Kyle City Manager Lanny Lambert is leaving his post after accepting the same position in Converse.

Council members were handed Lambert's resignation letter at a City Council meeting on Aug. 13, but an agenda item to accept his resignation will come at a later date.

"A lot of people in Kyle will wish him well," Councilwoman Diane Hervol said. "I truly believe he was an asset not only to council in those four years but to staff."

Formerly at the helm of the cities of Brownsville and Abilene, among others, Lambert began his tenure as city manager of Kyle in January 2011 in the midst of a difficult economic period for the city. Council members said Lambert's leadership helped steer the city to financial safety.

"Kyle is headed in a very good direction economically," Hervol said. "I believe some of the fruits of [our] labor ... will soon be seen."

The city's proposed 2014–15 budget is an 18.61 percent increase on last year's budget, largely because revenues are projected to rise.

Walmart's 2015 arrival is expected to bring with it a large sales tax revenue haul, city officials said.

Councilwoman Samantha Bellows-LeMense said Lambert's contributions helped the city of Kyle weather an economic storm by making fiscally responsible decisions.

An interim city manager is expected to take the reins before the City Council finds a permanent replacement. However, it is still too early to say who might be tapped to lead on a temporary basis, Bellows-LeMense said.

"I know that we are supposed to start talking about it very soon," she said. "I wouldn't want to speculate at this point in time."

Lambert was not immediately available for comment but thanked staff, the council and citizens for the opportunity to manage the city, in a news release.

"I've really enjoyed my time as city manager for the city of Kyle," he said.