Business View Civil and Municipal | January 2021

63 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL JANUARY 2021 CONVERSE , TEXAS the box and pivoting. So our small businesses here have definitely not had it easy, but they have changed so quickly.” The municipality is working on many projects throughout the city to upgrade water and sewer lines. As well as working with TxDOT for resurfacing and expanding roads, including the expansion of Loop 1604 from a four-lane road to a true highway with access roads on both the north and south sides and a new flyover that will pull traffic in, in a more efficient way toward JBSA Randolph Air Force Base. TxDOT will also take on Farm to Market Road 1516, a major roadway, and the city just finished doing an expansion of Seguin Road, which runs past the new City Hall building, a renovated library, and more. They are also in the midst of redoing Toepperwein Road, and a secondary road that connects the I-35 and the I-10 will be redone as well. Knowing how important mobility in a city can be, Kuborn reports, “Toepperwein Road will create a second thoroughfare. As communities continue to grow you need to have more than one access way to be able to utilize your community.” Other industries, although impacted by COVID-19, have managed well in Converse because of understanding landlords and the EDC, running on an annual $600,000 budget, pooled $250,000 to offer grants to small businesses for lease payments, employee salaries, and other business expenses. The EDC has managed to help 48 companies with expenses. “The grants are great because they keep businesses running,” says Kuborn. “Our community has seen an increase in sales tax revenue and so that’s been great for us. It keeps the city in a very good position for continued ability to invest in itself and invest for the community. That’s really what we want to do as we continue to grow– make the wise decisions and be good partners with our citizens and with our businesses and to work together.”