Liberty City Council worked through a lengthy agenda Tuesday, Aug. 11, taking action on development matters, construction permitting, funding for Lights in Liberty and preparations for a multimillion-dollar grant opportunity.
Council also heard updates on several city projects and services, including improvements at Liberty Municipal Park, activity at the municipal airport, operations at the golf course and plans to begin livestreaming council meetings.
City Manager Bryan Kendrick started the meeting with praise for Liberty police and fire departments, and Public Works employees for their response to the July 23, 2026, fatal accident at the Minglewood Wastewater Project. A contractor working on the project was killed after the ground beneath him collapsed while he was standing next to a protective box that had been placed in the ground for worker safety.
Kendrick described the response from city employees as professional and compassionate, particularly as they dealt with the worker’s family following the tragedy. He said it was “amazing to see our folks work as agents of God’s grace to our community and that man’s wife and kids.”
Kendrick also said the city immediately suspended contractor work on the project following the accident and has cooperated fully with OSHA’s investigation. Before allowing work to resume, the city required increased on-site supervision and stronger safety protocols. Kendrick said the contractor agreed to those requirements and the city is allowing the project to resume under heightened safety and supervision standards.
Council approved a sign request from First Liberty Bank for its property at the intersection of Main and Sam Houston streets. Because the property is in Liberty’s downtown district, the sign required additional approval under the city’s ordinance. The Planning and Zoning Commission, acting as the Downtown District Advisory Board, had already approved the request on July 29.
Bank President Kelly Stretcher attended the meeting and told Council that the new sign will be in the same place as a previous sign. The new sign will also bear the name of First Liberty Title Co., owned by FLB.
Another development proposal did not fare as well.
Council denied without prejudice a preliminary plat for the proposed Liberty Pitstop Express Truck Stop. A denial without prejudice allows the applicant to address the city’s concerns and return with a revised proposal rather than ending the project altogether.
“We have specific concerns regarding the proposed use of Layl Drive as an access and egress route for development,” Kendrick said.
The city is also getting tougher on people who begin construction without first obtaining required permits.
Council approved adding an investigation fee to the city’s master fee schedule for unpermitted construction. Anyone found doing construction without the necessary permit can be charged either $300 or twice the normal permit fee, whichever is greater, for each occurrence.
City officials explained that unpermitted construction creates additional work for the building official and city staff, who must investigate the work and make sure it meets applicable safety and construction standards.
Council also gave its support to this year’s Lights in Liberty celebration.
The Liberty Community Development Corporation previously approved $50,000 for the 2026 event, and council ratified that expenditure Tuesday. Council also approved another $20,000 from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax fund.
The city considers Lights in Liberty a tourism-related event because it draws visitors to Liberty over multiple days during the Christmas season while also bringing customers to local businesses.
Another potentially significant item involved the Texas General Land Office’s Mitigation Reallocation Program.
The city plans to pursue funding through the program, which provides grants ranging from $2.5 million to $10 million for qualifying projects. Eligible uses include drainage and flood improvements, water and wastewater infrastructure, streets and emergency communications equipment.
Council authorized the city to begin advertising for grant administration and engineering services as part of that process.
Kendrick also provided updates on several projects already underway.
Construction continues on new concession stands and restrooms at Liberty Municipal Park. Dirt work has been completed on both the softball and baseball sides, with underground utility work underway. Footers have been poured on the baseball side, where crews are preparing to pour the slab. The project is still expected to be finished by the end of December.
The city is also getting closer to livestreaming council meetings. Kendrick said previous sound equipment issues appear to have been resolved, with additional microphones among the remaining equipment needed to get the livestream up and running.
Council members had lots of good things to say about the Liberty Municipal Library’s summer programming, particularly its success in reaching children, teenagers and adults. Programs for teenagers received special praise, as did the outside financial support that helped the library offer additional activities without putting the entire cost on the city.
Police Chief Rick Ash also addressed an increase in calls for service during July. He explained that activity tends to increase during the summer and that school resource officers are available for regular patrol duties while students are out of school, which can also increase the number of traffic stops and other calls recorded by the department.
The city’s Flock Safety cameras also came up during discussion of Liberty Police Department’s monthly report. The automated license plate reader system has drawn criticism from some local residents over privacy concerns, but Chief Ash said the cameras have also assisted law enforcement in a case involving a missing child.
Liberty police stopped a vehicle that had been flagged as possibly having the missing child inside. The juvenile was not in the vehicle, but Ash said officers were able to develop information during the stop and pass it along to the Houston Police Department. That information ultimately helped Houston officers safely recover the child. Ash also noted that Dayton PD does not have Flock cameras and occasionally asks Liberty PD for assistance with license plate searches.
Ash later told Bluebonnet News that the Flock cameras have also led to the recovery of four stolen vehicles since January 2026, identified vehicles that were used in theft and burglary cases, and identified several people with criminal warrants.
“We’ve had nearly a dozen cases this year where it has proven to be effective in solving a criminal case, recovering stolen property or making an arrest,” Ash said.
Liberty PD maintains a Flock camera transparency portal where residents can keep up with how the cameras have been effective. Click here to access the portal: https://transparency.flocksafety.com/tx-liberty-pd
Activity is picking up at the Liberty Municipal Airport as well. Councilman Ed Seymour reported that more than 6,000 non-local landings have been made at the airport during the past six months, averaging about 1,000 per month. The numbers show the airport is seeing considerable use from aircraft traveling through the area in addition to locally based planes.
“Those are people coming through from all over, everywhere,” he said. “One of the biggest planes we have out there that comes in on a regular basis is the TRA (Trinity River Authority) plane,” Seymour said, adding that the airport is gaining attention and crediting that, in part, to the capable airport staff.
Changes are also underway at the Liberty Municipal Golf Course, where the city recently took over operation of the restaurant.
The restaurant is already serving breakfast and offering a limited lunch menu on some days. Officials said operations will expand as additional employees are hired. Kendrick praised golf course staff for making the transition quickly.
Animal control also surfaced during the council’s budget discussion, with Kendrick saying the city is continuing to watch Liberty County’s efforts to develop an animal shelter. Kendrick said the county has taken steps toward hiring professionals to design a facility, and city officials want to see whether that project moves forward before Liberty considers building a shelter of its own.
Kendrick said the city’s existing animal control building has significant problems, including an issue with the slab that allows water into the facility. City officials believe replacing the structure with a new metal building and slab would make more financial sense than attempting to rehabilitate it. However, Kendrick stressed that the city does not want to take on the cost of building and staffing a shelter if the county fulfills its animal control responsibilities. Liberty could instead assist by having its animal control officers transport animals to a county facility. The city is also using its TNR (trap-neuter-return) program as one part of its effort to address the local animal population.
Council also approved the temporary closure of state right-of-way for the upcoming Trinity Valley Exposition parade, along with minutes from its July 14 and July 28 meetings.
The council later moved into a work session to continue discussions on the city’s proposed 2026-27 budget.
Thanks to Bluebonnet News (Vanessa) for this article!
Take care of the animals first.
Just from this article alone, Cleveland could learn a lot from Liberty. For example denying harmful business permits, more library programs, maintaining a municipal park and golf course, a balanced budget with money to spare, and more frequent community events that are outdoors and free to the public, whereas Cleveland devotes all its resources towards paid, corporate-focused indoor events at the Civic Center. It’s a much more expensive facility to maintain and does little for enrichment of the community.