Rockie Gilley, Kennedale Place 1

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) This is the apartment complex Hammock Creek across from Emerald Hills Cemetery. Nothing in the following is criticism of the residents of these apartments; they are innocent of the shenanigans that have occurred in the zoning and building of these apartments. This was a bad decision.

In 2018 when I served on the city council this project was brought to the council for approval of a Government Grant to build these apartments. Most Kennedale Residents opposed the construction, especially in that location. I opposed them and voted against the apartments in the face of threats by the developer to sue Council Members and the City if we did not vote yes to approve their request for the Government Grant to begin construction.

The vote was 2-2 with the former mayor voting to break the tie and start the ball rolling on these apartments. One council member who was also opposed was threatened with a lawsuit, if she did not recuse (not vote) herself by parties with a financial interest in the building of the apartments. After this, it was a “done deal”. I left the council in May of 2019 and zoning sailed through with the former City administration and council members, (with one exception). These people have all been fired, quit, or voted out of office.

To overcome objections to their construction, the developer and the old city administration (everyone involved are now gone, thankfully) promised that it would be a mixed-use development with townhouses and retail businesses. This was a bait-and-switch trick as we now know. That I saw through. It didn’t take much to see through this trickery as the developer had never built a mixed-use development and would not sign a legal document binding them to their promises.

Even if it was what was promised, townhomes and retail businesses along with apartments, it was a bad location. It increased traffic in an already congested area and is incompatible with existing single-family homes in that area.

A few examples of the many problems created:

The apartments were built into the right-of-way base line of Sublett Road with Emerald Hills Cemetery on the other side of the road. To widen the road, some apartments must be torn down or graves paved over; this will likely never happen. Making the eventual improved interchange between Sublett, Mansfield-Cardinal, and Kennedale Parkway is made more expensive and complex, costing taxpayers millions more, in fact, tens of millions versus a few million dollars.

Increased stormwater runoff into the area to the north, an area already suffering from erosion.

Increased congestion on Little and Sublett Road, as well as the intersection with Kennedale Parkway.

In addition to the false promises of “mixed-use” development, the developer promised to pay for the building of all necessary roads but would not commit to a legally binding legal document requiring it.

I could write a book about the bad faith dealings related to Hammock Creek.

 

B) These are the Alta Landing Apartments between the Albertson’s and the Steeple Chase neighborhood in the southwest quadrant of US 287 and Sublett Road.

As I mentioned earlier, nothing following is criticism of the residents of Alta apartments; they are innocent of the problems that have occurred in the zoning and building of these apartments. This was another bad decision.

The impact to Kennedale’s infrastructure is not as severe as with Hammock Creek, as these apartments are at the edge of Arlington and are adjacent to US 287 and supported directly by City of Arlington Utilities.

The problem is the negative impact to people living in Steeple Chase. The insufficient buffer zone between a quiet single-family neighborhood and colossal three-story apartments on a hill looming over them is terrible. Some of the issues have been addressed such as stadium level lighting shining into windows and backyards bright enough to read by, noisy dumpster pickups in the small hours of the night, ugly fencing, trash blowing around, a dangerous grade separation between the parking lot and people’s formerly peaceful backyards; but many problems cannot be fixed, the biggest being a large three-story apartment complex too close to existing single-family homes.

Again, as with Hammock Creek, there was a bait-and-switch between what was promised and what was delivered. These were “sold” to the residents of Steeple Chase as two-story apartments, and then the zoning was changed to allow three stories and many more units per acre. This bait-and-switch was accomplished by the aforementioned former city administration (the ones who either were fired or who quit) and approved by former city council members who no longer hold office. For all I know the former council that voted for the change to the zoning were misled by the old city administration or didn’t know what they were approving.

In summary, Kennedale has plenty of large apartment complexes for a city of six square miles and ten thousand people, in my opinion, and we don’t need any more.

 

C) This was a good decision.

Kennedale does not have the sewer capacity to support hundreds of new homes in that area. New Hope Road does not have the capacity to safely handle the increased traffic created by hundreds of new homes. In my opinion New Hope Road is insufficient for the load that currently uses it. It will cost tens of millions of dollars to reconstruct New Hope Road, requiring a bond to finance it.

A very dense large development like the one that was turned down is not compatible with the surrounding homes and goes against the “Small-Town” feel of Kennedale, which is the best thing we have going for us. This area will develop, but it should be compatible with what most of the people want.

 

X) In summary Kennedale should keep the “Small-Town” feel; that is the best thing that we have going for us. We are small, six square miles, and we do not need to be a very small version of Arlington, Mansfield, or Fort Worth. We can’t afford to be dollar-wise or quality of life-wise. Let’s not kill the best thing we have going for us.

If simple growth in rooftops generated enough money to lower our taxes we would have very low property taxes, and ours are too high in comparison to other cities in Tarrant County.

Kennedale has grown by 25% in the last four years, and 50% in the last twelve. Lack of population growth is not our problem.

We will have growth, and it needs to be smart growth that pays for itself and does not destroy our quality of life and our budget and allows us to remain a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the DFW Metroplex.

 

 

 

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?

The City’s property taxes are too high and are out of sync with other cities in Tarrant County.

Personally, I am in favor of reducing City taxes by frugal use of tax money, increasing small business growth in Kennedale, and thereby generating revenue, and encouraging smart growth that pays for itself. Simply chanting, “roof tops, more roof tops” does not cut it, as more than 25% population growth in the last four years and 50% growth in the last 12 years have never reduced Kennedale’s city property taxes; in fact, some of the growth will increase them.

Also, the City’s Economic Development Corporation owns millions of dollars of property that no property tax is collected on. This property needs to be sold and put on the tax rolls.

We need smart growth that generates more revenue than the growth costs; in the past, this was often not the case. We also must keep the best thing about Kennedale, the small-town atmosphere.

 

Through great efforts on the part of the new City Manager and new City Council beginning in May of 2021, the rapid increase in the City’s portion of property taxes has been controlled. Please see the Table of Tax Increases below for recent years. This data comes directly from the city’s adopted budget documents.

Fiscal Year	Tax Increase
2022-2023	1.91 %
2021-2022	0.11%
2020-2021	9.9%
2019-2020	9.8%
2018-2019	1.2%
2017-2018	9.1%
2016-2017	3.1%
2015-2016	7.7%
2014-2015	2.49%
2013-2014	4.94%

Along with controlling the rapid increase in taxes, wiser use of your money has the City’s cash reserves in the best shape it has been in at least 30 years; and the first roads repaved in seven years along with pay raises to retain City employees.

Regardless of what you may have been (mis)led to believe, city spending drives city property taxes!

It is not because your property valuations have increased.

The increase in property valuations is just a means to collect higher taxes and blame it on another entity other than the City Council.

The five people on City Council (plus the mayor in case of a tie vote) are solely responsible for increasing or decreasing your city taxes!

How your city property taxes are calculated:

(Valuation – Exemptions) X Tax Rate = City Property Taxes.

The City Council sets the tax rate, and as property valuations increase the tax rate should decrease. If the decrease is not enough, taxes increase. The value of your home increasing by 20% or more a year has no relation to the cost of services provided by the city.

The City’s part of your property taxes is the second largest portion, with your school property tax the first and largest portion, followed by the County portion as the third largest, the Tarrant County Hospital District as fourth, and the Tarrant County Community College as fifth. That means the significant increase you have experienced in the last two years is in general because of these other entities tax increases.

Our Property Tax system in Texas, especially for school districts (outside the purview of the City) is unfair and out of control. It is needlessly complex by design as taxing entities want more of your money and the complexity allows them to deflect their responsibility to some other entity, Appraisal District, Austin, etc.

Lastly, every dollar that the city spends must be taken from someone else; it generates none of its own.

 

 

 

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?

Yes, I agree with the moratorium; it was necessary. In my opinion, we currently have all the apartments and dense development we can pay for and support or need.

Rapid development in Kennedale has outstripped the capacity of both our sewer system and our streets and roads. For the safety and well-being of the people of Kennedale, Multi-family development was put on hold until we can expand the sewer system and street system, and update our zoning laws to reflect what the citizens of Kennedale want.

I believe the majority of the people of Kennedale want to remain a peaceful, uncrowded, suburban community. That is the best thing we have going for us, and it makes us unique. Why would we screw up the best thing we have? The revenue versus cost of larger spacious suburban homes is greater than dense development and keeps our best quality.

In Kennedale we are unique in that the majority of the members of the current City Council are not controlled by developers who care about making a quick buck and leaving us to deal with the results. This is very rare in North Texas. Please help me make the City of Kennedale beholden to the people of Kennedale.

 

 

 

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?

 

Yes, I agree with the termination of former City Manager George Campbell. He refused to follow the direction of the City Council members, who were elected as representatives of the citizens of Kennedale. According to our Charter, it requires four of the five council members to terminate the City Manager; after the 2021 council elections, that occurred.

Under his “Golden Parachute” contract, given to him in early 2017, Campbell was guaranteed a year’s salary and benefits if he was terminated, or if the contract was not renewed. This terrible (for Kennedale) contract was renewed in 2020.

The Council members who approved and extended this contract are no longer in office. It is important to understand that the sooner he was terminated, the less money you would pay for his poor performance!

Terminating Campbell was painful, but necessary to ensure the voters of Kennedale were represented and that our city functions for the good of the people of Kennedale.

Look around you and you will see roads being paved for the first time in many years, as well as long neglected water and sewer projects that are either currently in progress, in the planning stage, or have been recently completed.

In general, we have a more responsive city administration. We have a lot of room for improvement, things are far from ideal, but we are making forward progress. We have a long way to go, and years of neglect and poor decisions to dig out from under; however, we have begun the recovery from years of mismanagement and poor decisions that occurred under City Manager Campbell.

This would not have been possible with the former city manager’s continued employment, in my opinion.

 

 

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?

Yes, of course I would respond. It is the duty of a City Council person to respond to questions from the people.

In general, I would use these steps:

1) Contact the person making the inquiry to make certain I understand the question fully, as well as to gather any other information the constituent may have.

2) Research the issue using a variety of contacts and resources at my disposal.

3) Determine to the best of my ability what is behind the action(s) that drove the inquiry from the constituent.

4) Discuss the issue with the City Manager and Mayor, and place the issue on the Council Meeting Agenda if it requires it.

5) Provide answers and solutions to the constituent as fully as possible.

 

 

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?

The greatest challenge we have on the City Council is repairing streets and roads as well as water and sewer infrastructure, and addressing flooding and erosion problems after decades of neglect. These challenges are compounded by explosive residential growth, and we are doing our best to address them without raising our already high property taxes.

We on Council are prioritizing the projects that must be done; it is a long and expensive list and we are starting them as we can afford to do so. Understandably, it will never be fast enough to please most of us who live in Kennedale. Government is a monopoly at all levels. By its nature it is slow to respond to needs and deliver core services. Some of you may have heard me use the phrase “pushing a rope” for getting something done. I promise to keep pushing the rope for the people who make up Kennedale, to get things done.

Repairing the City’s infrastructure is not glamourous or exciting. Cities that expand too quickly will experience difficulty building and maintaining roads and other infrastructure without raising taxes. We are definitely experiencing this problem in Kennedale. Wise use of your money and steady progress in performing the core services of public safety, and maintenance of roads, water and sewage infrastructure is the best method to make our city better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kennedale            Kennedale            Kennedale             Kennedale     

Observer              Observer            May 6, 2023          City Council     

HomePage            Newsletter            Election                Grades