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November 16, 2025 – Volume 8 Number 46

HIGHLIGHTS:

* City council meets Tuesday. They will consider an animal services proposal among other items.

* Our Analysis of the “Investigation Report” continues.

* Kennedale continues in football playoffs.

SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, November 18: City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 20: P&Z meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 25: EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, November 27: Thanksgiving.

Friday, November 28: City offices are closed.

Saturday, November 29: Hometown Christmas Celebration, 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tree lighting and fireworks at 6:00 p.m.

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

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

…..

KNOW WHAT YOUR CITY IS UP TO...

Your City Council

The city council will meet for its monthly meeting this Tuesday, November 18. The agenda includes a presentation, public comments, the regular session, and an executive summary. The agenda packet for the meeting may be found at: https://kennedaletx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3572/files/agenda/10391 .

The regular session is to include reports and announcements, three consent agenda items, and three items for individual consideration.

The reports and announcements include [the return of] mayor and council updates, the city manager’s update [this month including New Hope Road, ground storage, and elevated water storage], and financials (report).

The three consent agenda items are the October (minutes), the AutoZone replat at Crestview, Kennedale Parkway, and Kennedale Sublett Road, PZ25-16 (information starts on .pdf page 30 of the agenda packet link given above) and a developer agreement for 439 Mansfield Cardinal (agreement).

The three items for individual consideration are:

an animal services proposal (presentation),
voting Kennedale’s three votes for TAD Board (information starts on .pdf page 81 of the agenda packet link given above), and
M&R Quality Janitorial Services (proposal).

The executive summary is to include legal discussions regarding the YMCA agreement and 3100 Joplin Road (Alta Landing Apartments).

* * * * *

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. Unfortunately, I have not found it on the website. I had also made a public information request (PIR) for a copy and on Wednesday (November 5) I DID finally receive a copy.

WOW!!! There is enough there to keep coverage of this for months. This issue we look at the “Conclusion” and ask, “Witch Hunt?” and our Part I analysis of the Jeff Nevarez interview.

We have taken the .pdf Investigation Report and converted to text (far from 100% perfect) and tried to make improvements at: http://www.arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_13.html .

Witch Hunt?

From the Investigation Report (pages 30-31):

Conclusion

It appears clear to an objective outsider that the local political climate in Kennedale contentious and that there are factions consisting of current and former City officials, who firmly believe their political adversaries have committed and are continuing to commit violations of the law.(24) Notably, many, if not all, of the allegations are based on individual's own interpretation - or more appropriately misinterpretation - of the law or ethical standards the latter of which are aspirational but not enforceable under any law.

Notably, Mayor Horton, Councilman Gary, and Councilwoman Kobeck's past ties with Armstrong, a known affiliate of the TGAA, is seemingly the core cause for concern for Griffith and Griffith's allies, including Councilman Nevarez. Mr. Griffith expressed concerns about the TGAA's purported failures and wrongdoings in other cities in Texas. Mr. Griffith, along with Councilman Nevarez, also expressed concerns about the TGAA's support for certain candidates who might vote in favor of adoption of TGAA's proposed contract. However, an organization's support of a potential candidate is not an actionable conduct against anyone. But rather it is protected First Amendment speech.

Similarly, Mayor Horton, Councilman Gary, and Councilwoman Kobeck hiring Valor Strategies is not evidence of any legal violation by any of them, no matter how nefarious one may believe Armstrong's conduct to be in other cities or even in the City of Kennedale.

There is no evidence to suggest, let alone prove, that Mayor Horton, Councilman Gary, or Councilwoman Kobeck committed any actionable misconduct in violation of the City Charter or state laws. Rather, the evidence establishes Griffith's complaint is one of a series of complaints that appear to be driven by political animosity between two or more groups of City residents, and general disagreements about what is right and what is wrong for the City.

____________________

(24) Mayor Horton and Councilwoman Kobeck reported resident Sara Johnson for harassment, which the Kennedale Police Department reportedly failed to investigate allegedly because Johnson or her allies have close ties with the police department.

Witch Hunt? - In my opinion the conclusion was just a nice way of saying the taxpayers just paid for a politically motivated witch hunt by certain individuals.

* * * * *

Jeff Nevarez interview – Our Part I

From the Investigation Report (the Jeff Nevarez interview is covered on pages 21-22), a portion of that interview states:

Councilman Nevarez reported Councilman Gary violated the City Charter by making an open records request related to Councilman Nevarez, Griffith, former mayor Joplin, and City Manager Hull. According to Councilman Nevarez, the City Charter prohibits councilmembers from investigating matters and therefore, making an open records request is a violation of the Charter.¹⁸

____________________

¹⁸ Section 3.07 of the City Charter states, "The City Council may investigate the affairs of the City and the official conduct of any City department, office, or agency." However, the Charter does not and could not prohibit any citizen, including an individual councilmember, from making an open records request or otherwise investigating an issue. Indeed, the Charter does not classify a public information act request as an "investigation," nor should it.

Note how Mr. Nevarez is quick to make an “absolute” charge. The investigator footnotes the statement detailing how Mr. Nevarez is wrong and the action is NOT a violation of the charter.

* * * * *

Previous Analysis:

Results: The evidence does NOT confirm…

See the November 9, 2025, Kennedale Observer for more details.

* * * * *

Last Week

On Tuesday, November 11, Veterans Day, there is a Facebook photo from the Veterans Day Celebration at: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1256321056539035&set=pcb.1256321076539033 .

That evening there was the Keep Kennedale Beautiful (KKB) monthly board meeting (agenda packet). That meeting may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-aZJ8Hccno .

That was followed by the Parks Board meeting (agenda packet). It may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKQAorh6SHg .

This Week

This week the city council will meet on Tuesday, November 18.

P&Z will meet on Thursday, November 20.

Public Hearings

On Thursday, November 20, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ25-17 to change the zoning from MF (multi-family) to a planned development at 3100 Joplin Road. If approved the city council will have a public hearing on December 16.

On Thursday, November 20, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PZ25-18 to replat the properties at 116 Brown Lane. If approved this should appear on the city council’s December 16 consent agenda.

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

EDC

The next EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Board meeting might be on Tuesday, November 25.

P&Z

The next P&Z regular meeting might be Thursday, November 20. There will be one replat public hearing and one zoning public hearing.

Other News....

Kennedale wins

Kennedale got past their first-round opponent, Eastern Hills, possibly 49-0. Up next is powerhouse Celina, a 77-0 winner over Pinkston.

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)

Everman 1.0260800
Sansom Park 0.8457840
Blue Mound 0.8138000
River Oaks 0.7439910
Burleson 0.7218000
White Settlement 0.7147780
Forest Hill 0.7004660
Kennedale 0.6961900
Pelican Bay 0.6762930
Fort Worth 0.6700000
Grand Prairie 0.6600000

South New Hope Road Repairs

The repairs on South New Hope Road are expected to be finished by the end of January 2026. The city manager is scheduled to give an update at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

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Latest Kennedale Observer newsletter:

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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: