April 7, 2025 Newsletter

Home ============ Open Letter to AISD Taxpayers ============ Teachers' Salaries ============ Citizens Defending Freedom vs. AISD Lawsuit ============== Taxpayers' Funds at Risk ============ April 21, 2025 Newsletter ============= Arlington City CouncilGrades ============= AISD Board Grades ================ May 3, 2025 Election ================ David Wilbanks, AISDPlace4 ============= April Williams Moore, Candidate for ==AISDPlace4==== Justin Chapa, AISDPlace5 ================ April 14, 2025 Newsletter =========== April 7, 2025 Newsletter ============ March 31, 2025 Newsletter ============ March 24, 2025 Newsletter ============ ================ Jim Ross, Mayor ============= Mauricio Galante, District1 ============= Raul Gonzalez, District2 ============= Nikkie Hunter, District3 ============= Andrew Piel, District4 ============= Rebecca Boxall, District5 ============= Long Pham, District6 ============= Bowie Hogg, District7 ============== Barbara Odom-Wesley, District8 ============= Sarah McMurrough, AISDPlace1 ============= Melody Fowler, AISDPlace2 ============= Larry Mike, AISDPlace3 ============= Brooklyn Richardson, AISDPlace6 ============= Leanne Haynes, AISDPlace7 ============= Fact Sheet - November 8, 2022 Election ============ ++++++++++++ ============= Kennedale Observer Homepage =========== Kennedale Senior Tax Freeze ============== Kennedale City CouncilGrades ========== Texas Open Meetings Act Violations??? ============== Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter ============ Prior to That Newsletter ================ Kennedale May 3 Election ================= Bobby Goff, Candidate for Kennedale Place 1 ============= David Glover, Kennedale Place 1 ==============P1 Ryon Ray, Candidate for Kennedale Place 3 ============= Amanda Hollins, Candidate for Kennedale Place 3 ============ Ken Michels, Kennedale Place 3 ==============P3 Jeff Nevarez, Kennedale Place 5 ============ James Connor, Candidate for Kennedale Place 5 ============ Megan Burns, Candidate for Kennedale Place 5 ===============P5 Brad Horton, Kennedale Mayor ============ Thelma Kobeck, Kennedale Place 2 =========== Chris Gary, Kennedale Place 4 =========== Kennedale City Council Compare ========== 1083 Bowman Springs Road Kennedale ============ What to Know About the Texas Raceway Project ================ Kennedale EDC MMA contract information ==============

April 7, 2025 – Volume 19 Number 14

Highlights:

* AISD is to start groundwork for their next bond.

* City council to meet this Tuesday.

* P&Z met last Wednesday.

Open Letter to AISD Taxpayers

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_11.html

Teachers' Salaries

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_97.html

Taxpayers' Funds at Risk:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_83.html

City Council grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_39.html

AISD Board grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_1.html

Citizens Defending Freedom vs. AISD

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_14.html

Arlington is a city where citizens are relegated to being spectators, rather than players on the field. The SPECTATOR helps citizens know what is happening on the field. Only a few of the in-house team members are allowed to play ball in Arlington. The SPECTATOR helps citizens understand the game.

GAME SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, April 8: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 8:15am, 3:15pm, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

Saturday, April 12: City Shred and Electronic Recycle Day, southeast corner of Mitchell Street and S. Cooper Street, 8:00am – noon.

Tuesday, April 15: Federal Income Tax deadline.

Wednesday, April 16: P&Z meeting, 101 W. Abram Street, 5:30pm.

Thursday, April 17: AISD Board meeting, AISD Administration Building, 690 E. Lamar Boulevard, 6:30pm. (You must be signed up online by 3:00pm if you wish to speak.)

Friday, April 18: City offices closed for Good Friday.

Sunday, April 20: Easter.

Tuesday, April 22: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

From THE LOCKER ROOM

Arlington City Council Update

The city council did not meet this past week. Their next meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, April 8. The first of three committee meetings will be at 8:15am. The afternoon meeting opens at 10:45am and goes into executive session. The open portion of the afternoon meeting agenda will start no sooner than 3:15pm. The evening meeting is at 6:30pm.

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Committee Meetings

The Community and Neighborhood Development Committee is expected to meet at 8:15am and spend about 30 minutes on strategies and results in addressing homelessness (presentation).

The Transportation and Municipal Infrastructure Committee is to meet at 9:00am and spend about 30 minutes on panhandling solutions follow-up (presentation). At their last committee meeting they discussed potential median solutions to keep panhandlers off the medians at a couple of intersections. This seems to be a continuation of that discussion.

The Municipal Policy Committee is to meet at 9:45am and spend about 45 minutes on the Arlington Cemetery ordinance (presentation).

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Afternoon Meeting

The afternoon meeting will begin at 10:45am. They will open and then go into executive session for several heavy-duty legal discussions.

1. Legal discussion regarding out of jurisdiction Housing Finance Corporations transactions.

2. The potential sales, lease, etc., of 106 Stadium Drive.

3. Council appointees performance reviews.

4. The always expensive offers of incentives to business prospects.

The open portion of the afternoon agenda will start no sooner than 3:15pm. It includes three work session items, one informal staff report, a status update on the nuisance unfinished structures, a legislative update, and council external committees reporting.

Work Session items.

1. Innovate Arlington Comprehensive Plan Update (presentation).

2. Police Department 2024 Annual Report (presentation).

3. Council Priority – Leverage Technology (presentation).

Staff report on collection of fees for hazardous material incidents (staff report).

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Evening Meeting

The evening meeting will begin at 6:30pm. The agenda includes appointments, minutes, 21 consent agenda items, two public hearings, and an ordinance to collect fees for hazardous material incidents.

Consent agenda item 7.21 is for an interlocal agreement with Fort Worth for a high-speed rail economic impact study not to exceed $183,750 (staff report).

There are four public hearings on the agenda; however, the first two, dealing with Anthem (the Lincoln Square remodel) and its alternate sign plan, will be continued until April 22.

The public hearing for zoning case PD25-1 (7505 US Business Highway 287) is to allow for a new building for LI (light industrial) uses (staff report).

The public hearing for zoning case SUP24-10 (2300 Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard) is to allow a telecommunications tower greater than 75 feet (staff report).

The ordinance to collect fees for hazardous material incidents (staff report).

Election information

The city election has NO candidates, only propositions. There are five bond propositions and seven charter amendments.

Early voting will be Tuesday, April 22 – Tuesday, April 29. Election Day is Saturday, May 3.

The Arlington's Office of Communications stories on the 2025 Bond Election and Charter Amendments by Susan Schrock: (bond) https://www.arlingtontx.gov/News-Articles/2025/February/Arlington-Residents-to-Vote-on-Proposed-200.8-Million-Bond-Program

(charter amendments) https://www.arlingtontx.gov/News-Articles/2025/February/Arlington-to-Hold-City-Charter-Special-Election-on-May-3-2025 .

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Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

We do not know the date of the next EDC Board meeting.

Upcoming Public Hearings

On Tuesday, April 8, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD25-1 for a planned development for light industrial at 7505 US Business Highway 287.

On Tuesday, April 8, the city council will hold a public hearing on SUP24-10 for a telecommunications tower greater than 100 feet at 2350 Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard.

On Wednesday, April 16, P&Z will hold a public hearing on the annual UDC (Unified Development Code) updates. If approved, it should go to the city council on May 13.

On Wednesday, April 16, P&Z will hold a public hearing for PD25-2 at 721 Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard. They wish to convert community commercial “CC” to a planned development for CC with a package liquor store. If approved, it will go to the city council on May 27.

On Wednesday, April 16, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD24-36 for a planned development a) for single-family on minimum 6000 sq. ft. lots, and b) community commercial for self-storage at 901 Debbie Lane. It is currently zoned for a planned development for single-family on at least 7500 square foot lots. If approved this would go to the city council on May 13.

On Tuesday, April 22, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD18-13R1 at 101 S. Center Street. They wish to remove the live-work units’ requirement.

On Tuesday, April 22, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-40 for a planned development for a portion of Lincoln Square.

On Tuesday, April 22, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-40-ASP for an alternate sign plan for Lincoln Square.

On Wednesday, May 7, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD24-25 at 1700 E. Bardin Road. They wish for a planned development or RM12 (usually town homes) on 6.29 acres.

On Tuesday, May 13, the city council will hold a public hearing on ZA24-11 for “straight” office commercial at 5101/5321 S. Collins Street. It is currently zoned for a planned development office commercial and residential estate.

On Tuesday, May 13, the city council will hold a public hearing on ZA25-1 for “straight” limited office zoning at 2598 Northwest Green Oaks Boulevard. It is currently zoned for RS-7.2.

On Tuesday, May 13, the city council will hold a public hearing on ZA25-2 for “straight” flex hybrid zoning at 3000 S. Cooper Street. It is currently zoned for community commercial.

???, the city council will hold a public hearing on SUP24-9 on 0.521 acres at 3007 E. Abram Street for a special use permit for a communications tower.

P&Z Commission

P&Z met this Wednesday, April 2. The full agenda can be found at: https://granicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/arlingtontx/38a898bcf8bdfe97dda9f1638bef08a60.pdf . There were five zoning case public hearings-- one continuation and four that were heard. The meeting can be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/player/clip/5088?view_id=10&redirect=true .

(2:27) Public hearing #1 was for PD24-36 at 8101 S. Collins Street (staff report). They wish to build a self-storage facility on this 5.06 acres. The continuation was approved, 8-0.

(3:55) Public hearing #2 was for PD24-37 at 1218 N. Center Street (staff report). They wish to allow for STR (short-term rentals) on this 0.224 acres. The motion to approve, failed, 0-8.

(23:23) Public hearing #3 was for ZA24-11 at 5101 S. Collins Street (staff report). They wish for office commercial (OC) zoning on the 16.57 acres. This was approved, 8-0.

(30:45) Public hearing #4 was for ZA25-1 at 2598 Northwest Green Oaks Boulevard (staff report). They wish to change RS-7.2 to LO (limited office) on 2.415 acres. Per the Unified Development Code (UDC), the Limited Office (LO) district is intended for small-scale, low-intensity professional office uses near or adjacent to residential neighborhoods. There was a speaker in opposition, leading to a discussion of the construction of a private skateboarding ramp which is not allowed, not being related to the requested zoning. It was approved, 8-0.

(52:10) Public hearing #5 was for ZA25-2 at 3000 S. Cooper Street (staff report). They wish to change from community commercial (CC) to flex hybrid (FH) on 0.927 acres. It was approved, 8-0.

AISD School Board

School Board Meeting

The AISD School Board met this past Thursday, April 3, for a regular meeting. The agenda can be found at: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/2978?meeting=678525 . The meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whrv-YXLmvs . Ms. Richardson was not present. She attended virtually.

(28:32) Reconvened in open session.

(1:11:50) Citizen forum for agenda item. There were no speakers.

Committee and Staff Reports

(1:12:23) Education partners - Tarrant County College report by the president of the southeast campus. Last year there were 213 students who were receiving AISD and TCC degrees together.

(1:26:08) Safety and Discipline report. About 1:48:40 it was opened up to comments/questions from the board members.

(2:05:31) Mid-year Academic Report. Most scores were a little below the projected end of year goal. About 2:13:05 it was opened up to comments/questions from the board members.

(2:24:38) Bond Update and Bond Planning Reports. About 2:40:44 it was opened up to comments/questions from the board members. Bond planning started about 2:54:14, They will be looking to start the next steps of another bond issue.

(2:56:53) Action item. TAP (Turnaround Plan) for Sam Houston High School. About 3:07:48 it was opened up to comments/questions from the board members. They approved the Sam Houston TAP, 7-0.

(3:20:24) Consent Agenda. Nothing was pulled. It was approved, 7-0.

(3:21:22) Citizen Forum for non-agenda items. There were no speakers.

(3:21:45) End of meeting reports.

The Board Brief was presented by Mr. Wilbanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5igNp8hPBdM .

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Filings for May 3 Election

Voters will get to vote for AISD Places 4 (Wilbanks) and 5 (Chapa). Early voting will be Tuesday, April 22 – Tuesday, April 29. Election Day is Saturday, May 3.

Ballot order:

Place 4 – Wilbanks (i), April Williams Moore.

Place 5 – Chapa (i).

Question 6: What is the most important issue the board is currently facing? Why? What are your suggestions for addressing this issue?

Place 4

Wilbanks (i)

( http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_88.html )

Did not respond.

April Williams Moore

( http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_9.html )

Student Achievement is the most pressing concern. We have experienced a five-year decline in student performance. Among the 20 districts in Tarrant County, we rank 17th out of 20, with only 43% of our students performing at grade level. It is imperative that we halt this decline and take proactive steps to address the issue and enhance performance. My opponent has acknowledged that literacy rates are subpar and attempts to shift the focus to National Merit Scholars, which, although commendable, raises the question of whether these students' achievements are attributable to innate ability, supported by their parents, rather than the educational system. The vast majority of our students not only fail to achieve National Merit Scholar status but also demonstrate stagnant growth in fundamental subjects like mathematics and reading.

Place 5

Chapa (i)

( http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_89.html )

Did not respond.

The Arlington Report article by Drew Shaw on the candidates: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/03/11/qa-these-candidates-want-to-be-on-arlington-isd-school-board-here-are-their-priorities .

TEA Accountability Data:

2023 STAAR Performance

2022 Accountability

2021 Accountability

2019 Accountability

* There was a court ruling that the 2023 A-F scores could be released.

In 2020, the AISD was tied for the highest M&O rate of all the school districts in Tarrant County. Since then, there has been NO tie. The AISD HAS the highest M&O rate in Tarrant County. [school district tax rates]

Top 5 of Tarrant County's 21 ISDs M&O Rates

1. Arlington ISD $0.812800

2. Birdville ISD $0.786900

2. Fort Worth ISD $0.786900

2. Godley ISD $0.786900

2. Mansfield ISD $0.786900

Of Tarrant County's 21 ISDs - Lowest Tax Rates [The rest are above $1.1300]

1. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD $0.923300

2. Carroll ISD $0.961700

3. HEB ISD $0.968900

4. Fort Worth ISD $1.062400

5. Keller ISD $1.085200