Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter
June 21, 2026 – Volume 9 Number 25
HIGHLIGHTS:
* The city council approved an intent to issue up to $5 million in bonds. The actual approval of bonds/interest will be at the August meeting.
* The city council has a budget workshop to consider 2027 budget Wednesday, June 24.
* EDC and P&Z to meet this week (Tuesday and Thursday). P&Z has six public hearings.
SCHEDULE:
Sunday, June 21: Fathers' Day.
Tuesday, June 23: EDC Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24: City council budget workshop, 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, June 25: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, June 26: City offices/library closed.
Friday, July 3: City offices/library closed.
Saturday, July 4: 250 years. Happy Birthday America.
Tuesday, July 14: KKB (Keep Kennedale Beautiful) meeting, 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14: Parks Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 21: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.
July xx: Opening of newly remodeled fire station.
July xx: Opening of Sturgeon Bark Park.
KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...
Your City Council
The city council met last Monday, June 15, for a bond issuance workshop. The agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3900/files/agenda/10655 . The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ePaJCO3qGY . All council members were present.
(10:53) Start of meeting.
(12:32) Discussion of the bonds. They are projecting an interest cost between 4.00% to 4.25%. Total interest at 4.25%, all at 20 years, would have $2.486 million interest. If the firetruck ($2.3 million) was at 10 years, that would be $2.107 million interest ($379,000 difference). [Commentary: no one asked how much more it would cost on the tax rate, making me think the council is NOT seriously considering a portion at ten years.] The current reserve [and will be phased out with the arrival of a new truck] is a [15-year-old] 2011 truck. One of the rules of bonds is you cannot issue debt for construction, that construction must start within three years. The list of 2026 bond projects can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3900/files/attachment/13261 .
(1:14:13) Discussion of Little Road extension. The Little School Road project summary can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3900/files/attachment/13241 [the design at the end does NOT show the grade of the bridge; it shows a 2% [drainage] grade on the lanes to the outside].
The agenda for the regular monthly meeting last Tuesday, June 16, has a new “feel”. There is a work session at 5:30pm and a regular session at 6:30pm. The agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3669/files/agenda/10653 . The meeting can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Hh-cufObk . All of the council members were present.
(13:01) Start of meeting.
(14:02) 1. Youth Advisory Council (ordinance 707).
(29:10) 2. Kennedale ISD City Committee. (Suggesting maybe a quarterly meeting with the superintendent, board president, and two trustees and the city manager, mayor, and two council members.)
(39:16) 3. Water and Sewer Fund Update. They received a City of Fort Worth impact fee invoice for $119,678.26 for 2019-2023 according to a City of Fort Worth audit. [The discussion leads me to believe this was a difference of interpretation of an agreement.]
(53:42) 4. Capital Improvements Updates (presentation).
The regular session started.
(1:13:46) Start of the meeting.
(1:15:13) Public comment. There was one speaker.
(1:18:00) Council, Mayor, and City Manager updates. The city manager announced that Chief Carlson is the new police chief.
(1:27:31) Financials (financial statements)
(1:31:58) Consent agenda (May 19 minutes). The consent agenda was approved, 5-0.
Action Items:
(1:33:20) 1. Bond issuance SAMCO presentation.
(2:13:15) 2. Notice of intent to issue $5 million in bonds (resolution). It was approved, 5-0. [If the council wishes to change the current co20 years of the issuance (e.g., a lesser total bond amount, any portion not at 20-years) they probably need to let the company know by the next monthly meeting. The approved “intent” to issue bonds is NOT affected by these items.]
(2:15:00) 3. Selection of mayor pro-tem. Kenneth Michels was reappointed, 5-0.
(2:16:05) 4. Agreement for alternate municipal court judges. No action; they will address this next month.
(2:16:44) 5. Assistance to firefighter grant (staff report). This was approved, 5-0.
(2:18:00) 6. Fire Prevention safety grant (staff report). This was approved, 5-0.
(2:19:02) 7. LAWS outdoor warning system. No action; will readdress whenever they get the contract and evaluation.
(2:19:46) Executive session. During executive session they planned to discuss an appointment to the Municipal Animal Board. No action taken.
This Wednesday will be a long day for the city council as they will start at 8:30 a.m. for their budget workshop. That agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3905/files/agenda/10678 . They will hear department budget presentations from each of the departments. Presentation links:
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Leftovers:
The “Investigation” was listed on the executive session agenda for the October 21 meeting. Council Member Kobeck came out of executive session and made the motion to waive the attorney-client privilege and release the investigation report to the public. That motion was approved, 4-0.
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.
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Last Week
The city council met both Monday (bond issuance workshop) and Tuesday (regular monthly meeting). They approved the intent to issue up to $5 million in bonds.
This Week
The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) will meet on Tuesday for their regular monthly meeting.
The city council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday for a budget workshop.
P&Z has their monthly meeting scheduled for Thursday.
Public Hearings
On Thursday, June 25, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ26-04, amending the sign ordinance. The city council plans for a public hearing on July 21.
On Thursday, June 25, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ26-09, amending Article 29 the Unified Development Code (UDC). This appears to modify the P&Z, regarding number of members, requirements for quorum, and whatever else. The city council plans for a public hearing on July 21.
On Thursday, June 25, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ26-10, amending Article 3 of the Unified Development Code (UDC). This appears to modify many of the standards for townhomes. The city council plans for a public hearing on July 21.
On ???, the Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on BOA26-01 regarding demolition or repair of a single-family home at 1405 Gilman Road.
Commentary – Why are these P&Z cases important?
Last week I mentioned three P&Z cases that I felt were important. Here they are:
P&Z case 26-05 is a replat at 5400 High Ridge Road. They wish to replat the land so they can have a separate restaurant along with the planned hotel. It is on the P&Z agenda. This case is important because it means that Kennedale might be finally getting the hotel by this developer that was promised back in 2017.
P&Z case 26-06 is a replat at 600 W. Kennedale Parkway. They wish to replat the land into three separate buildings. It is on the P&Z agenda. This case is important because it means that Kennedale might be getting commercial space that was promised for the large land discount. [Currently, the developer does not own the land, but the EDC does, and the city is not collecting property taxes.] Let's get the show started or release the hold on the land.
PZ case 26-10 is for an amendment to the Unified Development Code (UDC) regarding changing townhomes regulations. This is important because it contains the possibility of affecting many people. Say they wish to increase the number of floors and/or height of buildings, how would you like that next to your house? Does your neighbor have a lot as small as half an acre? It can be only one zoning case away. It could happen to you. In zoning, townhomes are often used as the “buffer” between single-family homes and higher density products. If you remember part of the “bait” of the Hammack Creek bait-and-switch deal included townhomes near Mr. Elam's property, buffering from the apartments. If they increase the number of floors and/or the height of buildings, the result is not much of a buffer. The staff report says it is not changing the height and number of floors, however, the height and number of floors in the UDC on the city's website are lower. [Possibly meaning these items have already been changed, but the UDC on the website has not been updated yet.]
I now also have a fourth P&Z case 26-07, a replat at 616 W. Kennedale Parkway and two other properties converting to two properties. It is on the P&Z agenda, but as far as I know was never publicly noticed. This is another business-friendly move, for a convenience store on the W. Kennedale Parkway and Bowman Springs corner.
EDC
The next Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board meeting should be this Tuesday, June 23. The agenda can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3780/files/agenda/10665 .
The agenda includes a workshop on Pavlik and Associates Strategic Plan, financial reports, a Town Center update, a land purchase policy, and the 25th Anniversary coins. Detailed information on agenda items was not available at the time of this writing.
P&Z
Their next scheduled meeting is this Thursday, June 25. The agenda can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3747/files/agenda/10674 . The more detailed packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3747/files/agenda/10681 . The agenda includes six public hearings.
PZ Case #26-05 to consider a replat of the property located at 5400 High Ridge Road (staff report). [starting at .pdf page 8 in the packet] They wish to divide the property into two plats so one will be a hotel and the other a stand-alone restaurant.
PZ Case #26-06 to consider a replat of the property located at 600 W. Kennedale Parkway (staff report). [starting at .pdf page 23 in the packet] They wish to divide the property into three plats, for the three separate buildings in the proposed development.
PZ Case #26-07 to consider a replat of the property located at 616 W. Kennedale Parkway and two other properties (staff report). [starting at .pdf page 34 in the packet] They wish to divide the three properties into two plats.
PZ Case #26-04 to consider a proposed amendment to the Unified Development Code (UDC) regarding electronic signs (staff report). [starting at .pdf page 54 in the packet]
PZ Case #26-09 to consider a proposed amendment to the Unified Development Code (UDC) regarding P&Z commission specifics (staff report). [starting at .pdf page 74 in the packet] They wish to drop from seven members to five members, making the quorum three, and add an alternate place.
PZ Case #26-10 to consider a proposed amendment to the Unified Development Code (UDC) regarding Townhome regulation specifics (staff report). [starting at .pdf page 84 in the packet] They wish to lessen restrictions, to make it more attractive for development, not requiring rear-entry garages and reducing the required parking.
Other News....
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
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The “Investigation” Report
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Senior Tax Freeze Missing
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Hammack Creek Apartments Disaster
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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:
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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
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