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May 31, 2026 – Volume 9 Number 22

HIGHLIGHTS:

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

SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, June 9: KKB (Keep Kennedale Beautiful) meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9: Parks Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.

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

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

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.

Saturday, July 4: 250 years. Happy Birthday America.

KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...

Your City Council

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. and I assume 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. Some of what they are looking to do is fund the full design for the Little School Road project, a redesign of Sublett Road and Kennedale Parkway, and purchase a $2 million ladder firetruck. There may also have a discussion of future bond plans for 2031 and beyond (as older bonds are paid off)?

Commentary: Let's Talk Bonds

On social media I saw one post with many comments about the bond issuance. So, let's talk bonds.

First there are three types of bonds: General Obligation (GO) where voters decide yes or no on a bond issuance, revenue bonds often used for water/sewer infrastructure and paid by water/sewer income, and Certificates of Obligation (CO) where the council decides, with no citizen vote, to issue the bonds.

GO bonds are generally used for desires/wants vs. needs/emergencies. The $3 million in GO bonds that are being used to fund the recently approved improvements at the ball fields were approved by the voters in November 2023.

Revenue bonds are currently being used to fund the major wastewater projects in progress. The rates had to go up in order to fund the bonds. The project was drastically needed.

CO bonds are used for needs/emergencies. This is what the council is currently discussing/considering. The $11 million in bonds is split between two years of issuances, 2026 and 2027. The plan that I have seen is for 20-year bonds.

What was discussed at the May council meeting involved spending the funds on the Little Road extension full development plans, the Sublett Road and Kennedale Parkway redesign, and $2 million for a ladder firetruck. Detailed spending of the funds was NOT provided at the meeting [which certainly would have been nice if you are concerned about misinformation].

Some of the comments on the post I mentioned stated that there are some matching county funds available. These two roadway projects were submitted [that were to be “shovel ready”, so I am very surprised the county approved them] and were approved by the county. The county funding is about to meet the originally stated five-year deadline. The county funds are maxed at 50% of the estimated cost when the plan was submitted. So a $12 million project has the potential maximum of $6 million from the county. Now if that project costs, say $40 million, the county maximum is still $6 million from the program.

[In my opinion what happened] in early 2023 the [good, conservative, ask the citizens if a project is worth the tax] council planned to issue GOs, NOT COs, for “the bridge” project, public safety building improvements, and the ball fields improvements. However, then there were changes on the council. Jeff Nevarez was elected replacing James Connor, and Austin Degenhart moved, with Bryant Griffith appointed by then-Mayor Joplin (remember the pay-to-play situation), resulting in the disappearance of a citizen-friendly council. Then in August when it was time to put the bond election on the ballot, suddenly the only thing that went to the voters was the $3 million bond package for the ball fields (as mentioned approved in November 2023). That [Take, Tax and Spend] August 2023 council (Michels, Griffith, and Nevarez) decided COs, and NOT GOs, would be used for the public safety and street projects.

That leads to today where now the plan is to spend the $11 million in funds for the two street projects (possibly, just the full design stages, don't know? The city has not done a very good job of keeping the public informed about where these projects stand – again if you want to avoid misinformation, keep the information in the forefront) and $2 million for a ladder firetruck, a need brought on by future multi-story hotels and too-tall apartments.

It is generally considered bad fiscal policy to be expending funds for bonds and interest for an item that is past its life. Firetrucks might last 20 years, but the odds are NOT super great. In my opinion it would be wiser to issue the $2 million in bonds for the firetruck with a 10-year bond rather than a 20-year bond for this reason.

In my opinion the two roadway projects will greatly exceed their original estimates and spending this money to put plans on the shelf does not make sense when other helpful plans can be accomplished with those funds. Are these two roadway projects really NEEDS over WANTS? Unfortunately, the [anti-citizen] council decides that answer.

# # # # # # # # # # #

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

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) met on Tuesday for their regular monthly meeting.

P&Z was scheduled to meet Thursday for their regular monthly meeting. However, they failed to meet because they did not have a quorum.

This Week

There are no meetings planned this week.

Public Hearings

On ??? P&Z and the city council will hold a public hearing on PZ26-05, a replat of 5400 High Ridge Road.

On ???, 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 ???, P&Z and the city council will hold a public hearing on PZ26-04, amending the sign ordinance.

On ???, the city council will hold a public hearing for ordinance #795 to prohibit the exposure of children to illegal drugs.

On ???, the city council will hold a public hearing for ordinance #796 for adopting speed limits on certain roadways.

EDC

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board met this past Tuesday, May 26. The agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3779/files/agenda/10617 . The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojV-cmmvNiA .

The agenda included:

(10:34) Start of meeting.

(10:59) Budget workshop. Staff was seeking direction; for example, how many grants?

(30:40) Regular session (financials , Town Center development update , minutes , 9/11 Memorial coins). The discussion on the 9/11 Memorial coins started about 34:42.

(48:57) Executive session (future land purchases and YMCA contract). They reconvened about 1:45:27. They took no action on executive session items.

P&Z

P&Z did not have a quorum and did not meet this past Thursday, May 28. The agenda packet can be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3746/files/agenda/10614 .

The agenda included a staff report and Unified Development Code (UDC) update and three public hearings.

PZ26-05 is a public hearing for a replat of 5400 High Ridge Road. Information can be found starting on page 9 of the packet link above. They wish for two plats for the purpose of building a hotel on one plat and a restaurant on the second. [Commentary: This land was bought from the EDC at a greatly reduced price years ago, maybe 2017-ish (George Campbell-era), with the intent that a hotel would already be there else the land would be bought back by the EDC. Not sure what happened (lack of transparency), but at least now it looks like a hotel might finally be built.]

PZ26-06 is a public hearing for a replat of 600 W. Kennedale Parkway. Information can be found starting on page 32 of the packet link above. [Commentary: This land is still owned by the EDC but was bought by a developer at the greatly reduced price of $25,000 last year for a development that still has not happened, but at least—again-- might finally happen.]

PZ26-04 is an amendment to the sign ordinance. Information can be found starting on page 47 of the packet link above. They [the city] wish for modification to the sign ordinance to allow larger electronic signs.

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