Converse council approves trail funding, reduces two property liens and OKs park use and appointment

The Converse City Council on Jan. 21 approved several items including an advanced funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the Greenway Trail Phase 2 and two lien reductions tied to long-running code-enforcement cases.

Council approved an advance funding agreement with TxDOT to construct Greenway Trail Phase 2. The city’s estimated total project cost is $1,575,968; the local share is $330,567, with an initial payment of $19,474 due within 30 days of contract execution. Interim City Manager Lanny Lambert told the council the local portion can be paid from the park land dedication fund and that the city had budgeted $300,000 for the project this fiscal year; the fund balance reported on the agenda was $587,762.62. Lambert said he secured additional award money through regional contacts that increased the grant award by $381,616.

The council also voted to reduce two city liens that originated from building-standards/code-compliance enforcement. For the property at 9843 Flatland Trail (agenda item correction from an erroneous address listed in the agenda), the council approved a motion to reduce the city’s lien by half. The resolution before council referenced the city charter authority to settle liens. A representative for the owner, Rich Acosta of MiCasa, described the owner’s health challenges and ongoing plans to sell the property and address outstanding county tax liabilities; Acosta said the city lien totaled about $32,595.

Separately, the council approved reducing the city lien on 802 Meadowdale to $10,000 after hearing the property owner describe a prolonged eviction and remediation process and the city attorney’s recommendation to reduce the lien in light of property cleanup and subsequent management changes.

Other formal actions included renewing a facilities-use agreement with Fusion Baseball and Softball Club to reserve City Park fields March 1–Dec. 31, 2025, with fees and a requirement that the club present an annual financial report after the season; and appointing Angel C. Alvarado III as an alternate member of the Ethics Review Board.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (Jan. 7, 2025): motion approved (voice vote)

- Resolution authorizing TxDOT advanced funding agreement for Greenway Trail Phase 2 (Resolution 8662024): motion approved (voice vote). Motion language approved local share $330,567; initial payment $19,474.

- 9843 Flatland Trail lien: motion approved to reduce city lien by 50% (voice vote). Total lien cited in discussion: $32,595 (representative said). County tax lien not part of this action.

- 802 Meadowdale lien: motion approved to reduce city lien to $10,000 (voice vote). Original lien cited: $41,975.

- Parks and Recreation facilities-use agreement with Fusion Baseball/Softball Club (2025 season): approved (voice vote).

- Appointment of Angel C. Alvarado III as alternate to Ethics Review Board: approved (voice vote).

(Where votes were recorded as “All in favor say aye” the meeting minutes recorded the motions as carried; the transcript does not include named roll-call tallies.)

The decisions will be implemented through the city manager’s office and city attorney as required; council instructions given on individual items included directions to remove the city lien actions from foreclosure proceedings handled by other entities where applicable and to coordinate contract execution with available fund balances and deposit requirements.