Prior to that 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 ============== October 13, 2025 Newsletter ============= Arlington City CouncilGrades ============= AISD Board Grades ================ October 6, 2025 Newsletter ============ September 29, 2025 Newsletter =========== September 22, 2025 Newsletter ============ September 15, 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 ============= David Wilbanks, AISDPlace4 ========== Justin Chapa, AISDPlace5 ============= 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??? ============== The Bridge ============== Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter ============ Prior to That Newsletter ================ Brad Horton, Kennedale Mayor ============ David Glover, Kennedale Place 1 ============= Thelma Kobeck, Kennedale Place 2 =========== Ken Michels, Kennedale Place 3 ==============P3 Chris Gary, Kennedale Place 4 =========== Jeff Nevarez, Kennedale Place 5 ============ Kennedale City Council Compare ========== 1083 Bowman Springs Road Kennedale ============ What to Know About the Texas Raceway Project ================ Kennedale EDC MMA contract information ==============

October 5, 2025 – Volume 8 Number 40

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Kennedale will start district play this week.

SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, October 7: National Night Out.

Thursday, October 9: Board of Adjustments/Building Board of Appeals meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 11: Public Safety Open House, 10:00am – noon.

Monday, October 13: Columbus Day. Banks and Post Office are closed.

Tuesday, October 14: KKB (Keep Kennedale Beautiful) meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 14: Parks Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Monday, October 20: Start of Early Voting, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 21: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 23: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 28: EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.

…..

Senior Tax Freeze

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_10.html

Texas Open Meetings Act Violations???

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_9.html

The Bridge:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_12.html

City Council Grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_26.html

Kennedale Observer website:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/index_3.html

Latest Kennedale Observer newsletter:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_44.html

KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...

Your City Council

The next city council monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, October 21.

* * * * *

Leftovers:

The “Investigation” was on the executive session agenda for the September 16 meeting, but nothing was stated in open session.

[Commentary: The lack of transparency continues. I have been requesting the invoices from the law firm conducting the investigation. My public information requests (PIR) keep being answered by the city secretary that they did not have any invoices. Well as it turns out the city HAS been receiving invoices, addressed to the city attorney [department, but still part of the city] at the city hall address.

If you think of the “flow” of a PIR, the city secretary is in-charge/responsible for PIRs. In this case you would guess she requests the information from the finance department, which if the city has been paying the firm, knows where those requests for payments have been coming [from the city attorney's office]. One can only guess that they failed to mention that to the city secretary, so she can check with the city attorney's office to fulfill the PIR. [This is the same finance department that in the Mayor's Back to School Bash check-cashing/money-laundering scandal, produced one date on a specific check, then changed that information at a later date.]

Surprise, surprise, the city attorney is blocking my access to these invoices, and I will need to go through the attorney general. I have received now/finally five redacted summary/cover-sheets of invoices totaling $9663.50.

If you remember back to the May 1 meeting, council approved having the city attorney recommend potential firms. Council members were expecting to define the scope of what was to be done. The council never “officially” got a voice in deciding which firm would conduct the investigation, nor in the scope of the investigation.

The city attorney has also blocked my PIR trying to get documents defining the scope. Again, I will need to go through the attorney general.]

Last Week

There were no meetings last week.

This Week

There is a Board of Appeals meeting on Thursday. This is regarding the rear and side setbacks at 600 W. Kennedale Parkway.

Public Hearings

On Thursday, October 9, the Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing for BOA25-04. This is regarding rear and side setbacks at 600 W. Kennedale Parkway. [This is the property that the EDC is selling to a developer “buddy” at a greatly discounted price.]

On Thursday, October 23, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ25-15 at 836 Valley Lane for replats.

On Thursday, October 23, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ25-16 at Crestview, E. Kennedale Parkway, and Kennedale Sublett Road for replats.

EDC

The next EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Board meeting should be on Tuesday, October 28.

P&Z

The next meeting should be on Thursday, October 23.

Other News....

District Play Starts

There was no game last week. Kennedale starts district play this week at Castleberry.

JPS Lower Tax Rate Approved

Three weeks ago, two county commissioners [including our commissioner, Alisha Simmons] were not present for a vote on the JPS (hospital) tax rate causing a delay on voting for that lower tax rate. This week that tax rate was approved, 3-1, as one of the two absent commissioners attended the specially called meeting. Miranda Suarez of KERA News has an article at: https://www.keranews.org/government/2025-09-22/tarrant-county-tax-rate-quorum-break .

TAD Rates

Tarrant Appraisal District has published the tax rates (October 2024) for the county. Kennedale is now the fifth highest municipality. [https://www.tad.org/content/rates/2024TaxRates.pdf ].

Top ten of 41 (everyone else is < 0.65)

1. Everman 1.0260800

2. Sansom Park 0.7796050

3. Forest Hill 0.7240940

4. Blue Mound 0.7220330

5. Kennedale 0.7061900

6. White Settlement 0.6798160

7. River Oaks 0.6758270

8. Fort Worth 0.672500

9. Burleson 0.6627000

10. Grand Prairie 0.6600000

Kennedale has passed a new 2025 rate of $0.6961900, which will be on the TAD website in October.

South New Hope Road Repairs

The repairs are expected to start on Monday, October 20. They are hoping to finish by the end of January 2026.

November 4 Election

Voters will have their say on 17 constitutional amendments. Early voting starts Monday, October 20 and ends on Friday, October 31. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4.

Texas for Fiscal Responsibility staff has an article on the 17 amendments and whether they are pro- or anti- taxpayer: https://texastaxpayers.com/the-2025-proposed-amendments-to-the-texas-constitution/ .

Local Government Games

The staff of Texans for Fiscal Reponsibility (TFR) has written this article of how local governments claim tax cuts, while greatly increasing spending: https://texastaxpayers.com/the-games-local-governments-play/ .

HELPFUL WEBSITES and CONTACTS

Would you like to be added to our mailing list? Please send an e-mail to: KennedaleObserver@yahoo.com requesting to be added to our mailing list.

Also, please feel free to share this newsletter with your friends.

Senior Tax Freeze Missing

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_10.html

Texas Open Meetings Act Violations???

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_9.html

The Bridge:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_12.html

Texas Open Meetings Act Violations???

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_9.html

Kennedale Observer: KennedaleObserver@yahoo.com