opened and went into executive session. Nikki Hunter did not appear to be present for the open portion of the afternoon meeting. The meeting may be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/player/clip/5060?view_id=9&redirect=true .

(3:22) Start of meeting. The executive session agenda included: 1) legal discussion of the Aiman Investments lawsuit, 2) legal discussion of an appeal of the Zoning Board of Adjustments decision, 3) legal discussion regarding the Aqueous film-forming foams liability litigation, 4) employment of the presiding Municipal Court Judge, 5) council appointees performance reviews, and 6) offers of incentives to business prospects.

The four work session items were:

(2:05:35) 1. Tarrant County Public Health update (presentation). About 2:33:12 they opened it up for council comments/questions.

(2:41:25) 2. Downtown Farmers Market (presentation). They appear to have reached a point where they are ready for a March 4 council resolution. About 2:46:08 they opened it up for council comments/questions.

(2:52:40) 3. APD Racial Profiling Report (presentation, report, memorandum). About 3:01:50 they opened it up for council comments/questions.

(3:02:28) 4. Champion great neighborhoods (presentation). They are looking to increase public volunteerism. About 3:07:48 they opened it up for council comments/questions.

(3:10:42) The three informal staff reports were:

1. Used auto sales COs update (staff report).

2. Universal design standards (staff report).

3. Fire protection fees (staff report).

(3:28:40) Committee meetings.

(3:35:45) Other agencies reporting. The mayor spends too much of taxpayers’ dollars traveling for US Conference of Mayors [NOT a care in the world about the upcoming budget crisis].

(3:46:50) Legislative update (update).

(3:54:51) Evening agenda items. There are no appointments on the agenda. There were no questions regarding the fixed-base operator going out for bid, after paying so much to take it over last year. [No one wants an explanation...]

(4:05:17) Future agenda items. Ms. Boxall wants to explore smaller lots to be able to do single-car garages.

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Evening Meeting – Last Week

The agenda for the evening meeting included 36 consent agenda items and three public hearings (only the gas drilling permits was heard). All council members (including Ms. Hunter) were present. The meeting may be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/player/clip/5061?view_id=9&redirect=true .

(3:18) Start of meeting.

(6:30) The mayor moved citizen participation to the front. There was one speaker.

(9:23) There were appointments. Minutes were approved, 9-0.

(10:02) Consent agenda. There was one speaker in support of 7.17, the tree preservation and mitigation ordinance. There were 24 speakers in opposition of 7.22, the SUP for the gas drilling at 2020 S. Watson Road.

The James Hartley article for the Arlington Report can be found at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/02/26/arlington-gives-final-approval-to-gas-wells-near-day-care-center-over-resident-opposition .

Consent agenda item 7.27 was for going out to bid for the fixed-base operator at the airport (staff report). [Less than a year ago the city made a big deal of taking over the fixed-base operations at the airport, now they are going out to bid to put it in other hands again???]

Consent agenda item 7.33 was for a resolution of support for “The Watson” for tax credits [low-income housing] for apartments on land that is NOT even zoned for apartments at 1401 S. Watson Road (staff report).

Consent agenda item 7.36 was for approval of amendment #1 to the Sheraton project (staff report). This is for $1,753,225.42 for approximately 600 feet of sidewalk (300 feet X 2 sides of the street) with “the works” added in [another $1.75 million of taxpayer owned dollars for the “museum”].

The consent agenda passed, 9-0.

(1:12:32) Of the three public hearings, staff recommended continuances on the first two, PD24-9 (108 Hosack Street) to March 25 (approved, 9-0) and PD24-30 (7708 South Cooper Street) to March 4 (approved, 9-0).

(1:13:15) The third public hearing was for ten gas well permits at 2020 S. Watson Road. There were 19 speakers in opposition.

The James Ward article of the Shorthorn can be found at: https://www.theshorthorn.com/news/arlington-city-council-approves-gas-well-permits-in-final-vote-despite-opposition/article_75845924-f407-11ef-ab32-776e6b83cb40.html .

Committee Meetings – coming week

The Transportation and Municipal Infrastructure Committee is to meet at 10:15am and plans to spend about 45 minutes on median barriers for panhandling solutions (presentation).

The Community and Neighborhood Development Committee is scheduled to meet at 11:15am and plans to spend about an hour on the CDBG PY2025 (Plan Year 2025) action plan and CDBG (Community Development Block Grant Review) (presentation).

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Afternoon Meetings – coming week

The afternoon meeting is to begin at 12:30pm and go into executive session. The executive session agenda includes: 1) legal discussion of the executive orders at the state and federal levels, and 2) offers of incentives to business prospects.

The open portion of the afternoon meeting will start no sooner than 2:30pm. That portion of the agenda includes three work session items, two informal staff reports, three external agencies reports, and a legislative update.

The three work session items are:

1. 2024 Arlington Water Utilities year-end report (presentation).

2. Lincoln Square Redevelopment project (no presentation available at the time of this writing).

3. Support youth and families (presentation)

The two informal staff reports are:

1. Landmark Preservation Commission annual report (report).

2. Arlington Express transportation pilot service (staff report). This is $1.4 million addition to the ride-share program (with $1.1 million coming from NCTCOG – North Central Texas Council of Government) for some direct routes to/from the TRE station during rush hour. [Somehow they are claiming a large budget deficit for next year, yet they seem to find, in one of their many pockets, yet another almost $300,000 for this project. How about raising the fares for additional services instead of raiding taxpayers' funds?]

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Evening Meeting – coming week

The agenda for the 6:30 evening meeting includes 12 consent agenda items, six public hearings and a wrecker ordinance update.

Consent agenda item 7.3 is for the farmers market license agreement (staff report).

The James Hartley of the Arlington Report has a Farmers' Market article that can be found at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/02/26/arlington-has-been-trying-to-get-a-farmers-market-for-10-years-itll-finally-open-one-next-month-2/ .

Consent agenda item 7.8 is to use request for proposal method to get a potential contract of electricity procurement (staff report). [The city uses a lot of electricity (think of all those street and traffic lights) and is able to get a lot better deal than what you and I pay. This is to get the best possible deal on their next contract.]

Consent agenda item 7.12 is regarding the hotel deal at 900/908 E. Division Street that gives the bank more rights as far as collateral, but supposedly does not put the city at risk (staff report).

The first public hearing is for PD24-30, the Preserve at Wanda Way, 7708 S. Cooper Street (staff report). Rich neighborhood neighbors were concerned this would be hurting them. The developer has agreed to large homes on these smaller [than many adjacent neighborhoods] lots. The development has been renamed, taking out “cottages” and the “small” feeling. Developers have threatened this will probably become multi-family if they can’t build the homes they want to build. This was scheduled for the February 25 meeting, but was continued to this council meeting.

The second public hearing is for PD24-39 at 1501 Mansfield Webb Road (staff report). This takes commercially zoned land, pretty much surrounded by RS7.2 or larger and puts 46 town homes there. I have no idea why it is addressed as 1501 Mansfield Webb Road, as the entrance/exit points would be off South Collins. As is usually the case with town homes, parking looks to be an issue. Other deviations exist.

The third public hearing is for PD24-35 at 5510 Matlock Road (staff report). This is to allow a 125-foot cell tower.

The fourth public hearing is for ZA24-10 at 2015 Lloyd Drive (staff report). They wish to change the zoning from RE to RS-5 to build a single-family home on the approximate 0.16-acre property.

The fifth public hearing is for PD24-24 at 712 E. Randol Mill Road and 701 Slaughter Street (staff report). They wish to break some of their larger units into an efficiency and a smaller unit at the existing multi-family site.

The sixth public hearing is for PD24-34 at 1918/1922 S. Cooper Street (staff report). This is for an electricity substation.

The final ordinance is to amend the wrecker ordinance (staff report). This is to allow police service assistants (PSA) to be able to call for the removal of illegally parked vehicles.

Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

We do not know the date of the next EDC Board meeting.

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Upcoming Public Hearings

On Tuesday, March 4, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-30 on 5.195 acres at 7708 Cooper Street for a planned development for residential single-family 5 (RS-5). Since this is a PD, it suggests that they do not meet all the standards; the lots are probably smaller than allowed by RS-5.

On Tuesday, March 4, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-39 on 5.338 acres at 1501 Mansfield Webb Road. They wish for a change in zoning from Commercial to Planned Development (PD) for Residential Multi-Density-12 (RM-12) townhomes.

On Tuesday, March 4, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-35 on 0.0459 acres at 5510 Matlock Road. They wish for a change in zoning from Residential Single-Family 7.2 (RS7-2) to Residential Single-Family 7.2 (RS7-2) plus a cell tower.

On Tuesday, March 4, the city council will hold a public hearing on ZA24-10 on 0.172 acres at 2015 Loyd Drive. They wish for Residential Single-family (RS-5).

On Tuesday, March 4, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-24 on 6.437 acres at 700 E. Randol Mill Road. They wish for a change in zoning to Planned Development (PD) for Residential Multi-Family-22 (RMF-22) uses.

On Tuesday, March 4, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-34 on 3.436 acres at 1918 and 1922 S. Cooper Street. They wish for a change in zoning from Residential Single-Family 7.2 (RS7-2) to Planned Development (PD) for Light Industrial uses.

On Wednesday, March 5, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD24-40 for a planned development for a portion of Lincoln Square. If approved this will go to the city council on April 8.

On Wednesday, March 5, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD24-40-ASP for an alternate sign plan for Lincoln Square. If approved this will go to the city council on April 8.

On Wednesday, March 5, P&Z will hold a public hearing on Z06-40R2/B06-40R2 for expanding the Glorypark planned development to include the National Medal of Honor Museum. If approved this will go to the city council on March 25.

On Wednesday, March 5, P&Z will hold a public hearing on SUP24-10 for a telecommunications tower greater than 100 feet at 2350 Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard. If approved this will go to the city council on April 8.

On Wednesday, March 5, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD25-1 for a planned development for light industrial at 7505 US 287 Business Highway. If approved this will go to the city council on April 8.

On Wednesday, March 19, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD24-25 for 1700 E. Bardin Road. They wish for a planned development or RM12 (usually town homes) on 6.29 acres. If approved this will go to the city council on April 22.

On Tuesday, March 25, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD21-9 on 0.743 acres at 108 Hosack Street. They wish for a planned development RM-12. It is currently zoned RM-12 and MF-22.

???, the city council will hold a public hearing on SUP24-9 on 0.521 acres at 3007 E. Abram Street for a special use permit for a communications tower.

???, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD18-13R1 at 101 S. Center Street. They wish to remove the live-work units’ requirement.

P&Z Commission

P&Z will meet this Wednesday, March 5, for five zoning case public hearings. The full agenda can be found at: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/common/pages/GetFile.ashx?key=ji08AU3T .

Public hearing #1 is for zoning case PD24-40, Anthem, the old Lincoln Square redevelopment (staff report). They want to undo their zoning approval from last year (PD23-18). Then they seem to want to load it up with as much high-density housing as they can to form a so-called mixed-use community.

Public hearing #2 is for zoning case PD24-40ASP (alternate sign plan) (staff report). This is associated with the previous item.

Public hearing #3 is for zoning case Z06-40R2/B06-40R2, to include the National Medal of Honor Museum in the Glorypark boundaries (staff report).

Public hearing #4 is for zoning case SUP24-10 at 2300 Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard (staff report). They are requesting a specific use permit for a telecommunications tower.

Public hearing #5 is for zoning case PD25-1 at 7505 US Business Highway 287 (staff report). They wish to change the property with a building on 0.893 acres from a planned development for a nursery to light industrial with a new building.

AISD School Board

School Board Meeting

The AISD School Board is scheduled to meet this Tuesday for a specially called meeting. They will meet at 4:00pm. They will have a workshop on team building and will have an executive session available for legal discussion of duties of public officers (agenda).

Lawsuit Moves Forward

On Thursday, January 30, Federal Judge Reed O'Connor, threw out five parts, but allowed the other four items to move forward on the lawsuit against the Arlington Independent School District. Drew Shaw of the Arlington Report/Fort Worth Report has the article at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/01/31/federal-judge-allows-lawsuit-against-arlington-isd-to-move-forward-dismisses-parts/ .

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Filings for May 3 Election

Voters will get to vote for AISD Places 4 (Wilbanks) and 5 (Chapa). Early voting will be Tuesday, April 22 – Tuesday, April 29. Election Day is Saturday, May 3.

Ballot order:

Place 4 – Wilbanks (i), April Williams Moore.

Place 5 – Chapa (i).

Question 1: Currently, the AISD has the highest M&O rate of any ISD in Tarrant County. Staff has commenced budgeting for the payment of recapture (“Robin Hood”). In light of this, how fiscally responsible should the board be with taxpayers’ funds, and why? What level of priority should fiscal responsibility be accorded, and why? Provide your recommendations for enhancing fiscal responsibility.

Place 4

Wilbanks (i)

Did not respond.

April Williams Moore

The board lacks a member with a finance background. Year after year, Arlington has approved deficit budgets, hoping they will balance out by the end. Mr. Wilbanks has consistently voted in favor of these deficit budgets. Similarly, the board has annually voted to increase tax revenue, with Mr. Wilbanks also supporting these measures. I disagree with attempting to balance a budget at the expense of taxpayers.

What the board must consider is that when a young family with two children is taxed out of their home, the new family that moves in may have a different dynamic, such as not having school-aged children, resulting in increased tax revenue, but also resulting in the loss of state funding that was previously received due to the departure of the two children from the district.

Last year, Arlington voted for a deficit budget for this 2024-2025 school year. The board was uninformed about the benefits of zero-based budgeting and thus never suggested it. The new Superintendent, possessing a finance background, has now balanced the budget for this school year.

Was it magic? No, it was knowledge and skill set. In August, Mr. Wilbanks also voted against granting teachers raises, believing he could balance the school budget on the backs of educators. I am passionate about recognizing the value of teachers through exceptional compensation. Because of Dr. Smith, the budget is now balanced, and teachers have received their raises.

Mr. Wilbanks also approved the previous Superintendent's organizational chart, which resulted in a top-heavy district, while only allocating a $75 supply budget per year for teachers' classrooms.

Fiscal responsibility is crucial. Our board is intended to provide oversight for our community. They should obtain the necessary information and share it with the community, solicit feedback from the community, and vote in accordance with the expressed views of the community it serves. If temporary funds are received, whether through COVID or alternative temporary income sources, we should refrain from making long-term commitments that will result in greater expenditures than revenue.

Place 5

Chapa (i)

Did not respond.

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TEA Accountability Data:

2023 STAAR Performance

2022 Accountability

2021 Accountability

2019 Accountability

In 2020, the AISD was tied for the highest M&O rate of all the school districts in Tarrant County. Since then, there has been NO tie. The AISD HAS the highest M&O rate in Tarrant County. [school district tax rates]

Top 5 of Tarrant County's 21 ISDs M&O Rates

1. Arlington ISD $0.812800

2. Birdville ISD $0.786900

2. Fort Worth ISD $0.786900

2. Godley ISD $0.786900

2. Mansfield ISD $0.786900

Of Tarrant County's 21 ISDs - Lowest Tax Rates [The rest are above $1.1300]

1. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD $0.923300

2. Carroll ISD $0.961700

3. HEB ISD $0.968900

4. Fort Worth ISD $1.062400

5. Keller ISD $1.085200

6. Azle ISD $1.097900

7. Arlington ISD $1.103500

8. Lewisville $1.117800

9. Northwest ISD $1.117900

Teacher Salaries

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_97.html [Arlington ISD easily pays the highest salaries, creating ISD inflation.]

District 3 Town Hall

Thursday, March 6, there will be a town hall meeting at the Arlington Airport (public notice).

March 5, 2025

On Wednesday, March 5 is the grand opening of the pay what you like restaurant at 200 N. Cooper St. Your tax dollars are at work there. The city's Office of Communications article: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/news/my_arlington_t_x/news_stories/taste_project_opening .

March 25, 2025

On Tuesday, March 25, the National Medal of Honor Museum is scheduled to open. Millions of your taxpayer-owned dollars are at work.

HELPFUL CONTACTS

The Spectator: www.ArlSpectator.mysite.com

to be added/deleted to/from the mailing list e-mail: ArlSpectator@yahoo.com

We can be found on Facebook at ArlSpectator.

Open Letter to AISD Taxpayers

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_11.html

Teachers' Salaries

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_97.html

Taxpayers' Funds at Risk:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_83.html