November 10, 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, November 11: Veterans Day.

Tuesday, November 11: Economic Development Corporation Board meeting, Arlington Convention and Visitor's Bureau 1717 E. Randol Mill Rd. Boardroom, 1st Floor, 2:30pm.

Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day Ceremony, Veterans Park, 3600 W. Arkansas Lane, 11:00am.

Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day Parade and Drone Show. Entertainment District. Parade 5:00pm – 7:00pm followed by drones.

Tuesday, November 11: Comprehensive Plan Workshop, East Library and Recreation Center, 1817 New York Avenue, 3:00pm – 7:00pm.

Wednesday, November 12: P&Z meeting, 101 W. Abram Street, 5:30pm. (Work session at 3:30pm.)

Wednesday, November 12: Comprehensive Plan Workshop, ACTIV Center, 2601 W Green Oaks Boulevard, 3:00pm – 7:00pm.

Thursday, November 13: Comprehensive Plan Workshop, Southeast Library, 900 S.E. Green Oaks Boulevard, 3:00pm – 7:00pm.

Monday, November 17: Comprehensive Plan Workshop, Northeast Library, 1905 Brown Boulevard, 3:00pm – 7:00pm.

Tuesday, November 18: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

Wednesday, November 19: Comprehensive Plan Workshop, Southeast Library, 3311 S.W. Green Oaks Boulevard, 3:00pm – 7:00pm.

Thursday, November 20: 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.)

Thursday, November 27: Thanksgiving.

Friday, November 28: City offices closed.

From THE LOCKER ROOM

Arlington City Council Update

The city council met this past Tuesday, November 4. Their next council meeting will be on Tuesday, November 18.

Committee Meetings

The Community and Neighborhood Development Committee meeting was held in executive session. No report.

Afternoon Meeting

The afternoon meeting began with Council Members Galante, Piel, and Hogg not present. The meeting may be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=5280 .

(4:30) Start of meeting. They began by going into executive session. The executive session agenda included: 1) Legal Discussion Regarding Federal Grant Compliance, 2) Legal Discussion Regarding SB 840 and SB 15, 3) Legal Discussion Regarding SB 840 and SB 15, and 4) Offers of Incentives to Business Prospects.

The open portion of the agenda included two work session items, external council committee report, and evening and future agenda items. When they reconvened, Council Member Piel was present. Mr. Galante joined at some point during the first presentation.

The two work session items:

(3:21:48) 1. Innovate Arlington Growth Scenarios (presentation). It was opened up for council comments/questions about 4:00:05.

(4:13:55) 2. Council Priority - Grow Our Economy (presentation). About 4:24:56 they opened up to the council for questions/comments.

(4:35:23) External council committee reports.

(4:35:33) Evening agenda and future agenda items.

Evening Meeting

The evening meeting agenda had 21 consent agenda items and one public hearing. Council Member Hogg was not present. The meeting may be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=5281 .

(3:53) Start of meeting. There were two proclamations, one for animal services and the other for American Heritage. It was Council Member Boxall’s birthday.

(15:04) The minutes and consent agenda were approved with two 8-0 votes. Consent agenda item 7.19 modified the Downtown Farmers Market agreement, allowing it to operate year-round, and allows for potential footprint expansion.

(18:08) The only public hearing was for Z03-56/P03-56R1 (915 East Randol Mill Road/Walmart Supercenter) (staff report). It was approved, 8-0.

(26:50) Citizen participation. One of the five registered speakers appeared. He spoke on the subject of Johnson Creek.

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Leftovers: Chris Moss of the Arlington Report has an article telling us of Mayor Ross’s announcement of running for reelection. That article is at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/10/22/arlington-mayor-jim-ross-announces-reelection-bid/ .

Last week we reported on the city council approving the Balfour Apartments, 6-3. Here is an article by Lance Murray of the Arlington Report on those apartments: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/10/29/99-unit-apartment-building-to-take-over-lot-of-former-arlington-electronic-store/ .

Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

The next EDC meeting will be this Tuesday, November 11, at 2:30pm, at the Arlington Convention and Visitor's Bureau 1717 E. Randol Mill Road. The agenda can be found at: https://arlingtontxedc.com/assets/main/agendas/11-11-25-agenda.pdf .

Their one action item is for contract amendment #3 to the construction manager-at-risk contract for E-space increasing the cost to $102,157,385 from $88,764,372 (staff report).

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Upcoming Public Hearings

On Wednesday, November 12, P&Z will hold a public hearing on SUP25-6, 1917 W. Stanford Street. They are requesting a special use permit for a secondary living unit. If approved, it will go to city council on December 9.

On Wednesday, November 12, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD25-10, 7819/7827 South Cooper Street. They wish to change the 9.622 acres from light industrial and flex hybrid to a planned development for RS-5 (small lot single family). If approved, it will go to city council on December 9.

On Wednesday, November 12, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD25-15, 1119, Dan Gould. They wish to change the 0.654 acres from residential estate (RE) to a planned development for RM-12 (usually townhomes If approved, it will go to city council on December 9.

On Tuesday, November 18, the city council will hold a public hearing for the creation of an Arlington Tourism Public Improvement District (PID). This PID is expected to generate $62,751,690 over its 12-year life.

On Tuesday, January 6, the city council will hold a public hearing for fare adjustments for Handitran and On-Demand public rideshare services. They wish to increase Handitran fees from $2 to $3 per person per trip. They wish to increase On-Demand fees from $3-$5 to $3-$8 per person per trip, based on distance travelled. Details at: www.arlingtontx.gov/handitran and www.arlingtontx.gov/ondemand .

P&Z Commission

The next P&Z meeting will be this Wednesday, November 12. There are three zoning case public hearings on the agenda.

Public hearing #1 is for PD25-10 (7827 and 7827 S Cooper Street). They wish to their current planned development for flex hybrid and light industrial to a planned development for residential RS-5 (small lot homes) on the 9.622 acres (staff report). They wish for 54 homes on lots of3,100-4,000 square feet. There are ten deviations from UDC standards.

Public hearing #2 is for PD25-15 - 1119 Dan Gould Drive. They wish to change residential estate to a planned development of RM-12 (townhomes) on 0.654 acres (staff report). They wish to build 8 units (4 duplex-style buildings). There is one deviation.

Public hearing #3 is for SUP25-6 - 1917 W Sanford Lane (staff report). They wish for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for a secondary living unit on a property zoned Residential Single-Family-7.2 (RS-7.2).

AISD School Board

The AISD School Board met this past Thursday, November 6. The agenda can be found at: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/2978?meeting=712625 .

The evening started with a 5:00pm workshop on Human Resources — Employee Benefits. That can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu6U9IOb_tk .

A closed/executive session followed. The closed/executive session items included:

Personnel
Consult Attorney Regarding Potential and Pending Litigation, and
Intruder Detection Audit Finding(s)

The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouI8Q1gK0Ow . Board President Chappa and Board Secretary Richardson were both not present. Mrs. Richardson attended virtually. Board Vice President McMurrough presided over the meeting.

(0:00) Start of meeting, including recognitions.

(19:25) There were no speakers for citizen forum on agenda items.

(19:35) Appointments were approved, 6-0.

Charryse Law - Assistant Principal Pope Elementary

Diana Schermerhorn-Gonzalez - Assistant Principal Speer Elementary

The five committee and staff reports.

(26:35) A. Governance Committee Report. They worked with Strive (?-maybe paid consultants) on topics for their interim legislative agenda.

(27:27) B. 2019 Bond Update Report.

(35:15) C. Academic Calendar Committee Report. About 42:35 it was opened to the board for questions.

(46:00) D. Sixth Grade Next Steps Report. Should sixth grade be with elementary schools or junior high schools? It was opened to board comments/questions at 53:30.

(1:02:23) E. Beginning of Year (BOY) Literacy and Mathematics Screener Report. About 1:06:40 it shows an example of a population regression in scores. About 1:14:02 it was opened to the board for comments/questions.

(1:18:35) The four action items included:

Consider Approval of the Targeted Improvement Plans (TIPs) and Turnaround Plans (TAPs). The Superintendent asked to table the item until the next meeting.
Consider Approval of 2025-2026 Internal Audit Plan. About 1:26:13 it was opened to board comments/questions. The plan was approved, as submitted, 6-0.
Consider and approve a resolution appointing consultants and directing staff and consultants to prepare for the issuance and sale of refunding bonds. The item was approved, 6-0.
Consider and adopt an order authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax refunding bonds, establishing sale parameters, authorizing the execution of a bond purchase agreement and an escrow agreement; approving an official statement; and enacting other provisions relating to the subject. The item was approved, 6-0.

(1:42:07) Consent agenda. Trustee Mike pulled item 11.H, which was paying for the park that was agreed upon as part of the agreed land swap for a new school. The rest of the consent agenda passed, 6-0. Item 11.H passed, 5-1, with Mr. Mike opposed.

(1:51:44) Citizen forum on non-agenda items had one registered speaker, but he was no longer present.

(1:52:39) End of meeting reports.

The Board Brief of the meeting done by Mr. Wilbanks can be found at: https://www.aisd.net/district-news/watch-board-brief-from-school-board-meeting-on-nov-6-2025/ .

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The AISD will NOT be posting the ten commandments for now. An article by Chris Moss of the Arlington Report: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/11/05/arlington-isd-agrees-not-to-post-ten-commandments-amid-lawsuit/ .

The AISD Board and Superintendent have established written goals, including student improvement on the STAAR testing. The Chris Moss article in the Arlington Report: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/10/01/arlington-isd-school-board-sets-goals-and-expectations-for-new-school-year/ .

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TEA Accountability Data:

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

Arlington ISD $0.802200
Birdville ISD $0.786900
Fort Worth ISD $0.786900
Lewisville ISD $0.786900
Mansfield ISD $0.786900

Teacher Salaries

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

AISD Declining Enrollment

Chris Moss of the Arlington Report has an article: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/05/28/arlington-isds-enrollment-could-shrink-by-2032-heres-whats-driving-the-decline .

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Other News

Veterans Day Parade & Drone Show

The parade runs from 5:00pm – 7:00pm and the drone show to follow. Here is an article by Arlington Report’s Chris Moss at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/11/05/arlington-to-honor-veterans-at-second-veterans-day-parade/ .

November 4 Election Results

On Tuesday, November 4, after the polls closed it was determined that ALL 17 constitutional amendments passed.

Viridian voters also got to vote for or against over $100 million in bonds for improvements. Those voters turned down both bond proposals. Here is a story by Chris Moss of the Arlington Report: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/11/05/over-100m-viridian-bond-measures-failing-early-voting-shows/.

Running for Reelection

Chris Moss of the Arlington Report has an article telling us of Mayor Ross’ announcement of running for reelection. That article is at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/10/22/arlington-mayor-jim-ross-announces-reelection-bid/ .

HELPFUL CONTACTS

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Teachers' Salaries

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

Taxpayers' Funds at Risk

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

City Council grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_39.html

AISD Board grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_1.html