James Connor, Kennedale Place 5

 

1. Past Decisions – please respond by March 2, 2023

Although the city council cannot dwell on past councils' decisions and it must move forward, we would like to know if current council members have learned from past decisions, including those made by previous councils. From somewhat recent history, were each of the following three zoning case items a good decision or a poor decision, and why?

a) “UV” zoning on Kennedale Sublett Road just east of Kennedale Parkway?

b) “MF” zoning on Joplin Road just south of Kennedale Sublett Road?

c) denying “R4” zoning at the old Texas Raceway property (approximately 3830 S. New Hope Road)?

 

A) Yes and No. It was a good decision to have that area developed as it was presented to be a catalyst for a massive retail outlet where people could both live and work. The property tax and sales tax generation, as I recall, was going to be a good deal for Kennedale. The affordable housing that was to accompany it would also have been a good decision since Kennedale only had one affordable living apartment complex within the incorporated city limits.

What we got, however, was absolutely not a good deal for Kennedale. Just apartments with NO retail?? With the laundry list of code violations, substandard building requirements, no oversight, and another laundry list of problems that it created after it was built, Kennedale could have done without it.

UV zoning, if it's used correctly, can be good for a city. In this case, UV zoning was not used properly. The city should have changed the zoning once plans were submitted that showed only apartment buildings. It was a reckless decision that set a poor precedent for future development in Kennedale.

 

B) MF Zoning in this area should have not been used. Since there were no apartments in this area when it came before council, it should have been denied. A nice pocket neighborhood or an expansion of Steeplechase is what should have been developed in that area. Because of the elevation of the land, the apartments have caused problems with Steeplechase residents, again due to a laundry list including, but not limited to, erosion and lighting concerns. Once more, past council decisions and poor oversight by the P&Z Board allowed this to happen to the detriment of the city and its residents.

 

C) It was a good decision to deny the R4 development in this area.

Three hundred homes with no infrastructure in place would have been a nightmare scenario for Kennedale. The infrastructure needs to be in place before any development can be built in this location. I voted to deny this development because of the oversight of the past council(s); they did not recognize that this area would not be a viable location for a development in its current condition. There is no existing infrastructure to support that many homes. New Hope Road is only a two-lane street and can not handle that much additional traffic in addition to what already travels through that area. The safety and well-being of the citizens is paramount to any development as well.

Further, the residents did not want this development either.

I realize a city has to grow, but there's a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things. This was going to be a nightmare for everyone. If a developer wants to develop this land, it would need to be done in phases and it would also have to be done with care with infrastructure improvements being a first step.

 

 

 

2. Property Taxes – please respond by March 9, 2023

Kennedale is the seventh highest taxing city of the 41 cities in Tarrant County. What are some viable potential solutions to alleviate the tax burden on the citizens? Or is this just something that the citizens of Kennedale must learn to accept? Why?

Not too long ago, Kennedale’s property taxes were the fourth highest in Tarrant County. In my time on city council, together we have lowered property taxes by eight cents. It's not a lot, but it is a step in the right direction. The annual Tarrant County property taxes total almost $3,200 on homes with a median appraised value of nearly $235,000. This, however, is still not acceptable in my opinion. Kennedale is a bedroom community with open space. However, we still don't have the businesses necessary to offset the residential cost. Because there is no income tax, every county relies heavily on property taxes to fund essential public services. I don't want to say this is a burden that Kennedale has to bear because it’s not. The new senior tax freeze is going through council right now. I see that as a potential way of reducing the burden on our seniors. Restructuring debt is another way. Ultimately, business is going to have to come to Kennedale to reduce the full burden on our citizens. A Parkway Revitalization Program to remove old, dilapidated buildings and free up some space for new business ventures to move onto the parkway is another option. With inflation and the continued hikes from the FED, interest rates are going up which means anyone who didn't get a fixed interest rate is paying more for their homes. Also, with the housing market cooling off, we in Kennedale face a specific challenge in lowering rates and keeping up with services. Business is the missing puzzle piece.

 

 

3. Moratorium – please respond by March 16, 2023

In January the council approved a temporary moratorium of applications for MF or TH zoning. Do you agree with the temporary moratorium? Why or why not?

I agree with the moratorium and I voted for it. In May of last year, another council member broached the subject of a moratorium due to the increased developer activity that the city was seeing. Knowing that our infrastructure is in terrible shape, and in some cases beyond repair, the city needed to act first to repair or replace the aging sewer and water lines, in addition to the roads in order to allow for more development and growth, if so desired. The council was then made aware of a study that had taken place back in 2009 about the over-capacity sewer lines going to waste treatment plants in Arlington. The study was then updated in 2014 and updated again in 2021. All of these studies showed that Kennedale was growing at a rapid pace and that the infrastructure was not able to keep up. The study was then shown to the public at the January council meeting. At that time, the area known as Basin B was severely stressed and it was reported that the over capacity would only cause more damage if not repaired and remedied in the coming months. The only thing we could do at that time was to place the moratorium on those developments that would add more stress to the already overstressed infrastructure. MF and TH buildings are on a small footprint of land. They can be up to three stories high with about 16 units per acre of density. Doing the math on that was an eye opener. Just take two people who shower every day, use the restroom at least four times a day per person, use water to wash clothes, do the dishes, and cook. Well... you get the point. That’s a lot of wastewater! There was just too much stress on the wastewater sites. By placing the moratorium on those types of developments we are able to study and fix the area in Basin B and possibly other parts of the city for years to come and not have an overstressed infrastructure for at least the next 50 years or more. If Kennedale wants to grow, we need the capacity for people to flush their toilets without worrying about over-stressing the wastewater infrastructure.

 

 

4. Removing Former City Manager George Campbell – please respond by March 23, 2023

In 2021 the city council removed former city manager George Campbell. Mr. Campbell's contract allowed him to receive the same year's additional salary even if he was removed mid-contract or if his contract was not renewed. Do you agree with the council's action? Why or why not?

The termination of former City Manager George Campbell was the first action I took when I was sworn in as a city council member. I supported that decision then and I support it now. Our city needed new leadership. Even as a non-elected official, he was not very helpful to residents. For those in the know, the city council did not end up paying $385k as a result of his terrmination, like some people would have you believe. The dollar amount was much less. Due to legal reasons, I can't tell anyone the final amount. Terminating George Campbell was a good thing for us as a council to do. In return, we now have someone who is a veteran of working for the benefit of Kennedale and who knows the city and the people who live here. Unfortunately, Mr. Campbell's actions spoke louder than his words. He wasn't willing to work with the city council. A change was needed and a change for the better is what we got.

 

 

5. Communications – please respond by March 30, 2023

If you receive an e-mail from a constituent on a Kennedale issue or problem similar to the top of this webpage [ http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_83.html ], will you respond to the constituent? Why or why not? What actions will you take?

I have always respected the will of the people; therefore, I will always answer an email from a citizen. The citizens are the boss. Any elected official should answer the people's questions. There is no reason why an elected official shouldn't answer the question, no matter what the question is. Even if I didn't know the answer, I would try to find the answer or go to the city manager and get some information on the subject matter at hand.

 

 

 

6. Issue – please respond by April 6, 2023

What is the most important issue the city council is currently facing? Why? What are your suggestions for addressing this issue?

There are several issues that need to be addressed. But the most important to me is the completion of the Unified Development Code, the Comprehensive Plan, and Future Land Use Plan. These important documents will dictate how Kennedale grows going forward for at least the next decade. With more oversight for developers, the city will now be able to get what is needed and promised by those developers during initial meetings with the P&Z Board.

These issues are currently being discussed. The moratorium that was passed earlier this year kicked off a series of events and allowed us to start this process. It will take about a year to finalize any changes needed and the public will have their say in how Kennedale grows and at what pace.

This is just the beginning of a series of initiatives that the current council has. That's why I'm running again. I want to ensure that these measures are passed and that the citizens have the final say in how their city grows. The future is very bright if we can stick together and work together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Spending – please respond by February 25, 2021

At the zoning case public hearing, the developer's CEO states, “First of all, if there are any improvements on the road, we pay for it. We are not asking for the city to pay for anything."

Then the mayor and city manager prioritize over $500,000 of work on the road. As a council person, what do you do? How do you handle this?

If that were to happen, (which to my understanding did happen), I would start by asking the obvious question, why?. Why, if the developer has stated and was on record, that if any of the road needs improvement they would handle it, are we the tax payers, just giving him or her free money that the city could use elsewhere? This is completely unacceptable! I'm sure I would get push back from the mayor and the city manager's office. If no answer, that could explain, why the city was paying for it, my next question would be, was this already in the city plans and if so i would like to see when it was authorized. Again, if at that time I didn't get an answer that was acceptable or showed tangible proof that it was authorized before the development, my next move would be to bring a vote to overrule the authorization to the developer or the work crew that was chosen to perform the work on the road, as well as open an internal investigation as to why the money was authorized to begin with. I would also look into the possibility of removing the city managers and mayors money authorizations for future projects and leave it up to the council to vote on. No one, single, omnipresent person, city manager or mayor should have control over the purse strings to the local government. That is how a city or town gets into financial trouble. Authorizing a large sum of money, without the guidance of the council is widely considered, reckless and irresponsible.

 

2, Branding – please respond by March 4, 2021

A decade ago, many would have said Kennedale's “branding” was the racetracks? Does Kennedale have a “brand” now? Does Kennedale need a “brand”? Is just being a suburb of Fort Worth and Arlington enough? What do you think? Why?

According to the city's website, we have a brand: it's “You're Here, Your Home.

Thirty years ago, when Kennedale was still a small "town", it WAS all about the racetracks! Every Friday and Saturday night, my parents and grandparents took me out to the tracks for some good ol’ racin’, not racing. We had a ball watching the dirt fly up from the back wheels of the cars on the track. If you were lucky enough, you even got to take some home on your clothes!! We lived in Forest Hill at the time, but my grandparents lived in Kennedale, so we would visit and talk, then head down to the tracks. Friday night was for the dirt track racing and Saturday night was spent at the drag strip. As a kid, I always wanted to be a race car driver because I remember what it was like to idolize those drivers. Heck, I am 40 years old and I still watch NASCAR!

About seven or eight years ago, coming back to Kennedale as a resident, I discovered that none of that awesome feeling existed any more. My grandparents are now gone, my parents are divorced, and as I look around even now, I don't see that same community of Kennedale that I knew and loved. The drag strip has been closed for a number of years now and the dirt racing, well, doesn't exist anymore.

I don't know what happened… Oh, wait, yes I do!! The city no longer supports that community. Even though I am sure that it could be a highly lucrative revenue stream for the city if marketed correctly, it has gotten away from them. Everyone is too "busy" to remember where they came from or they moved in after the racing was pushed out and don’t understand the impact the racing had on the development and image of Kennedale. The brick yards and the railroad of the early 20th century are what built the foundation many are living on today. The "tracks" are what made Kennedale a destination in the late 20th century. 

The "brand" You're Here, Your Home, doesn't fit well with me. We are a suburban city with rural roots that go down in the soil like those of a great oak tree. Many people still want that feeling. Many people still need that feeling.

The racetrack needs to be revived and the drag strip needs to reopen. Big business and tiny homes are not needed in Kennedale. I understand this is not an episode of Cheers, but we need more green space and parks. We need to rehabilitate the baseball fields. Bringing new local businesses into the city is also key to Kennedale’s success. We need to renovate currently existing older buildings so they can be used to house new businesses. We need to STOP the zoning changes and require any business seeking to build in Kennedale to do so within the guidelines that are already available. We don't need the ivory towers of Fort Worth or Dallas. Arlington is going through its own identity crisis right now and Kennedale is stuck in the middle. In my opinion, Kennedale still needs a "brand" that is modern, but a brand that also harkens back to the days when that ten-year-old boy (me), eyes shimmering, held his father’s hand and yearned to head to that racetrack for an evening of old-fashioned fun and excitement.

 

3. Property Taxes – please respond by March 11, 2021

Kennedale is the fourth highest taxing city of the 41 cities in Tarrant County [and heading in the wrong direction]. What are some viable potential solutions to alleviate the tax burden on the citizens? Or is this just something that the citizens of Kennedale must learn to accept? Why?

Previous to FY 2010, the city tax rate had not increased since FY 2004. The lowest the tax rate had ever been occurred way back in FY 1988. At that time, Kennedale had a population of roughly 4,000. Today Kennedale has a population of roughly 9,021 and is expected to grow by about 2.13 percent annually. With the addition of the Magnolia Estates, the tiny homes and now a low-income apartment complex, the situation is expected to get worse as more tax dollars will be going to the schools for additional resources to teach the students, improvements on the buildings used and possibly the addition of a new school or the expansion of the current ones in use. 

This is why Kennedale needs to look at other revenue streams like the racetracks and other avenues that would generate "local" tax dollars to alleviate the tax burden on the citizens who call Kennedale home. I wish there was a "fix-all" that could do it immediately, but as I look at the city now, I'm sad to say there isn't. Right now, Kennedale is not "marketable". What I mean by that is, Arlington and Mansfield are oversaturated. Developers are looking for a middle ground and that middle ground is Kennedale. If we continue at the pace the current council is going with the land deals and shady development, in ten years Kennedale won't be the same as it is now. Here are some ways I can, if elected, try to lessen the burden:

1. If possible, charge different rates of property tax for residential, commercial, and industrial properties with higher rates for higher valued land, such as a “mansion tax”.

2. Ally with community organizations to exert political pressure on large tax-exempt institutions to forge Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements.

3. Use development fees to cover the costs of growth.

4. Remove existing tax breaks and giveaways to businesses so that they pay their fair share.

5. Provide fixed-dollar exemptions rather than percentage-based exemptions and implement “circuit breakers” so there is a limit on the percentage of income any resident pays in property taxes.

Tarrant County has an average rate of 2.16%. Plenty of the cities have higher rates individually, like Kennedale, with the city of Mansfield topping them all at 2.47% — even higher than Fort Worth and Arlington. The median home value is about $158,200, and the population sits above 1,800,000 as a county. Because there is no income tax, every county relies heavily on property taxes to fund essential public services, such as schools and police and fire departments. Texans definitely enjoy the lack of income tax, but why are Texas property taxes so high? That money has to come from somewhere. And, since different localities have different needs, rates vary widely even across the state itself. However, cities can make their own decisions on how to appraise real estate and other taxed property. 

We need to act, and we need to act quickly before some of the current council turn Kennedale into a "mini-Southlake".

 

4. Growth – please respond by March 18, 2021

Over the past several months, the council has approved tiny housing units on tiny lots. What do you think of these and why?

I like the thought of tiny homes, but there are a lot of things wrong with the ones in Kennedale. Tiny homes are becoming a big idea, especially for millennials who wish to embrace a debt-free lifestyle by owning a home to call their own without the burden of a mortgage to pay. This niche market is popular among those under the age of 35 who may have experienced life the hard way as they watched their parents struggle to keep their homes during the recession. 

Cons

1. Without a garage, where do you store tools for home repairs or to fix your car?

2. Where does your car go?

3. During rough weather, how do you take shelter?

4. Most tiny homes are close to green space like a park, the ones in Kennedale are not.

5. They won’t sell for much which means the owners will not be paying their fair share of property taxes.

Pros

1. Not that much land is needed.

2. Small space to heat and cool means built in energy efficiency.

3. Tiny homes produce a lower carbon footprint.

4. Tiny home developments may foster more of a sense of community.

5. Less space means less consumption.

In conclusion, it’s a great thought if it’s done right. 

 

5. Economic Development Corporation (EDC)– please respond by March 25, 2021

Over the past several months, the council has approved EDC deals to sell lots at a very small fraction of the property’s value [one such example was $10] for the purchaser to build rental units. What do you think of this practice? Do you have any strong opinions regarding the EDC, its existence, its purpose, and its practices? Why?

"Once we are in this zone (of at least 10,000 citizens of Kennedale) we can expect more retail oriented business to finally start seeking parcels in our town." That was part of current city council member Chad Wandel's response to Question 3 about property tax rates. I stated that there was more to come regarding that sentence and here it is.

Recently, the EDC, or Economic Development Corporation has sold lots of land in Kennedale for nearly nothing.

The EDC is responsible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive economic development plan. Responsibilities of the EDC include, but are not limited to industrial, retail, tourism, and commercial development for the City, including proactively soliciting businesses, organizational, and resident input in the development of Kennedale and ensuring the coordination of economic development activities with the Kennedale Area Chamber of Commerce (KACC) and other regional and state economic development related entities.

The city manager is the executive director of the EDC and then you have Melissa Dailey, who is the Director of Planning and Economic Development.

The practice of selling land owned by the city for prices far below the land's value is an absolute tragedy! The developer(s) seeking to purchase the land should be held responsible for paying a price commiserate to the value of the land. Land that is appraised at $125,000 for example, could easily sell for $150,000 to $175,000, especially now that selling land comes with a premium price tag. Those funds could have helped with the crumbling infrastructure, purchased or rehabbed equipment for the city, or added to the general fund for Kennedale.

My opinion is that the EDC needs to be subjected to more oversight and that the citizens--not the city manager or Ms. Dailey-- should be making the decisions regarding land use or selling. We have an EDC board that is supposed to speak for all the citizens of Kennedale. Seven people-- seven-- make those decisions. The citizens have their say at the EDC meetings but ultimately, it's up to those seven people. By selling lots at a cheap (practically free) price, Mr. Wandel would indeed get "more retail oriented business to finally start seeking parcels in our town." It would turn Kennedale into a "Mini-Southlake" and push out some residents who have lived here for generations. We need to protect our seniors and the residents of Kennedale from being forced out to make way for "improvement". Look at what happened in Arlington with the Cowboys stadium. Before the Cowboys, that area was flush with homes and apartments. It was a community. Some homeowners sold their property because they knew it was just a matter of time before they were forced out. For the many people who didn't sell, eminent domain was forced upon them and they had no choice but to sell their property for "pennies on the dollar". I would never want that to happen here in Kennedale.

My hope is that the EDC and Mr. Wandel listen to what the people are saying. Right now, that is not happening. If elected, I would be a voice for the citizens and not work against Kennedale's residents.

In my opinion, the EDC's existence, its purpose, and its practices need a major overhaul. Maybe the council should make those decisions currently made by the EDC. It would ensure that a fair price is fetched and no back room deals "if certain conditions are met" amendments are negotiated. The EDC needs to start listening to the citizens' needs and wants and make rulings based on that information and not on the desires or contrivances of a developer. 

 

6. Accountability – please respond by April 1, 2021

Should the city council hold the city manager accountable? What should happen if staff fails on directives and/or knowingly violates codes? What if the material they present to the city council is not truthful? How should the city council address such issues? Why?

 

In short YES!!! The city council has a duty to hold ALL staff members accountable. If city staff fails on certain directives from the city council then they should be held accountable.

The residents of Kennedale need to realize and understand that it's not just the city council that makes decisions; the city manager and his/her respective staff make most of the decisions that affect the city and its residents based upon the needs and wishes of the city council. The city manager is tasked with doing the majority of the research and then developing a comprehensive plan to present to the council. In most cases, it is at that time that the city council hears the information for the first time. The council then asks questions based on the information that is presented. Usually, after hearing the presentation and asking questions, if no one objects, a vote is called.

However, unfortunately for both the council and for the residents of Kennedale for the past couple of YEARS the information that the city manager's office has presented to the council is either misrepresented or just completely wrong. For example, consider the 1.5 million dollar budget "shortfall" that led to the 4.4% increase in property tax for FY2021, in the middle of a pandemic no less! This wrong or misrepresented information has placed a burden on the residents of Kennedale, causing untold financial harm to them.

If you tuned in to the city council meeting on March 16th, you probably heard something about the Kennedale Sublett Road Realignment. According to the mayor, this has been in the works for 15+ years. This is not the truth! In fact, it has only recently been brought up because of "safety concerns''. The mayor also states that it would only cost the city around 4.5 MILLION DOLLARS!! The city doesn't have the money for that kind of project, and something tells me it has to do with the new "affordable" housing complex being built. There appears to be no plan, no artist rendering, nothing to indicate that this project existed until recently!!! But yet it's been in the "works" for 15+ years?? For a project that has that much time in the pipeline, then you would expect that there should be some kind of PLAN OR BLUEPRINT!

In cases like this where the information is clearly wrong or even misrepresented, an investigation by an independent source should take place almost immediately and upon the completion of the investigation, if information that was provided to the council was in fact wrong or redacted or even misrepresented, the council should move to have the source of that information removed from office immediately. This procedure should occur without fail and without prejudice. Moreover, this procedure should become an established protocol for how business is done in Kennedale city government. The residents of Kennedale deserve to know what's going on in their city! If elected, I can guarantee you this: after every city council meeting, I will host a roundtable discussion. I will place the information that is given to me, when available, into the residents' hands and ask you for your thoughts and opinions. Based off that information and private meetings that may be held, I will render my decision. Again, I am your voice and its time you should be heard!!

 

7. Communications – please respond by April 8, 2021

If a constituent emails you a question or comment on an issue about which you disagree and asks you for a response, will you respond to the constituent? Why or why not?

Yes, I would respond. It's imperative that the city council has an open dialogue with Kennedale residents, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with them.

If a Kennedale resident contacted me with a question or comment on an issue, I would relay the facts of the situation and then explain my viewpoint on why or why not it would benefit the city. This is why I have committed to having a roundtable discussion with the residents after every city council meeting. I want the residents' input! I want to know what they are thinking. I want them to know the pros and cons of every detail that either fails to pass or passes the city council vote. It is imperative that the residents know what's going on and also for council to learn from the residents what they want to let us know.

 

 

8. Issue – please respond by April 15, 2021

What is the most important issue the city council is currently facing? Why?

 

Currently there are multiple important issues facing the Kennedale City Council at this time. However, if I was going to single one specific issue out, I feel the most important issue is the lack of transparency.

The current city council seems to be all about "backroom deals". The issue with the 1083 Bowman Springs Road "sale", the tiny homes controversy, the issue of the Hammock Creek Apartments, and a city manager who has held multiple city manager jobs with multiple cities and is apparently incapable of controlling his staff, following through with directives from the city council, and being generally dishonest are all clear examples of how business is "done" in Kennedale city government. 

A member of the city council SHOULD be open and honest with the citizens he or she represents! The general public doesn't know 80% or more of what is happening within the city because the current sitting council won't tell the people what is really happening. They don't share information on their own websites or through social media. Several former members of city council give out wrong information on social media or don't address the concerns at all. No one knew of the tiny homes until it was placed up for a vote at a Zoom meeting. No one, not even former council members, knew about the issue with 1083 Bowman Springs Road, for which there is no sale receipt or information about how Spirals purchased the land and there is also no record of the proposal in the city council records or minutes. A former city council member was "bullied" by the developer of the Hammock Creek Apartments into recusing herself from voting in order to avoid having legal action taken against her!!!! NO ONE KNOWS THIS!!!! The mayor and his "goon" squad even went along with it and voted FOR an apartment complex no one needed or wanted. Now we get to the city manager! He has held the City Manager position for the cities of  Coppell 1972 - 1977, Weatherford 1977-1983 and 2002 - 2006, Arlington 1983 - 1999, Denton 2006-2016, and now Kennedale 2017- present, according to the cities' websites. Mr. Campbell doesn't even live in Kennedale!!! He lives in Arlington! One has to ask just how invested in Kennedale he really is!!  Further, he has no clue on how to run a city! This is unacceptable! We need a city manager who lives in Kennedale, someone who has a good track record in managing city government and someone who WILL have respect for the citizens. We also need someone who will provide all information to the council so that they can make informed decisions based on facts. 

If elected, I will be that transparent voice. There will be no more "backroom deals''. I will recommend a search for a new city manager. I will also make sure that every item that comes before the council for consideration is researched to the fullest extent possible before I vote on it. Kennedale citizens deserve far better than what they are currently getting from this city council and transparency is the key to their getting the representation they deserve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kennedale            Kennedale            Kennedale             Kennedale     

Observer              Observer            May 6, 2023          City Council     

HomePage            Newsletter            Election                Grades