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October 11, 2026 –Volume 9 Number 41

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Low-income apartments public hearing coming Tuesday, October 20.

SCHEDULE:

Monday, October 12: Columbus Day. Post office and banks are closed.

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

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

Monday, October 19: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, October 19: Start of Early voting for the Mid-Term Elections.

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

Thursday, October 22: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 24: Trunk or Treat, Town Center Plaza, 405 Municipal, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 27: EDC Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Friday, October 30: End of Early Voting for Mid-Term Elections.

Saturday, October 31: Halloween.

Tuesday, November 3: Mid-Term Elections Election Day, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...

Your City Council

The city council will meet on Monday, October 19 and Tuesday, October 20. The Monday meeting is for boards and commissions issues and possible appointments. The Tuesday meeting is the regular monthly meeting including the continued public hearing on the low-income apartments.

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 Board of Adjustments meeting was held on Thursday, October 8. The agenda packet is at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3938/files/agenda/10934 . The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aefXj8sob_k .

(1:15) Start of the meeting.

(3:24) BOA26-03 public hearing regarding a special exemption for “industrial” in Old Town at 404 E. Kennedale Parkway. About 24:08 it was opened to the board for questions and discussion. It was approved, 4-0.

(1:09:47) BOA26-04 public hearing regarding a variance of a privacy fence at 112 Peachtree Court. [The issue is front yards cannot have privacy fences.] A motion to DENY was approved, 4-0.

(1:42:58) BOA26-05 public hearing for a variance at 4149 New Hope Road. Variances are the 1-acre requirement, the circle driveway, and sidewalk requirements. It was postponed.

(2:43:05) BOA26-06 public hearing for a variance at 4101 New Hope Road. Variances are the 1-acre requirement. It was postponed. It was reconsidered [reconsidered passed].

[Commentary: The last two cases are very similar and a very unfortunate series of events. The proper fix to the situation is a zoning change rather than variances.]

This Week

This week the Keep Kennedale Beautiful (KKB) committee will meet on Tuesday (agenda). The parks board meeting for Tuesday has been canceled (canceled agenda).

Public Hearings

On Tuesday, October 20, the city council will continue a public hearing on PZ26-13, a planned development for apartments (being referred to as townhomes).

On Thursday, October 22, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ26-14 to replat the town home community at 439 Mansfield Cardinal Road.

EDC

The next Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board meeting should be on Tuesday, October 27.

P&Z

P&Z is scheduled to meet on Thursday, October 22.

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