Happy New Year 2007!

Centennial Commission gives community reason to celebrate 100 years

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

As Tomball ushers in the New Year, 2007 marks more than just a new month on the calendar.

For almost two years, community business leaders, officials and volunteers have been gearing up for one of the biggest celebrations the Hometown With A Heart has ever seen.

This year marks Tomball’s 100th birthday and the Tomball Centennial Commission is making sure the milestone does not go uncelebrated.

Beginning this month, dozens of events are scheduled to honor Tomball’s centennial. Among the festivities planned for 2007 include:

• Jan. 27 The Tomball Centennial “Train Day” will commemorate the date the first train came through Tomball on its way to Houston. The event will take place at the Tomball Depot and will include a Little Hobo contest, a two-man artist exhibit and more.
• Feb. 11 The Commission will sponsor a Valentine’s Day event during which Tomball couples that will be celebrating their wedding anniversary will be honored. The longest married couple will be recognized.
• May 4 The winners of the Centennial Tomball Area School Children’s Essay Contest will be announced at the Chamber of Commerce’s First Friday luncheon at Tomball College.
• June 1-3 The Commission will host the Centennial Tomball Heartbeat Festival, featuring live music, vendors and entertainment. The event will take place at the Tomball Little League park.
• Sept. 16 The Commission will host a Centennial Hispanic celebration, “Fall Fiesta,” in the downtown Tomball area.
• On Dec. 2, the year’s marquee event, a special community homecoming, will be the culmination of Tomball’s 100th birthday celebration in 2007. Taking part in the festivities will be Tomball Independent School District, Tomball Regional Hospital, Tomball High School Alumni Association and more. The Tomball High School football stadium will be set up to welcome visiting dignitaries, local heroes, student performances and a special birthday cake.

Several more events are planned throughout the year, as well.

Even though the official celebration didn’t begin until this year, events in the past several months have helped raise funds for the festivities. Raffle tickets for the Centennial Quilt have been on sale for several months. At $2 each, the tickets will be sold throughout the year until Dec. 2, 2007, when the winner will be announced at the birthday bash.

The Centennial Commission recently published the “Tomball Centennial Cookbook: Recipes From The Heart,” with recipes accumulated through longtime Tomball area families and volunteer submissions. The book is currently on sale for $19.95 and is available at the Tomball Amegy Bank lobby.

For more information about the Tomball Centennial Commission, Tomball’s 100th birthday and a full calendar events for the centennial celebration, visit www.tomballcentennial.com.

Million-dollar makeover planned for Magnolia sports complex

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The Magnolia Youth Park is getting a face-lift. The renovations are part of a $1 million project, which combines the efforts of the Montgomery County Parks Department, the Pct. 2 Commissioner’s county maintenance crews, and Hawthorne Building Systems who was awarded the construction contract for a new building.

A Montgomery County Pct. 2 maintenance crew demolished the 20-year-old concession stand and restroom building on Dec. 18 at the girl’s softball fields at the Magnolia Youth Park in anticipation of the construction of a new facility in January.
Photo by Cari Herr

The county crews demolished the existing facilities at the girls’ ball fields on Dec. 18. Construction will begin in January to replace the 20-year-old concession stand and restrooms. A new concession facility with roll-up doors and a 10-foot awning across the front will include new side-entry restrooms.

“New awnings over the bleachers, the dugout and the score-keeper booth have already been installed,” said Charlie Riley, Administrative Assistant to Pct. 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal.

Field One and Two, currently boys’ Little League fields, will be resized to girls’ softball standards. Lighting upgrades are planned for fields Three, Five and Six. President Clint Brown of the Magnolia Area Softball Association hopes the county will turn Field Four away from the road to face Field Six, he said. Currently, the field is a Pony ball field, but will be shortened to 200 feet to meet girl’s ball standard length.

Corliss O’Shaugnessy of the Montgomery County Parks Department said the Little League fields would move across the road to where the horse arena for the Magnolia Horse Club is now.

“The horse arena does not fit into the model for the sports complex. It is most favorable for growth to move it to a more acceptable location for the horse club,” she said.

With the future widening of FM 1774, Riley agreed that the horse arena would be better placed in a “quieter location.”

The Parks Department is seeking property in the Nichol Sawmill Road area to relocate the horse arena, O’Shaughnessy said. “We have a certain budget we can spend and we’re working aggressively toward that because that phase is holding up moving forward on the Little League project,” she said.

The Little League and Pony ball clubs merged two years ago to work toward a better facility under one program, said O’Shaughnessy. “It’s working real well. They have more man power to host more tournaments.”

The Parks Department studied the current facilities to determine what was most beneficial for both groups. Following the approval and purchase of certificates of obligation in July 2006, “we have a $1 million budget for the project,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Magnolia resolves $70,000 Grand Oaks MUD water bill debt

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The City of Magnolia is $72,384 better off after last week’s emergency council meeting, when Grand Oaks developer Pat Carmichael and council members reached a water rate agreement after eight months of negotiating.

Grand Oaks developer Pat Carmichael (left) handed Magnolia Mayor Jimmy Thornton (right) a check for $72,384.30 at a Dec. 27 emergency council meeting bringing the MUD up to date on its past due water and sewer bill. The offer followed a unanimous agreement by council members to accept and resolve a water rate agreement between the two parties, which has been ongoing for the last eight months.
Photo by Cari Herr

“I want to thank the mayor for his personal involvement. I am completely convinced this would not have been resolved as it was without his personal intervention. As it was, we got it resolved in about one 45-minute meeting,” said Carmichael as he spoke before council members.

Carmichael has been battling with city officials since the MUD’s first water bill from ECO Resources arrived in May. Grand Oaks developers quickly filed suit in the 284th Judicial District Court of Montgomery County for breach of contract.

“The district court judge’s restraining order kept the city from cutting off water service,” Carmichael explained.

Following that, developers filed for a hearing with the Public Interest Council (PIC) in Austin under Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) guidelines.

“After the last council meeting, where council members started getting all the information, they realized it was in everybody’s best interest to resolve this,” Carmichael said.

City water rates have been a point of contention at council meetings since the city issued revenue bonds early in 2006. They did so to attain the needed finances to develop and implement water distribution improvement plans under threat of fine by a Sept. 1 TCEQ deadline.

With the exception of Councilman Chris Neal and Councilwoman Patsy Williams, both of whom were absent from the meeting, council members convened into Executive Session with City Attorney Leonard Schneider to review the proposal. Upon their return, a motion was unanimously approved to accept the proposal.

The agreement calls for outside city rates of $50 per 1,000 gallons of water usage and $9.95 per 1,000 gallons of sewer usage on a five-eights by three-fourths-inch water meter, resulting in a base water rate of $5,750 and a base sewer rate of $1,144.25.

Both rates are calculated at an American Water Works Association (AWWA) meter equivalency factor of 115 for a 10-inch compound meter. A two-inch irrigation meter for pressure regulation includes a $184 base rate, plus $5.40 per 1,000 gallons of which the first 1,000 gallons are free.

“I’m very pleased,” said Carmichael. “It’s still a high rate, but Magnolia’s water is high. It’s reasonable and they can only raise it tied to the cost of service studies.”

Both parties agreed to dismiss proceedings on the TCEQ docket as well as the District Court docket with no increase allowed for one year from the date of contract. A smiling Carmichael produced a check at the end of the evening to pay the balance in full, bringing the MUD current from April 21 through Nov. 21.

“It’s not the lottery, though I’m sure it feels like it,” Carmichael said.

Harrington pleads with community to donate to housing grant

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

The city of Tomball is looking to the community to help fund a special program, which would help renovate some low-income senior citizen housing in the area.

At the Dec. 18 meeting of the Tomball City Council, Mayor H.G. “Hap” Harrington called out to community leaders and “those who are more fortunate” to contribute to a $45,000 grant the city has already received through a special program. Harrington said the money is slated to be used to renovate several senior citizen housing developments that are in need of repair and maintenance.

Tomball received the grant from the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation (SETH).

The city is one of 20 jurisdictions in SETH, a corporation designed to aide first time homebuyers.

According to SETH Executive Director Ron Williams, approximately five years ago, the group set up a trust fund to use for other housing programs. In 2005, the SETH board of directors had $900,000 to spread through the 20 jurisdictions.

Each jurisdiction, including Tomball, received $45,000.

Williams said that while the money has no restrictions, it is designed to be used for housing related needs.

“It’s really a great program,” Williams said. “A lot of (jurisdictions) use it for low-income needs.”

He also said that money could be added to the total through private donations.

Harrington is asking for that help.

“I challenge those who have been more fortunate to help contribute,” Harrington said. “We h ave some in our community who want to help. People are willing to give their time and service, but they don’t know how.”

The city is facing a March 2007 deadline to use the money. A panel led by council members Mary Harvey and Warren Driver was set up to evaluate applications from housing developments who apply for aide.

“We have some people that need help,” Harrington said.

The volunteers at the Society of Samaritans (SOS) gathered throughout the weekend and long into the night at both Magnolia West High School’s Ag Barn and the West Montgomery County Community Development Center to prepare more than 234 food basket and toy deliveries, which benefited more than 959 individuals. SOS is funded almost exclusively by community contributions in addition to a Montgomery County Community Development (MCCDBG) Block Grant. Due to the coordinated efforts of the community, less than $765 dollars were used from the MCCDBG funds. A tired but smiling staff member said, “It has been a real Christmas.”
Photo by Cari Herr

On Dec. 16 Roberts Road Elementary (RRE), in Waller ISD, held a Winter Wonderland Holiday Bazaar. Pictured, from left to right, sisters Carmen and Gwyn Kosik climb a rock wall, just one of the activities available at the bazaar. Other activities included: moonwalks, real snow play grounds for snow bunnies, game booths and prizes, Santa Claus, and craft booths. RRE’s fourth grade class hosted a silent auction where baskets with themed items for hunting and fishing, sewing, gardening, Christmas, and Texas A&M University apparel were sold to the highest bidder. RRE PTO President Stephanie Bush coordinated the event.
Submitted Photo

Jan. 3 marks the return to school for students in the Tomball, Magnolia and Waller Independent School Districts. Pictured above, busses lined up at the Magnolia ISD Bus Barn as maintenance crews completed regular and necessary maintenance during the Christmas break. On Dec. 19 district employees reported to the Magnolia Police Department that wiring for the warning stop signs and strobe lights on five of 12 school busses had been cut. Additionally, the bus number placards on all 12 busses had been damaged. Photo by Cari Herr

Tomball family endures lonely Christmas while son serves in Iraq

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

This year there were no Christmas lights adorning the Westbourne neighborhood home of Wendy and Shawn Fulton. This year a few of the holiday decorations were left in storage. The Christmas spirit was certainly there, to be sure, but it wasn’t quite the same.

Shawn and Wendy Fulton hold a photo of their son, Cale, who is currently serving in the United States Marine Corps and is deployed to Iraq.
Photo by Brian Walzel

Wendy and Shawn just didn’t feel it was right to celebrate like they had in year’s past while their son, Cale, was risking his life every day in one of the most dangerous parts of the world.

Cale Fulton, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corp. 3rd Battalion D Company, was deployed to Iraq approximately two-and-a-half months ago.

He is one of a dozen or so men or women from the Tomball area currently serving in the Middle East. The Fulton’s struggle during the holiday season is one played out in hundreds of thousands of homes across the country and in Tomball.

“It’s tough, not having him here for Christmas. The chances aren’t even good that you’ll talk to him,” Shawn said.

They said this year’s Christmas celebration was more subdued.

“It was the first year I didn’t put Christmas lights on the house,” Shawn said. “He always helped me with that. I just couldn’t get into that.”

Not only do the Fulton’s get sporadic communication from Cale, they never know how long a phone call from their son is going to last. Phone calls from the Middle East are consistently monitored for security purposes and Cale’s phone calls are often cut off mid-conversation.

“All his phone calls are monitored,” Shawn said. “You get mysteriously disconnected when he starts talking about too much information.” The Fulton’s never know when they’ll hear from him next. They can only send him letters and packages.

“We have no communication other than when he writes or calls us,” Wendy said. “And we’re limited to that.”

After Cale first arrived in Iraq, he immediately called his parents to let them know he was there and that he was safe.

The Fulton’s didn’t hear from him for more than two weeks after that.

It was then that Cale was seriously wounded by his most formidable foe yet, a brown recluse spider.

The spider bit Cale on the back of his shoulder and landed him in the hospital for six weeks. The wound required three minor surgeries to rid him of any infection. But being bed ridden in a hospital, away from combat did not give Wendy and Shawn peace of mind for their son’s safety.

“Not at all,” Wendy said. “I thought, now he’s in the hospital with no flack jacket and no ammo.”

“There’s no way to defend yourself in a hospital,” Shawn added. Cale has been out of the hospital for two weeks and has since returned toregular duty.

He joined the Marines June 1, 2005 and was assigned to the Amphibious Assault Vehicle Repair as part of an AMTRACK Unit. But instead of fixing broken down engines, he’s investigating houses in Dulab.

“You don’t want to get up in the morning and watch the news anymore,” Shawn said. “That’s one of the first things they’re going to show is how many people are hurt, how many people are killed.”

The time difference between Tomball and Iraq is nine hours. Shawn knows that whenever he’s going to bed for the night, Cale is just waking up to face a new day full of life-threatening situations.

His parents say Cale had planned on joining the Marines for some time, even though he knew the dangers and possibility of being deployed to a war zone.

“He had no problem with it,” Shawn said. “At that time, the travel sounded more intriguing than intimidating.”

Marines typically aren’t given a specific date of deployment when they are told they will be sent overseas, in order to quell fear and worry.

But Cale did know, and that led to some amount of concern.

“The only thing he really showed emotion about was realizing he was going to be away from his friends,” Shawn said.

Cale enlisted at an ominous time during the war in Iraq. The United States had declared “mission accomplished” more than two years prior, after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party and the ousting of the former dictator.

But U.S. forces remained in Iraq, helping to control and combat a growing opposition to the new democratic rule.

Now Cale is entrenched in a war-tattered country with support for the war waning back home. But Shawn and Wendy understand and support his reasons for being there.

“I don’t believe that we’re over there for the wrong reasons,” Shawn said. “But I wish that we didn’t have to be over there.”

Cale’s seven-month tour was to be up in March, but now the Fulton’s hear he won’t be home until as late as May.

“You’re there when you’re needed,” Shawn said.

And Cale, like thousands of others, is needed during a time of year when the realities of war hit home the hardest.

Early last month, Shaw had just purchased their Christmas tree and was trimming the base when a neighbor came by to give him and Wendy an ornament. It was a little snowman in a desert camouflage uniform. The ornament was the first one on the tree.

But the decoration which the Fulton’s are most proud of is not a seasonal one and won’t come down along with the Christmas tree.

Hung behind a glass door is the unmistakable Blue Star Service Flag, reminding the world of their sacrifice, and their son’s.

History of New Year’s tune recalls ‘times long past’

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Besides the usual New Year transition-dyslexia of writing the old year in place of the new on documents, legal or otherwise, the New Year is rung in as across the globe nations everywhere say goodbye to 2006.

Perhaps some families gathered around bonfires or fireplaces, toasting each other a prosperous and healthy new year, and that amid sneezes, coughs and bank balance worries. While others will have reminisced at quiet parties to the Dan Fogelberg tune, “Same Old Lang Syne,” still others may have attempted to regale party goers with that most infamous of tunes, “Auld Lang Syne.”

Though the familiar tune is recognized worldwide, many are unfamiliar with its origins. Where did it come from, anyway? And what does it mean?

The original song is generally of Scottish origin and dated to the middle 16th century. According to The World Burns Club Web site for the Robert Burns World Federation, only verses three and four of the song are attributed to poet Robert Burns.

The words “auld lang syne,” are translated as “for old long ago”, by the club, or as “for times long past,” by Wikipedia.com.

Should old acquaintances be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne?

And there is a hand, my trusted friend, And give me a hand of yours, And we will take of a good toast, For old long ago.

We two have run about the hills, And pulled the daisies fine, But, we’ve wandered a many weary foot, For old long ago.

We two have paddled in the stream, From morning sun until dinner-time, But seas between us broad have roared, Since old long ago.

Most famous of all the verses is the chorus, sung ritualistically at times of departing and loss throughout the nations.

For old long ago, my dear, For old long ago. We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, For old long ago. His publisher rejected Burns’ original composition of “Auld Lang Syne". It was not published until after his death in 1796, according to HowStuffWorks.com. He later submitted an existing tune, a strathspey tune, called “The Miller's Wedding” or “The Miller's Daughter,” found in Bremner’s Collection, 1757. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne, “the tune to which ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is universally sung is a pentatonic Scots (or possibly Northumbrian) folk melody - probably originally a sprightly dance in a much quicker tempo. The English composer, William Shield, seems to quote the “Auld Lang Syne” melody briefly at the end of the overture to his opera “Rosina” - this may be its first recorded use.”

Sinkholes leave homeowner in the pits

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Homeowner Rita Leon is worried that someone will get hurt in the sinkholes that have developed along the grassy median of her subdivision. She has addressed the issue with both Montgomery County and the Decker Oaks Estates Community Association (DOECA), with neither party owning up, as yet.

This sinkhole along the grassy median of Hardin Store Road adjacent to Decker Oaks Estates is a point of contention between Montgomery County and the Decker Oaks Estate Community Association, facilitated by Spectrum, a property management company.
Photo by Cari Herr

“Someone should take care of it. I’m afraid someone will get hurt. Someone should be responsible for it,” said Leon.

Charlie Riley, the Pct. 2 Commissioner’s Administrative Assistant advised The Tribune that Montgomery County is an “open ditch” county and does not maintain underground drainage.

“Developers are allowed to use the county right-of-way to implement underground storm drainage and utility lines. However, they are responsible for maintaining them,” Riley said.

County Engineer Dan Wilds assured Leon he would investigate, which he did; however, his findings were not reassuring. Although the grassy median is in the county’s right-of-way, Wilds reported to Riley that the storm drainage sinkholes were the responsibility of the developer and/or the property management company.

Not only does that leave Leon in the pits, it leaves Riley holding the bag. The sand bag, that is.

“I’m going to have to do something with it within the next two weeks,” he said. “I’m going to fill it up with stabilized sand and if someone wants to fix it after that, they’re going to have a job on their hands.”

Riley committed to negotiate with the DOECA, which is facilitated by Spectrum, a property management company. Laquita Anderson, the Site Manager for Decker Oaks Estates was unavailable for comment as of press time last week.

Riley cited two reasons why the sinkholes might exist. First, the underground storm drainage system may not have been put together properly; or second, the joints have separated.

Regardless of the reason, Riley must address the issue quickly as one of the sinkholes is jeopardizing the integrity of the roadway.

Marketing DVD hoped to enhance business growth in Magnolia

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

At the Dec. 12 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, Chairman Denny O’Brien opened discussion on the reality of economic stability for Magnolia businesses.

“I am disturbed by the rampant number of business failures and closures in Magnolia,” he said. O’Brien cited three possible reasons for the demise of business in Magnolia.

Under capitalization was cited as the primary reason, where new and potential business owners did not plan for at least three years of flat growth.

Second, the critical base of the population needed to support developing businesses was not substantial enough in the Magnolia area.

Third, an increase in the Planning and Zoning Commission’s level of involvement in educating potential business owners in making good business decisions may be necessary.

“Capital investment is the issue,” said Magnolia City Manager Roger Carlisle.

Commission board member Dr. Edward Terrason suggested the city invest in a public relations company to draw successful companies to Magnolia, even though “the level of growth we have is just not known.”

Though Carlisle conceded that the city of Magnolia was two to three years from a higher level of outreach to big international businesses, plans to move forward on a smaller scale with a marketing DVD are in the works.

The City of Magnolia, the 4A Economic Development Corporation (4A) and the 4B Community Development Corporation (4B), along with the Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC) are currently investigating companies that could provide Magnolia with a public relations DVD to market the city’s commercial viability.

Those plans were evident at the Dec. 14 meetings of the 4A and 4B where Morrie Mayer, owner of Bytes of Life, gave a presentation to both groups at the invitation of MACC Executive Director Anne Sundquist.

“My purpose is to tell your story in a compelling way that excites people with the content,” said Mayer. His company captures the history and vision of communities with old world influences that embody the heart of “porch front cultures,” he said.

Mayer’s presentation included an award-winning DVD he produced for J. M. Wendell Inc., a builder with 25 years experience, to whom The Woodlands Development Corp.’s East Shore development has been awarded.

The development and promotion of the DVD would be a collaborative effort with funds coming from a grant the MACC was awarded two years ago, according to Sundquist, as well as from 4A and 4B funds. The purpose is to “plug Magnolia in to a powerful presentation through an interactive link on the city’s Web site, defining the culture of the Magnolia community,” said Mayer.

The DVD may well include an interactive map of historic and commercial sites in the Magnolia and surrounding areas, as well as residential developments. Mayer was directed to develop an outline including the scope of the work he proposes to provide, along with a breakdown of time and cost prior to the Jan. 11 meeting of both groups.