September 8, 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, September 9: City Budget/Tax Rate Public Hearings City Council meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 16: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

Thursday, September 18: 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.)

Wednesday, September 24: P&Z meeting, 101 W. Abram Street, 5:30pm. (Work session at x:xxpm.)

Tuesday, September 30: Mayor's Town Hall meeting, Boles Junior High School, 3900 S.W. Green Oaks Blvd.

From THE LOCKER ROOM

Arlington City Council Update

The city council met this past Tuesday, September 2. They voted to approve the suspension of the anti-discrimination chapter of city code.

They will meet this Tuesday, September 9, just an evening meeting, mostly pertaining to budget and fiscal year items.

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Afternoon Meeting – Last Week

The afternoon meeting began and went into executive session. All council members were present. The meeting may be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=5230 .

(2:29) Start of the meeting. The executive session agenda only included offers of incentives for business prospects. It took a lot longer than projected (hold onto your wallets).

Reconvened in open session. Council members Galante, Piel, Boxall, and Pham were not present for the start of the open session. The two work session items:

(1:45:36) 1. 2026 World Cup update (presentation). About 1:56:25 it was opened to council members for comments/questions (none). Missing council members were now present.

(1:56:35) 2. Street maintenance (presentation). The next renewal of the 1/4-cent sales tax for streets will be May 2026. About 2:07:27 it was opened to council members for comments/questions.

(2:28:01, 2:29:03) External committee reports.

(2:28:22) Legislative update (staff report , table).

(2:29:56) FY2026 Budget (presentation). About 2:39:36 it was opened to council members for comments/questions.

(2:52:23) Evening and future agenda items.

Evening Meeting – Last Week

The evening meeting can be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=5231 . Ms. Boxall was not present. The agenda included 26 consent agenda items, one public hearing, and two ordinances.

(2:52) Start of meeting.

(15:27) 26 consent agenda items. The mayor pulled consent agenda item 6.18. Consent agenda item 6.18 was $492,320 for a professional services contract for relocation assistance consulting services (staff report). [This agenda was posted prior to last week's meeting where the Fielder Apartments redevelopment projects were NOT approved meaning this item should be pulled, and not passed. Consent agenda item 6.25 was a modification of the interlocal agreement with UTA regarding the RAPID project (staff report). The original agreement was through May of 2025. This would continue the agreement through August 2026. This allows for the research document to be completed. The consent agenda, minus item 18, passed, 8-0. Item 18 was tabled indefinitely, 8-0.

(18:52) The public hearing is for green building performance standards added to multi-family and mixed-use developments (staff report). This was approved, 8-0.

The two ordinances are updating the city's Code (20:32) 1. to realign the priority of building unity and champion great neighborhoods to re-purpose the unity council (staff report). There were three speakers. The first was in support of the work the Unity Council has done. The second spoke in support of the ordinance. The third speaker was opposed. It was approved, 7-1, with Hunter in opposition.

(37:51) 2. to suspend the anti-discrimination chapter (staff report). There were eleven speakers, the great majority in opposition. A motion to table the item failed, 2-6, with Hunter and Odom-Wesley in support. A motion to approve, passed, 6-2, with Hunter and Odom-Wesley in opposition. Chris Moss of the Arlington Report has an article on the vote: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/09/02/arlington-city-council-passes-first-vote-to-suspend-anti-discrimination-ordinance-adjust-unity-council-goals/ .

(1:27:52) Citizen participation. There was one speaker, a candidate for House District 94.

Evening Meeting – Coming Week

The agenda for the 6:30pm meeting includes five public hearings, five ordinances, and two tabled items. That agenda can be found at: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/files/ab5340c4-9342-4302-84b6-2634d2fa754a/2025%E2%80%9409%E2%80%9409-Evening.pdf .

The five public hearings are for Tourism Public Improvement District (PID) and assessment plan (staff report), the Lamar Boulevard PID and assessment plan (staff report), Downtown PID and assessment plan (staff report), the FY2026 Budget (staff report), and approving the tax rate (staff report).

The five ordinances are ratification of the tax rate (staff report), water and sewer rates ordinance (staff report), school crossing guard program (staff report), and the second reading of the two ordinances from the September 2 meeting (suspension of the anti-discrimination chapter (staff report) and redefining of the Unity Council (staff report)).

The two tabled items are regarding the Fielder Apartments redevelopment projects items tabled on August 26 and September 2.

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Leftovers

At the August 26 meeting the city council did not approve the Fielder Apartments redevelopment because the Arlington Tomorrow Fund (ATF) did not approve the funding earlier in the day. The ATF

voted yes, 6-3, but needed a ¾ super majority, which it did not obtain. Chris Moss of the Arlington Report has an article at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/08/27/37-million-funding-for-fielder-square-fails-city-looks-for-next-steps/ .

At the August 26 meeting the city council did approve the paperwork (the deals) for the Phase II (of III) of the e-space project. James Hartley of the Arlington Report and KERA.org news has an article at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/09/03/one-giant-leap-arlington-takes-next-steps-in-entering-the-new-space-race-with-e-space/ .

Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

We do not know the date of the EDC Board meeting. [Best guess: September 23.]

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Upcoming Public Hearings

On Tuesday, September 9, the city council will hold a public hearing on the updated service and assessment plan for the Tourism PID (public improvement district).

On Tuesday, September 9, the city council will hold a public hearing on the assessment plan for the Lamar Boulevard PID (public improvement district).

On Tuesday, September 9, the city council will hold a public hearing on the assessment plan for the Downtown PID (public improvement district).

On Tuesday, September 9, the city council will hold a public hearing on the updated service and assessment plan for the Tourism PID (public improvement district).

On Tuesday, September 9, the city council will hold a public hearing on the budget and the tax rate.

On Tuesday, September 16, the city council will hold a public hearing on reclaiming potentially abandoned plots at Arlington Cemetery.

On Tuesday, September 16, the city council will hold a public hearing on SUP25-3 at 4560 Waxwing Drive. They wish for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for an Upscale Hotel, with a Development Plan on 2.033 acres zoned Airport Overlay (APO)-Community Commercial (CC).

On Wednesday, September 24, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD15-05R1 at 5301 W. Pioneer Parkway. They wish to revise their development plan on the 7.168 acres for light industrial uses. If approved this will go to the city council on October 14.

On Wednesday, September 24, P&Z will hold a public hearing on Z03-56/PD03-56R1 at 915 E. Randol Mill Road. They wish to revise their development plan on the 3.750 acres for light industrial uses. If approved this will go to the city council on October 14.

On Tuesday, October 14, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD25-12 at 700-odd Dugan Street/302 Weeks Avenue/ 700 South Street. They wish to update/change their planned development on the 1.605 acres.

On Tuesday, October 14, the city council will hold a public hearing on zoning case ZA25-3 at 1225 California Lane. They are requesting to change from Landmark Preservation Overlay-Planned Development (LPO-PD) to Light Industrial (LI) in the rear of the property.

P&Z Commission

P&Z did meet this past Wednesday, September 3. The meeting may be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=10&clip_id=5235 . The agenda included two public hearings (done out of order).

(3:36) The second public hearing was for ZA25-3 at 1225 California Lane (staff report). They desire light industrial with a reduction of the Landmark Preservation Overlay designation to the house area only. It was approved, 9-0.

(15:46) The first public hearing was for the Balfour Lots, PD25-12, southeast of the Tarrant County Sub-courthouse (staff report). They wish to build a three-story building with 99 units at a density of approximately 62 units/acre. There are 13 deviations listed. The motion to approve passed, 5-3.

AISD School Board

The AISD School Board met this past Thursday, September 4. The agenda can be viewed at: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/2978?meeting=702304 .

They opened and went into executive session to discuss personnel and potential and pending legislation.

They reconvened into open session at 6:49pm. Ms. Haynes was ill and not present. The open portion of the agenda included recognitions, open forum for agenda items, appointments, three committee and staff reports, public hearing, one action item, consent agenda, open forum for non-agenda items, and end of meeting reports. The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4_U_wbOE2w .

(25:36) There were two assistant principal appointments to be made.

Jamad Williams – Bowie High School

Nora Guillen - Gunn Junior High

(31:22) Open forum for agenda items.

The three committee and staff reports were:

(31:53) 1. Governance committee report.

(34:29) 2. 2019 Bond update (presentation).

(42:08) 3. Priority update on Human Resources recruitment and staffing report (presentation). About 53:27 it was opened to board comments/questions.

(1:06:16) The public hearing (presentation) and the action items dealt with approving the tax rate. All required items were approved, 6-0.

(1:24:10) Consent agenda item. No items were pulled or discussed. The consent agenda was approved, 6-0.

(1:24:53) Open forum on non-agenda items. There was one registered speaker who was not present.

(1:25:28) End-of-meeting reports.

Ms. Richardson gave the Board Brief of the meeting at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWX02z9tsNE .

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The release of the new accountability numbers for 2024 and 2025 became public on Friday, August 15. In an article by Chris Moss of the Arlington Report/Fort Worth Report he reports on the A-F Accountability scores for the past two years. His report is for the AISD, MISD, and KISD and can be found at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/08/15/heres-how-arlington-area-schools-fared-in-texas-a-f-ratings/ . The AISD article on the new numbers: https://www.aisd.net/district-news/accountability-update-arlington-isd-doubles-a-rated-campuses-and-reduces-f-ratings/ .

The AISD post about the teacher raises: https://www.aisd.net/district/departments/human-resources/compensation-benefits-and-risk-management/board-approves-staff-raises/ .

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

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

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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