Page 29 - KennedaleFY24AdoptedBudget

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Settled in the 1860s, Kennedale is named for a dale, a broad valley, and Oliver S. Kennedy, who
platted the area and donated every other lot to the Southern Pacific Railroad. The first
settlement was Village Creek. Many founding residents worked at Miss Sargent’s Brickyard,
which was located where Sonora Park sits today. Officially incorporated as a City in 1947,
Kennedale operates under a Council-Manager government and a Home Rule Charter (adopted
in 1998).

Incorporated in 1947, the City of Kennedale is a first-tier suburb of Fort Worth and is located
adjacent to Arlington and Mansfield in southeast Tarrant County. The City currently occupies a
land area of 6.6 square miles and serves a population of 9,329. The City is empowered to levy
property tax on both real and business personal properties located within its boundaries.

The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government with a Council comprised of a
Mayor and five Councilmembers, each elected at large. The term of office is two years with the
terms of the Mayor and Council Places 2 and 4 expiring in even-numbered years and the terms
of Council Places 1, 3, and 5 expiring in odd-numbered years. The City Council is responsible for
enacting ordinances, resolutions, and regulations governing the City as well as appointing the
members of various statutory and advisory boards, the City Manager, City Secretary, City
Attorney, and Municipal Judge(s). The City Manager is the chief administrative officer of the
City and is responsible for the enforcement of laws and ordinances, the appointment and
supervision of executive directors and heads of departments, and the performance of
administrative functions within the municipal organization.

The City of Kennedale provides a full range of services including police, fire, emergency medical
service, municipal court, library, parks, water distribution, wastewater collection, solid waste
collection, curbside recycling, streets, stormwater drainage, community development
(planning, code enforcement, building inspection, and economic development), and general
administrative services. The City contracts with the City of Arlington for the operation and
maintenance of its water and wastewater utility system.

The City has 46 miles of streets, 120 miles of water and sewer lines, and 28 acres of parkland.
The City supports 7 buildings – City Hall, Police Building, Fire Station, Public Works Facility,
Section House, Library, and Senior Center.

Weather and Recreation

Warm summers and mild winters mean families can enjoy parks year-round, including the
splash pad at Sonora Park. Spanning 22 acres, Sonora is Kennedale’s largest recreational facility
and offers a playground, fishing dock, trails, 9-hole disc golf course, ball fields, and the splash
pad.

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