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 ============== June 15, 2026 Newsletter ============= Arlington City CouncilGrades ============= AISD Board Grades ================ June 8, 2026 Newsletter =========== June 1, 2026 Newsletter ============ May 25, 2026 Newsletter ============ May 18, 2026 Newsletter ============ June Runoff Election ================ Jason Shelton, Candidate District 8 ============= Melody Fowler, Candidate District 8 current AISD-Place2 ================= 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 ============= 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 ==============

June 14, 2026 – Volume 9 Number 24

HIGHLIGHTS:

* The city council to hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, and will approve an intent to issue $5 million in bonds.

* The city council has moved its bond issuance workshop to Monday, June 15.

SCHEDULE:

Sunday, June 14: Flag Day.

Monday, June 15: City Council Bond Issuance Workshop, 5:30pm.

Tuesday, June 16: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, June 19: City offices/library closed.

Sunday, June 21: Fathers' Day.

Tuesday, June 23: EDC Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 25: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Friday, June 26: 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 Thursday, June 11, for a quickie meeting. The agenda can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3908/files/agenda/10642 . The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx6K2irDbQQ . Council Member Glover was not present. They approved Mayor Johnson to be their voting member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), 4-0.

The city council will meet Monday, June 15, for a bond issuance workshop. Their regular monthly meeting will be Tuesday, June 16.

The bond issuance workshop begins at 5:30 p.m. with the agenda packet at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3900/files/agenda/10655 . They will discuss the $11 million of CO (certificates of obligation) bonds for 20 years split between 2026 and 2027. One of the assumptions is a 3% growth in revenues. They will also discuss the Little Road extension project. The list of 2026 bond projects can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3900/files/attachment/13261 . 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 meeting on Tuesday 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 work session has four listed subjects:

1. Youth Advisory Council (ordinance 707).

2. Kennedale ISD City Committee.

3. Water and Sewer Fund Update.

4. Capital Improvements Updates (presentation).

The regular session has a public comment, reports and announcements (including financial statements), consent agenda (May 19 minutes), and seven action items.

Action Items.

1. Bond issuance SAMCO presentation.

2. Notice of intent to issue $5 million in bonds (resolution).

3. Selection of a mayor pro-tem.

4. Agreement for alternate municipal court judges.

5. Assistance to firefighter grant (staff report).

6. Fire Prevention safety grant (staff report).

7. LAWS outdoor warning system.

During executive session they plan to discuss an appointment to the Municipal Animal Board.

# # # # # # # # # # #

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.

# # # # # # # # # # #

Last Week

Last week the Keep Kennedale Beautiful (KKB) and the Parks Board met Tuesday. The Board of Appeals met on Thursday for a public hearing.

The KKB agenda can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3903/files/agenda/10622 . The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhJuIfliFZo .

The Parks Board agenda can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3901/files/agenda/10624 . [The agenda made no mention of Sturgeon Bark Park scheduled to open in July.] The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mx_3PcTr58 .

The city council met for a quickie meeting to elect Mayor Johnson as the voting member of the NCTCOG general assembly.

The Board of Appeals was scheduled to meet Thursday, June 11, with a public hearing on their agenda. That agenda can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3702/files/agenda/10635 . The meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum.

This Week

The city council is scheduled to meet Monday for a bond workshop and Tuesday for the regular monthly meeting. They are set to approve an intent to issue $5 million in bonds.

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 ???, but NOT scheduled for June 25, P&Z and the city council will hold a public hearing on PZ26-05, a replat of 5400 High Ridge Road.

On ???, but NOT scheduled for June 25, P&Z and the city council will hold a public hearing on PZ26-06, a replat of 600 W. Kennedale Parkway. [The Kennedale EDC owns the land and is selling it to the developer for a greatly reduced price, $25,000.]

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, as 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 – Let's talk public notices

When the city is going to have a public hearing, it publishes a public notice in the Star-Telegram legal section. As of late P&Z has canceled several meetings because of a lack of a quorum.

This week they published a public notice on PZ case 26-09, for an amendment to the Unified Development Code (UDC) regarding the administration of P&Z, I [easily] assume [since it did not specifically say] to lower the number of members and lower the quorum number.

P&Z is an advisory board to give advice to the council on how to vote an item, but the ultimate decision is that of the council's choice.

When the city publishes the public notice, they usually list both the P&Z public hearing and city council public hearing. In these recent P&Z meeting cancellations, the public hearing for the council was also NOT held. [Legal question, I do not know the answer] Can the council decide a case without a P&Z opinion?

Several years ago, the state changed some of the rules regarding developer zoning cases, and they have a “time clock” associated with aspects of these cases, such that they must be heard or get an automatic approval. I believe these rules also apply to small cities such as Kennedale. This rule puts a lot of stress on the approval process for small cities.

So the P&Z zoning cases where the public hearings (P&Z and city council) were not held. [Legal question, I do not know the answer] Were these approved automatically? Is that why they did not appear on the agenda again?

If I was a Kennedale resident [as some love to point out, I am not] I would be very concerned regarding PZ cases 26-05, 26-06, and 26-10. I have asked questions of city officials about these three items, but at the time of this writing, I do not have answers. [In the 26-10 case I did get a response from staff that they did not wish to discuss until their plans are more finalized. My translation: the public hearing is less than two weeks away and they have not decided how they wish to change the numbers??? or do they plan to just reduce the time to allow the public to react?]

EDC

The next Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board meeting should be on Tuesday, June 23.

P&Z

Their next scheduled meeting is Thursday, June 25.

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