Council nominates Saber Communications for Texas Enterprise Zone program

Jansen Gibbons, representing Saber Communications, asked the Kennedale City Council on April 21 to nominate the company for the Texas Enterprise Zone program, a state incentive that refunds the state portion of sales and use tax for qualifying capital investment and job retention. "Saber is requesting your support and nomination to the governor's office today," he said during the presentation.

Gibbons described the program requirements: a minimum $5 million capital investment over five years, job retention requirements (three‑year maintenance of positions counted), and an estimated state benefit of $2,500 per retained job (subject to program limits). He said Saber operates a Fort Worth/Tarrant County manufacturing facility in Kennedale with about 320 local employees and plans equipment and facility upgrades that would meet the investment threshold.

After the presentation the council considered Resolution No. 646, which authorizes the city’s nomination of Saber for the enterprise program. A motion to approve Resolution No. 646 was made and seconded; the motion passed unanimously.

The city manager and EDC staff confirmed the nomination and noted the program imposes no direct fiscal impact on the city because the incentive is a state tax refund. Council did not attach additional city incentives as part of the motion; the resolution authorizes the nomination to the governor’s office and allows staff to include the nomination in Saber’s application package.

What’s next: the nomination will be part of Saber’s application to the Texas Enterprise Zone program; final selection is made by the governor’s office through a competitive process.