Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter

Home ============ Teachers' Salaries ============ potential AISD employee child care benefit ============ Taxpayers' Funds at Risk ============ Open Letter to AISD Taxpayers ============ Citizens Defending Freedom vs. AISD Lawsuit ============== August 24, 2026 Newsletter ============= Arlington City CouncilGrades ============= AISD Board Grades ================ August 17, 2026 Newsletter ============ August 10, 2026 Newsletter ============ August 3, 2026 Newsletter =========== July 27, 2026 Newsletter ============ June Runoff Election ================ Jason Shelton, Candidate District 8 ============= Jim Ross, Mayor ============= Mauricio Galante, District1 ============= Raul Gonzalez, District2 ============= Nikkie Hunter, District3 ============ Tom Ware, District 4 ============= Brittney Garcia-Dumas, District 5 ============= Long Pham, District6 ============= Bowie Hogg, District7 ============== Barbara Odom-Wesley, District8 ============= Sarah McMurrough, AISDPlace1 ============= Melody Fowler, AISD-Place2 ================= Larry Mike, AISDPlace3 ============= David Wilbanks, AISDPlace4 ========== Justin Chapa, AISDPlace5 ============= Brooklyn Richardson, AISDPlace6 ============= Leanne Haynes, AISDPlace7 ============= Fact Sheet - November 8, 2022 Election ============ ++++++++++++ ============= Kennedale Observer Homepage =========== Investigation Report =============== Kennedale Senior Tax Freeze ============== Hammack Creek Apartments Disaster ============ 1083 Bowman Springs Road Kennedale ============ Kennedale City CouncilGrades ========== Texas Open Meetings Act Violations??? ============== The Bridge ============== Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter ============ Prior to That Newsletter ================== Brian Johnson, Kennedale Mayor ============= David Glover, Kennedale Place 1 ============= Bryant Griffith, Kennedale Place 2 ================ Ken Michels, Kennedale Place 3 ========== Ryon Ray, Kennedale Place 4 ============= Jeff Nevarez, Kennedale Place 5 =============== Kennedale EDC MMA contract information ==============

August 30, 2026 –Volume 9 Number 35

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Low-income townhomes public hearing will be held at a special P&Z meeting on this Thursday, September 3. It will be heard by council on September 15.

SCHEDULE:

Thursday, September 3: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 5: Bring It Clean Up, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Proof of citizenship required.

Monday, September 7: Labor Day.

Tuesday, September 8: KKB (Keep Kennedale Beautiful) meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September 8: Parks Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 10: Board of Adjustments meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, September 11: 9/11 Ceremony, 9:00 a.m.

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.

KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...

Your City Council

The next city council meeting is Tuesday, September 15.

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 Economic Development Corporation (EDC) did meet for their monthly meeting. P&Z did not meet for their regular monthly meeting but has a special meeting planned for this Thursday.

This Week

P&Z will have a special meeting on Thursday. They will hold the low-income townhome public hearing.

Public Hearings

On Thursday, September 3, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ26-13, a planned development for townhomes along 509 Corry A Edwards to 506 North Road.

On September 10, the Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on BOA26-03 regarding a special exemption at 404 E. Kennedale Parkway. (continued)

On Tuesday, September 15, the city council will hold a public hearing on PZ26-13, a planned development for townhomes along 509 Corry A Edwards to 506 North Road.

EDC

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board met Tuesday, August 25. The agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3782/files/agenda/10839 . The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMnadw6frlw .

(8:04) Start of meeting.

(not done) Marketing and strategic plan from the Pavlic and Associates consultant. [skipped at start]

(8:19) financials (report).

(11:50) Town Center update. The YMCA finally approved their lease. Chicken Express renewed for another five years.

(30:32) Update of the upcoming 9/11 event.

(32:15) Approval of the July minutes (minutes).

(32:45) Potential approval of the EDC property purchase policy (draft , flow chart). This was approved.

(37:59) Executive session including a potential land purchase. About 1:31:15 they reconvened. They took no action on the executive session item.

P&Z

P&Z will meet for a special meeting this Thursday, September 3. The agenda includes the public hearing for the low-income townhomes coming to town.

The agenda packet for the meeting can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3919/files/agenda/10857 . The main item on the agenda is the public hearing regarding the low-income townhomes. Information can be found starting on .pdf page 13 of the above agenda packet link.

[Commentary: We expect this meeting to be held. P&Z has had a quorum issue in the recent past, but the council named two new members to P&Z at its August meeting.]

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