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September 13, 2026 –Volume 9 Number 37

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Low-income apartments public hearing and council probable vote on this Tuesday, September 15.

 

SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, September 15: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 22: EDC Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 24: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 26: Butterfly Garden Party, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Tuesday, October 13: KKB (Keep Kennedale Beautiful) meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 13: Parks Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 20: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.

 

KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...

Your City Council

The next city council meeting is Tuesday, September 15. The agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3672/files/agenda/10903 .

The agenda includes a work session, presentations, public comment, a public hearing, a regular session, and an executive session.

The work session includes prioritizing street maintenance, charter committee, and strategic planning (parks, comprehensive plan, land use plan, and capital improvements). [Commentary: The last time they formed a charter committee, Council Members Griffith, Michels, and Nevarez decided to make changes to what the citizens/charter committee decided.]

The public hearing is for PZ26-13, the low-income apartments (advertised as townhomes) at 509 Corey A Edwards and 506 North Road. [Information starts on .pdf page 20 of the above packet link]

The regular session includes reports and announcements (financials), consent agenda (Aug 18 minutes), and items for individual consideration. The three individual consideration items are:

1. Interlocal agreement between the city and Tarrant County regarding street overlay projects (staff report),

2. Interlocal agreement between the city and Tarrant County regarding the Eden Road Bridge Project (staff report), and

3. Discuss Wastewater IFCIP [Information starts on .pdf page 93 of the above packet link].

 

In executive session they will discuss personnel issues (boards and commissions, city manager, and city secretary).

 

[Commentary: If you bought a home and the land behind or across from you was zoned Old Town-2 (OT-2) should you feel concerned/cheated that the city is about to approve apartments there?

OT-2 from the Unified Development Code (UDC) is defined as Old Town Single-Family Residential and Retail Mixed-Use District (OT-2).

The OT-2 District is established to promote a mix of single-family residential and low intensity retail in this area, to be housed in residential structures that are similar to the building designs and materials allowed in the OT-1 District.

In April 2023 the city council limited density of Townhomes and Apartments to 8.

Your probable biggest investment, your home, will be in the hands of the city council. Does your city council have a majority of members who listen to the citizens, and fight for what is best for citizens and businesses of Kennedale? Or is your city council majority comprised of rubber-stampers, controlled by developers?]

 

Leftovers:

We have taken the .pdf Investigation Report and converted it to text (far from 100% perfect) and tried to make improvements at: http://www.arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_13.html .

 

Previous Analysis:

Results: The evidence does NOT confirm…

See the November 9, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Witch Hunt?

See the November 16, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Jeff Nevarez interview – Our Part I

See the November 16, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Jeff Nevarez interview – Our Part II

See the November 23, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Was the Investigation Hi-jacked by the City Attorney and City Manager?

See the November 30, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Pay to Play Scandal

See the December 7, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Wandell Investigation Files

See the December 14, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Lack of Accountability/Afraid to Speak

See the December 21, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Griffith vs. Hull – “The Threat”

See the January 4, 2026, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Chamber Vote

See the January 11, 2026, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Hiring Austin Degenhart

See the January 18, 2026, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

City Manager has Favorites?

See the January 25, 2026, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Our Commentary

See the February 1, 2026, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

“No Shame” Griffith

See the February 15, 2026, Kennedale Observer for more details.

 

Last Week

Last week the Keep Kennedale Beautiful (KKB) met on Tuesday, September 8 (agenda). The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KYiKmvH-CA . The start of the meeting is about 6:47.

The Parks Board did not meet on Tuesday, September 8 (cancelled agenda).

The Thursday, September 10 Board of Adjustments (BOA) meeting (agenda) was cancelled.

 

This Week

This week the city council will meet on Tuesday for their regular monthly meeting.

 

Public Hearings

On Tuesday, September 15, the city council will hold a public hearing on PZ26-13, a planned development for apartments (being referred to as townhomes).

On ???, the Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on BOA26-03 regarding a special exemption at 404 E. Kennedale Parkway.

 

EDC

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board should meet on Tuesday, September 22.

 

P&Z

P&Z should meet on Thursday, September 24.

 

Other News....

KISD Scores Well

The state's ISDs accountability ratings came out, and Kennedale ISD did very well, improving to an overall grade of “B” [up from a “C”]. The accountability ratings can be found at: https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/cgi/sas/broker?_service=marykay&_program=perfrept.perfmast.sas&_debug=0&ccyy=2026&lev=D&id=220914&prgopt=reports/acct/summary.sas .

 

TAD Rates

Tarrant Appraisal District has published the tax rates (October 2025) for the county. Kennedale has now dropped to the eighth highest municipality. [https://www.tad.org/content/rates/2025TaxRates.pdf ].

Top eleven of 41 (everyone else is < 0.65)

1. Everman 1.0260800

2. Sansom Park 0.8457840

3. Blue Mound 0.8138000

4. River Oaks 0.7439910

5. Burleson 0.7218000

6. White Settlement 0.7147780

7. Forest Hill 0.7004660

8. Kennedale 0.6961900

9. Pelican Bay 0.6762930

10. Fort Worth 0.6700000

11. Grand Prairie 0.6600000

 

HELPFUL WEBSITES and CONTACTS

Would you like to be added to our mailing list? Please send an e-mail to: KennedaleObserver@yahoo.com requesting to be added to our mailing list.

 

Also, please feel free to share this newsletter with your friends.

 

Kennedale Observer website:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/index_3.html

 

Latest Kennedale Observer newsletter:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_44.html

 

The “Investigation” Report

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_13.html

 

Senior Tax Freeze Missing

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_10.html

 

Hammack Creek Apartments Disaster

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_14.html

 

1083 Bowman Springs:

http://www.arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_45.html

 

Open Meetings Act Violations???

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_9.html

 

The Bridge:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_12.html

 

Kennedale Observer: KennedaleObserver@yahoo.com

 

The Kennedale Observer can be found on Facebook as KennedaleObserver.

 

Kennedale Observer website:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/index_3.html

 

Latest Kennedale Observer newsletter:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_44.html

 

City Council Grades: http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_26.html

 

The City of Kennedale website: www.cityofkennedale.com

Mayor and City Council Emails:

Mayor – Brian Johnson BJohnson@cityofkennedale.com

Place-1 David Glover DGlover@cityofkennedale.com

Place-2 Bryant Griffith BGriffith@cityofkennedale.com

Place-3 Kenneth Michels KMichels@cityofkennedale.com

Place-4 Ryon Ray RRay@cityofkennedale.com

Place-5 Jeff Nevarez JNevarez@cityofkennedale.com

 

Recordings of City Council meetings can be viewed at:

[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4a2pjrnxZ5XrbsXcoLOP4Q?view_as=subscriber].

 

 

To apply for appointed positions:

https://www.cityofkennedale.com/boardapp

 

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e-mail: KennedaleObserver@yahoo.com