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On a steamy Saturday morning, several people stood watching as an excavator crunched into a dilapidated, abandoned building on a quiet neighborhood street.

Thanks to the Magnolia Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (MCPAAA), the demolition at 158 Roy Street was finally taking place, as a result of volunteer efforts from businesses and citizens.

The MCPAAA was originally formed by Magnolia Citizens Police Academy graduates, and Williams Elementary teachers, Jill Gabriel and Summer Foltz. They approached Magnolia Police Chief Domingo Ibarra about projects that might build a stronger bond between citizens and the police department. He immediately suggested they try to find a way to demolish the Roy Street structure. It had long been a problem for the city because of code enforcement violations, but Ibarra was reluctant to take the property owner to court due to extenuating family circumstances.

“The ladies (Gabriel and Foltz) felt this project was out of their league, but I knew this group would find a way to do it -- and they did,” said Ibarra. “Now we know what they are capable of.”

The MCPAAA rallied a group of volunteers and engaged the services of local businesses. The demolition, was first scheduled for early July, but was delayed because of heavy rains that affected the area. On Aug. 4, the project got off to an early morning start. DLG Timber and North Houston Trucking provided the heavy equipment, WCA provided debris removal and Texas Star Propane disconnected the gas lines and removed the propane tank on the property -- all free of charge.

Many residents on Roy Street came out to support the effort, happy to have the dangerous structure eliminated.

The MCPAAA will be tackling other similar projects in the near future.

“We have other unsafe structures to raze and want to begin some projects for our senior citizens,” said Gabriel. “The Magnolia Citizens Police Academy taught us how we can get involved in the community and help make a difference.”

Magnolia residents who are at least 18 years of age can participate in MCPAA projects, and will soon be able to view information about upcoming events online on the Magnolia Police Department website at www.cityofmagnolia.com. A new Citizens Police Academy will begin starting Sept. 6. Classes run from 6 to 9 p.m. for a nine week period and are free of charge. Class size is limited, so officials say that those interested should call the police department office at 281-356-2500 soon to apply.

 Photos by Cheryl Garcia

Magnolia City Council convened a special session Aug. 2 to consider a proposed change to the property tax. Montgomery County Assessor and Collector J. R. Moore, Jr., outlined the steps that would be necessary for the council to lower the city’s tax rate to $0.4786 per $100, from $0.4814 per $100 of value.

The council passed a motion to propose the new rate and to undertake those steps.

As explained by Moore, the council must conduct two public hearings on the tax rate, while his office must advertise the new rate in newspapers.  The public notices must also be published on the city’s website. All of this must be accomplished before the end of August.

The proposal will increase total tax revenue from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by more than five percent. That occurs because the proposal will allow for more of the collected revenue to be distributed to the city’s maintenance and operation budget, rather than the debt service fund. The city is estimated to have more than $50,000 additional to work with for operation and maintenance costs.

Individual tax rates will be lower, as long as the assessed valuation of the property isn’t higher. If the council adopts the proposed tax rate, the tax on an average Magnolia home would be $449.07 on a home valued at an average of $97,667. Last year, the amount of taxes imposed on an average home was $470.17 on a home valued at an average of $93,830.

The additional tax revenue will be used for city maintenance and operations. The rate of $0.4786 is the maximum amount that can be adopted by the city for next year’s budget.

“After the public hearings (the city) can adopt a rate that is less but cannot adopt a rate that is more,” stated Moore.

Only properties inside the Magnolia city limits will be subject to the tax.

The council scheduled the two public hearings for the evenings of Tuesday, Aug. 14 and Tuesday, Aug. 21. The public hearings will have a separate agenda.

“People will come here to talk about the tax rate. They cannot discuss the budget at these two meetings,” Moore clarified. 

The meeting to vote on and adopt the tax rate is set for Wednesday, Aug. 29.

All meetings begin at 7 p.m. at the Magnolia City Hall at 18111 Buddy Riley Boulevard in Magnolia. Residents of the city of Magnolia are encouraged to attend the meetings.

Two farmers markets are now open for residents of the Magnolia-Waller areas, giving them a chance to buy fresh produce, eggs and meats. The most recent market to open is the Waller County Farmers Market, located at the Waller ISD Auxiliary Stadium, just south of SH 290, on Field Store Road. The other is the Magnolia Farmers Market, which has been in existence for three years and is located at the intersection of FM 1488 and FM 1774 in Magnolia.

The new Waller County market, which is open each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., opened on July 14 and had many visitors, despite the floods in the area that week. On July 21 the market had 15 vendors offering locally-produced food products and home-made crafts. It is sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension and the Texas Cooperative Extension.

“This market was founded to boost the agricultural community in Waller County by encouraging crop diversification and offering a year-round sales opportunity for their products,” Debbie Cross, Vice President of the Waller County Farmers Market Board of Directors and vendor, said.

Any grower in the area can participate on any given Saturday, by paying the booth fee of $40. There are restrictions on prepared food products, but not on raw produce. Interested vendors should call Debbie Cross for more information at 832-863-5533. All of the workers are volunteers and currently the proceeds from booth fees are used for advertising. The market is looking to partner with local charities that will receive donations and can help promote the market.

The Magnolia market, also called Sweet Magnolia Pickins, is held every second and fourth Sunday of the month from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. It is supported by 4B Community Development of the City of Magnolia and offers local residents fresh and organic food options to purchase. This market requires vendors to be members and currently charges a $25 annual membership fee and a $15 booth fee on each market day the vendor attends. In addition, there is a permit fee required for vendors that sell temperature-specific products such as meat or eggs, or that offer samples. Some of the vendors at the Magnolia market are also represented at the Waller market, but each market also has unique food products. Those interested in seeing the vendor list or becoming a vendor should visitwww.sweetmagnoliapickins.net.

At this time, the Magnolia Farmers Market is held at the same location as Magnolia’s Peddler’s Green Crafts Market, but on separate days. It is a goal to combine both markets on the same days in the near future, according to Market Manager Boo Henderson.

Big sellers at the markets this month were ripe watermelons, local honey and free-range and grass-fed meats, according to organizers. Today people look for natural food products that are purported to be higher in nutrients and free of unhealthy additives or pesticides. In addition, many residents prefer to help the farms in their own area by buying locally.

It’s less than a month until the 2012-13 school year begins and some new educator faces will greet incoming students at Magnolia ISD. 

 Brad Schnautz, last year’s principal at Magnolia Junior High, was chosen from more than 40 applicants to become the new Magnolia West High School Principal.

Before coming to Magnolia Junior High in 2010, Schnautz had been at Magnolia West for four years. He is looking forward to his new position.

“I am very excited about this opportunity. It’s good to be back at Magnolia West,” he said. “I feel lucky to know three quarters of the students already – the current seniors were freshmen when I was here before and I got to know this year’s freshmen and sophomores when I was at Magnolia Junior High.”

Schnautz looks forward to re-establishing relationships with students, their parents, the staff and the community and wants to help build a culture of academic excellence at Magnolia West. He feels his biggest challenge will be to implement the necessary changes at the school that will be needed to serve the collective vision for the estimated 1,785 students. He believes it is important for the school to produce well-rounded students that are prepared for the next phase of their lives. 

Schnautz came to Magnolia West in 2006, working first as a math teacher and baseball coach and then as assistant principal. He received a master’s degree in educational administration from Sam Houston University and is currently pursuing his doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M, where he also received his bachelor’s degree. He was an educator at Conroe ISD and Bryan ISD before coming to Magnolia ISD.

Meanwhile, Brenda Marfin has been promoted to fill Shnautz’s previous job at Magnolia Junior High.

Marfin has more than 20 years of education experience, which includes serving as the MISD Social Studies Director and as the principal of Williams Elementary, as well as several years as a classroom teacher. She has been with MISD for 16 years. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership from Prairie View A&M. She has a master’s degree in education and supervision from Sam Houston State and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston.

The district also welcomed Kendra Wiggins as the Director of Special Education. Wiggins is new to MISD, having worked at Tomball ISD for several years, most recently as the Assistant Director of Special Services. She was also a special education teacher and ARD (Admission, Review and Dismissal) Facilitator for the district.

Wiggins received her master’s degree from Sam Houston State and her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M, and is pursuing her doctorate from Lamar University.

All three administrators say they are hard at work preparing for the coming academic year. MISD continues to grow as people move into our area and district officials expect to have approximately 12,000 students this year.