Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter

Home ============ Open Letter to AISD Taxpayers ============ Teachers' Salaries ============ Citizens Defending Freedom vs. AISD Lawsuit ============== Taxpayers' Funds at Risk ============ January 20, 2025 Newsletter ============= Arlington City CouncilGrades ============= AISD Board Grades ============ January 13, 2025 Newsletter =========== January 6, 2025 Newsletter ============ December 30, 2024 Newsletter ============ December 23, 2024 Newsletter ============ ================ Jim Ross, Mayor ============= Mauricio Galante, District1 ============= Raul Gonzalez, District2 ============= Nikkie Hunter, District3 ============= Andrew Piel, District4 ============= Rebecca Boxall, District5 ============= Long Pham, District6 ============= Bowie Hogg, District7 ============== Barbara Odom-Wesley, District8 ============= Sarah McMurrough, AISDPlace1 ============= Melody Fowler, AISDPlace2 ============= Larry Mike, AISDPlace3 ============= David Wilbanks, AISDPlace4 ============= Justin Chapa, AISDPlace5 ============= Brooklyn Richardson, AISDPlace6 ============= Leanne Haynes, AISDPlace7 ============= Fact Sheet - November 8, 2022 Election ============ ++++++++++++ ============= Kennedale Observer Homepage =========== Kennedale Missing Senior Tax Freeze ============== Kennedale City CouncilGrades ========== Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter ============ Prior to That Newsletter ============== Brad Horton, Kennedale Mayor ============ David Glover, Kennedale Place 1 ============ Thelma Kobeck, Kennedale Place 2 =========== Ken Michels, Kennedale Place 3 ============ Chris Gary, Kennedale Place 4 =========== Jeff Nevarez, Kennedale Place 5 ============== Kennedale City Council Compare ========== 1083 Bowman Springs Road Kennedale ============ What to Know About the Texas Raceway Project ================ Kennedale EDC MMA contract information ==============

January 19, 2025 – Volume 8 Number 3

HIGHLIGHTS:

* City Council meets Tuesday.

* Senior Tax Freeze missing; Any reduction is very unlikely. Question 3.

SCHEDULE:

Monday, January 20: MLK Holiday.

Tuesday, January 21: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, January 21: Filing to run for city council continues. Filing to be on the ballot runs through Friday, February 14.

Thursday, January 23: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 28: EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.

…..

Senior Tax Freeze Missing

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_7.html

Kennedale Observer website:

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

Latest Kennedale Observer newsletter:

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

Kennedale Observer city council grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_26.html

City Council Comparison (May2021-May2023 vs. May2019-May2021):

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_77.html

KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...

Your City Council

The city council did not meet this past week. Their next scheduled meeting is this Tuesday, January 21. The agenda and packet can be viewed at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3562/files/agenda/9892 .

The regular session of the meeting includes:

A. Reports and Announcements.

Financial reports can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3562/files/attachment/11787 .

A bond rating update has also been listed in the agenda.

B. Public Hearings.

There is one public hearing for updating the fees schedule (old fee schedule) (proposed fee schedule).

C. Consent Agenda.

The consent agenda has three items (ordinance to update the fee schedule, resolution for the May election, minutes from the December meeting).

D. Items for Individual Consideration.

1. Discuss and take action to award a contract for Solid Waste Disposal Services. - Action Item. There was no real data given in the packet.

2. Discuss and take action to name a roundabout located in the 800 block of Sublett Rd. and the 600 block of Little
School Rd. in Honor of Mr. Robert Mundy. - Action Item.

3. Discuss and take action requesting that the Kennedale Historical Society select nominations for naming roundabouts
located in the City of Kennedale. - Action Item

4. Receive an update and discuss direction to City Staff regarding the Youth Advisory Council. - Discussion only. Information can be found on .pdf page 87 of the agenda and packet listed in the opening paragraph.

The executive session includes:

A. Legal Discussions (lawsuit and Collett Sublett Road).

B. Potential 380-agreement.

# # # # # # # # # # # #

Filings for May 3 Municipal Election

Voters will get to vote for City Council Places 1 (Glover), 3 (Michels), and 5 (Nevarez). Early voting will start on Tuesday, April 22. Election Day is Saturday, May 3.

Filings started Wednesday, January 15. The current list of candidates include:

Place 1 – no one has filed yet.

Place 3 – Michels (i).

Place 5 – Nevarez (i).

Drew Shaw of the Arlington Report/Fort Worth Report has a story at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/01/15/here-are-the-mansfield-kennedale-city-council-seats-slated-for-may-3-ballot/ .

# # # # # # # # # # # #

Senior Tax Freeze Missing

Back in June of 2023 the city council approved a senior tax freeze. This would be applicable for the city portion of property taxes where properties have a homestead exemption, and the owner is 65 years of age or older. The KISD, the county, and Tarrant County College also have senior tax freezes.

Details of some of the issues can be seen at: http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_7.html .

However, the situation does generate many questions.

Question 1: Should the city attorney be fired? If it is true, as he claims, that the tax freeze is happening as planned and written in the ordinance, [and he approved the writing of the ordinance] why was the public and the majority of the June 2023 City Council not told the truth which is different from what their expectations were? Should the city attorney be fired?

Question 2: If the above conditions are not true, should the city attorney be fired? If the above conditions are not true, he was very dishonest with the Kennedale citizens. Should the city attorney be fired?

Question 3: Should the city manager be fired? If it is true, as he claims, that the tax freeze is happening as planned and he was responsible for getting the ordinance written to the city council's expectations, should he be dismissed? At the June 2023 meeting he made no attempt to explain that the truth was different from what the council's expectations were. Should the city manager be fired? [Note: it would take four votes on the city council to dismiss the city manager; something I do NOT believe would happen with the current council as it sits today.]

Last Week

Last Tuesday, the Keep Kennedale Beautiful (KKB) and the Parks Board met on Tuesday evening.

The KKB meeting (agenda) can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SaEb-z2NOU . The start of the meeting is about 5:07.

The Parks Board meeting (agenda) can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2qXsywJCy0 .

(17:05) Start of meeting.

(18:25) Additional restrooms at Sonora Park discussion. It will be expensive. A possible solution might be to use portable toilets.

(21:29) Sonora Park pavilion makeover discussion. At about 27:10 the pickle ball court plan is to now have it at the ball field, not the front part of Sonora Park.

This Week

The city council is scheduled to meet Tuesday evening, starting at 5:30 p.m.

P&Z is scheduled to meet Thursday evening, starting at 6:00 p.m.

# # # # # # # # # # # #

Public Hearings

???, the Board of Adjustments will hold a public hearing for BOA24-04 for a side set reduction of 25 feet to 12.5 feet at 708 Corey A. Edwards Drive. The meeting was scheduled for January 9 but was canceled due to the weather.

???, the Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing for BBA24-01 for the demolition of a single-family house at 6713 Lindale Road. The meeting was scheduled for January 9 but was canceled due to the weather.

???, the Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing for BBA24-02 for the demolition of a single-family house at 110 Caylebaite Street. This was NOT on the agenda for January 9. We must assume it has been resolved.

EDC

The next EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Board meeting will probably be Tuesday, January 28.

P&Z

P&Z is scheduled to meet this Thursday, January 23. There are two main topics on their agenda. They are to approve a preliminary plat of the Moderno Addition (PZ25-02) [off South Kennedale New Hope Road] and review projected modifications of the UDC (Unified Development Code). The agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3432/files/agenda/9898 .

Other News....

TAD Rates

Tarrant Appraisal District has published the tax rates (October 2024) for the county. Kennedale is now the fifth highest municipality. [https://www.tad.org/content/rates/2024TaxRates.pdf ].

Top ten of 41 (everyone else is < 0.65)

1. Everman 1.0260800

2. Sansom Park 0.7796050

3. Forest Hill 0.7240940

4. Blue Mound 0.7220330

5. Kennedale 0.7061900

6. White Settlement 0.6798160

7. River Oaks 0.6758270

8. Fort Worth 0.6725000

9. Burleson 0.6627000

10. Grand Prairie 0.6600000

# # # # # # # # # # # #