Rotarians net more than $45,000 during annual fish fry

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

What began as a beautiful Friday evening fish fry will eventually lead to several grateful local college students and charities. The Tomball Rotary Club held its 38th Annual Fish Fry April 20, raising more than $45,000 for the club’s scholarship and charity fund.

Pictured, Nancy Holverson (right) holds the keys to the 2007 Chevy HHR. Holverson was the grand prize winner of the car at the 38th Annual Rotary Fish Fry. She is pictured with her son, Walker (left).
Submitted Photo

Rotarian and Fish Fry Chairman Merritt Spencer hailed the fundraiser as a success, calling it “an amazing event.” The evening’s culmination came when Nancy Holverson won the fundraiser’s grand prize, a 2007 Chevrolet HHR, presented by Parkway Chevrolet.

Holverson’s ticket number was the last to be called among the 544 tickets sold by Rotarians, making Holverson the winner of the car. Holverson said that although she has attended the fish fry in the past, this year was the first in which she bought a ticket. “I was excited when it just got down to the last 10 (tickets),” she said.

As the numbers kept getting called off and Holverson was still holding her ticket, she soon realized she would at least win one of the other prizes. When it came down to the last two tickets and the other ticket number was called for the second place prize, Holverson knew she had won. “It was pretty exciting,” she said. “When it got to five, I was excited I was going to win something. When it got to the third one, I started to get sick, worrying about getting my hopes up and not winning.”

Other raffle winners took home a Kawasaki ATV, a $2,000 travel voucher from Travel Depot, a 20-inch liquid crystal television and a personal DVD player.

Money was also raised through a silent auction, which raised $872 and a live auction, which brought in $6,795, according to Spencer. A raffle of gift baskets of toys raised approximately $1,000. Rotarians cooked and served 996 plates of fried fish, which was about 20 more sold than last year, Spencer said. “This entire club needs to be congratulated,” he said. “They did a really good job.”

Money raised during the event will be used for the club’s contribution budget, which will be utilized in club service capacity, including more than $20,000 in various scholarships, donations to various local charities and a club service project. “I think seeing the community come out year after year like this is a real tribute to the generosity of the citizens. It also demonstrates how much of a close knit community we still are,” Spencer said.

Homeless shelter graduates able to move to transitional, permanent housing

Part 4: Long-term programs

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

In many ways, life after emergency shelter services does exist for the homeless in Montgomery County. Transitional housing, long-term housing, and permanent housing are available, but only to successful shelter graduates, and only to certain populations.

There is a clear line drawn between government funded housing programs and privately funded programs. Faith-based ministries are often funded with private dollars, which allows them to assist the criminal population of the homeless, but not always.

A family based ministry Dr. Silvia Mishler of Montgomery County Interfaith Hospitality Network said the faith-based organization receives some government funding. Of non-government funded faith-based agencies she said, “They serve a population we can’t serve.”

Mishler established the network on Sept. 11, 2001. Now in their seventh year, the organization has more than 150 networks nationwide. The agency’s target population is adults with under-aged children with a focus on homeless families.

An agency’s success rate is determined by the client’s ability to maintain independence through learned skills.

The network is a “beds-in-churches” program with an 87 percent success rate for clients graduating from the program. The average duration is 45 days with a maximum stay of 90 days or 13 weeks. Local churches provide lodging and meals on a weekly, rotating basis.

Participating families must agree to participate in a tailored-to-needs life-skills training program and an escrow savings plan with a long-term goal of purchasing permanent housing.

“Participants cannot pose a threat to the other families or churches,” said Mishler.

Help for the hopeless The New Life Women’s Center in Montgomery was established in 2004 under the umbrella of Creative Outreach Ministries in Conroe. The faith-based program is funded with private dollars. It is designed to specifically minister to the needs of “those caught in the prison of drugs, alcohol, and prostitution,” according to its Web site.

“By the time they get to us they’ve burned their bridges,” said Dottie Compton, founder and director of New Life. Clients include jail exits, prostitutes, drug addicts, and untreated substance abusers, with no children, or those with depression, she said.

The program is a 12- to 18-month residential program of life skills training tailored to the client’s needs. It has a capacity of 12 clients, but funding only for six. Women graduating from the program experience a 75-80 percent success rate using newly learned coping skills. It is a voluntary program with 24-hour supervision.

“It’s very difficult for non-profits to get the funding needed to do a good job,” said Compton. “Everybody has something to offer. There are some agencies that can do more than we can because of funding limitations.”

Transitional housing Fairway Home was established in 1984 and is funded by Montgomery County Youth Services (MCYS), a United Way affiliate. Though not a county program, it is funded with some government dollars. It offers services to at-risk-youth ages 16 to 21.

This transitional housing program in Willis has a capacity of eight. It is set up as an 18-month program, but many stay until the age of 21.

“The focus is to give the kids the skills they need to be independent, successful and productive, and to live on their own,” said Laurie Oliver, director of shelter services for MCYS.

Life skills training, money management and budgeting are combined with continuing education in public school or a GED program, if 18 or older. Students must participate in a savings program facilitated by Fairway Home.

Magnolia offers both Rosewood Apartments and Magnolia Plaza and provides units with washer and dryer connections. These two are the only transitional housing programs in Magnolia. Rental fees for housing are assessed on a sliding scale and are government subsidized, but are offered only to those who are employed.

“People can stay indefinitely,” said Manager Ruby Woods. “Some residents have been there 12 to 13 years.”

Each year, applicants are reviewed annually for income status and rent is regulated accordingly. There are no application fees, but there is a $100 deposit and a waiting list.

Permanent Housing Montgomery County Emergency Assistance (MCEA) funds the Montgomery County Housing Authority (MCHA) and provides various housing programs, along with many other county agencies.

“We have two types of housing assistance,” Joanne Callahan, executive director of the MCEA program. “One provides permanent housing for families of the disabled, and one provides transitional housing for up to two years.”

However, those families coming into traditional housing must have successfully come through a shelter, she said.

“A shelter is an expensive undertaking to do right and do well. Government funding prohibits felons, violent offense, offense against children specifically, and exceptions like drug addictions are not allowed with government funding. Those become a barrier to assistance agencies for felons,” Callahan said.

Delay in software conversion prompts debate over budget numbers

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Councilman Dave Sutherland claimed at the Magnolia City Council meeting in April that he had not seen a budget to actual comparison on a financial statement for seven months and expressed skepticism that the delay was the result of a software conversion.

His comment prompted an open discussion bordering on an argument between staff and council members. Concerns voiced by Sutherland centered on the city’s budget for water and sewer accounts, and more specifically, salaries reflected in those accounts on subsequent reports.

“Our budget says we’re not spending money, our reports say we are. What else is wrong in this report? We don’t have a comprehensive report to know that,” said Sutherland.

Last year, the city staff began the arduous task of transitioning the city’s budget software to a Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) format in updated Incode software.

According to its Web site, “the GFOA is the professional association of state/provincial and local finance officers in the United States and Canada, and has served the public finance profession since 1906. GFOA members are dedicated to the sound management of government financial resources.”

Sutherland has requested a financial statement reflecting a budget to actual comparison for several months, he said.

“You have a monthly and a year-to-date,” said City Manager Roger Carlisle. “What more could you want?”

According to city officials, prior year budgets by old administrations used an Excel spreadsheet in conjunction with the previous Incode system, and there were human errors made in the transfer of data.

Assistant to the City Manager Erick Edwards said, “I have spent four months finding mistakes.”

For example, as previously reported by the Tribune, an audit by McCall Gibson for budget year 2001 reflects a $665,231 expenditure, which is a 4A project and should not be included in that year’s deficit.

A more recent example is the fiscal year 2007 budget for the City of Magnolia, approved at the Sept. 28, 2006 regular city council meeting. The budget reflects zero dollars budgeted for water and sewer salaries. However, reports released by the city at subsequent meetings still reflect monthly salaries being withdrawn from the funds.

At a January meeting, updated reports were not included in the media pack provided by the city to the Tribune. In February, financial statements reflected a budget comparison by year, but no budget comparison for 2007 expenditures and revenues. March yielded a monthly year-to-date of revenues and expenditures, but again no comparison to actual expenditures.

Carlisle said, “The information is incorrect and it’s been incorrect.”

Sutherland made an appeal to the other council members.

“Is anyone else concerned that we don’t have a budget report that we can look at and see how we’re doing?” he asked.

Councilman Todd Kana voiced no fault with the city administrators or the claim that a balanced budget was forthcoming.

“I accept the explanation that they have spent a lot of time, and I have witnessed some of the time they have spent trying to reorganize and put back in place what was put out of place over time. So, at this point I am still accepting that as an explanation,” said Kana.

Council member Rick Carby said the solution is patience.

“We are changing from an old, antiquated Excel spreadsheet that had a few hundred thousand dollars in the budget to an $11.2 million budget in an Incode, computerized, up-to-date system. It’s going to take patience from everyone,” he said.

Referring to the city’s budget lines reflected in the last several years of Incode reports, Carlisle said the budget had not been correct in the past, but anticipated the information should be complete within several weeks.

In a separate interview, Carlisle explained the problem causing the delay.

There were two systems, he said. City staff used the old Incode system until a format was developed for the conversion of information.

“We’ve just about come to that end,” Carlisle said. “The old system reflected people in departments, not transfers. And when the budget that was passed is transferred properly into the (new) Incode system that we are running under, all that will be pulled out and put in the proper manner that it should be. But we could not do that until we get the new one in line.”

See notes cut from story attached

Despite the approved zero budget for those funds, the first budget rollup dated Oct. 31, 2006 released at the Nov 14, 2006 regular meeting of the Magnolia City Council, reflects a $30,576.00 budget line for water salaries and the same for sewer salaries.

Those revenue and expenditure reports reflect a water account deficit in the pooled cash report of $103,862.57. However, the detail of the financial statement of the same report lists a net loss of only $4,988.16.

Likewise, the sewer account for the same month reflects a $20,997.84 claim on pooled cash, but the financial statement reflects a larger $23,277.18 loss. The expenses include a total of salaries and overtime of $2,588.63 for water and $2,588.63 for sewer.

At the Dec. 12, 2006 regular meeting of the council, the Nov. 30 revenue and expenditure reports increased those numbers. The pooled cash statement reflects a $64,488.58 loss for water. However, the financial statement detail reflects a profit of $34,380.48 for water, creating a true loss of $98.869.06.

And again, the sewer account follows suit with a claim on cash of $12,000.90, but the financial statement detail reflects a profit of $61,801.92. That’s a true loss of $73,802.82 and includes a year-to-date (YTD) increase for salaries and overtime of $2,625.57 for water and the same for sewer.

“One thing we have in common, all of us have this in common, we work for the citizens and the betterment of the community. We just have different ideas of how to go about it, said Councilwoman Patsy Williams.

Waller High School’s Lady Bulldog Athletic Department recently announced the signing of point guard Kenisha “Keke” McDade to a full basketball scholarship at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Iowa Western Reivers compete in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference and have been nationally ranked. McDade was selected to the 18-4A All-District team and has led the Lady Bulldogs in several offensive categories the past two seasons. She is the daughter of Paul and Cynthia McDade of Prairie View. Pictured (top row, left to right) Waller ISD Superintendent Richard McReavy, WHS Principal Kelly Baehren, Lady Bulldog Athletic Coordinator Terry Logan, (bottom row, left to right) McDade, and her mother, Cynthia McDade.
Submitted Photo

Fagan takes aim at mayoral seat with business-like approach

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

Once the dust settles on this year’s elections, the make up of Tomball’s government will be drastically changed. For the first time in more than a decade, Tomball will have a new mayor. Longtime mayor H.G. “Hap” Harrington bowed out of the mayoral race just before the March deadline and is instead seeking a spot on the city council.

Hoping to become the new figurative face of Tomball are Diane Holland and Gretchen Fagan. Fagan is currently serving on the council and announced her plans to seek the mayor’s spot rather than re-election to her council position shortly before Harrington withdrew from the race.

Tomball Mayoral Candidate Gretchen Fagan

After serving only one three-year term on the council, Fagan believes she is ready to take the next step. “I’m young, I have the energy, and I have the time to do it right now,” she said. Rather than wait until the venerable Harrington retires or until the next election three years from now, Fagan decided to act now. “If I wait until someone decided they’re tired of being mayor, or their term is up, then you’re looking at six or nine years down the road,” she said. “At that point, I would have been on council nine or 12 years, if I would have been re-elected.”

Compared with many council members and election candidates, Fagan is a relative newcomer to city government. However, she does not consider any perceived lack of experience a detriment to her qualifications as a potential mayor. “Many mayors have served Tomball who were not previously council members and did a good job,” she said. “So I don’t see that as a detriment, especially since the mayor doesn’t really run the city.”

Among her qualifications she thinks are key to the mayoral position is her business background. “I have a vision for Tomball,” she said. “I think Tomball needs to be run as a business and I have a business background.” If she were to be elected, Fagan would like to come to a suitable resolution on the city’s zoning issue. She has stated in the past that she is in favor of some sort of zoning for the city and wants to see the issues “get to the voters as quickly as possible.”

The last time city residents voted on a zoning measure was in 2003, when it was eventually turned down. Since then, the city has assembled a zoning commission and hired a consultant to evaluate potential zoned areas.

Fagan believes that a professional look at the issue by the consultant may eventually yield new zoning laws. “I think that’s going to be the difference this time,” she said.

Fagan also hinted that should zoning laws take effect in Tomball, different areas could be designated for different types of commercial use, such as industrial, light industrial, etc. Fagan is seeking one of the top spots in the city’s government at a crucial juncture. For the past decade, the Tomball area has seen unprecedented residential and commercial growth. For a city that has long prided itself on the notion of the close-knit hometown, Tomball’s identity is changing as quickly as new neighborhoods pop up on the outskirts of town.

So how does a growing city maintain the small-town atmosphere? “I think Tomball has to keep that identity through its people, the things that we do, the spirit that we show,” Fagan said. “I think the hometown feel is what we have in Tomball through the homes we have and the homes we’re bringing in.”

Magnolia election candidates not in attendance at open forum

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Members of the Magnolia community looking for direction from the election candidates running for city councilman Positions 1 and 2 arrived at an open forum April 23, only to be disappointed.

In an effort to get residents, candidates and incumbents together for discussion, the Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored an election forum, held at the Montgomery County Community Development Center.

All the incumbents and candidates received invitations to attend, according to Mayor Jimmy Thornton.

However, Position 1 candidate Sammie Scott and Position 2 candidate John Bramlett were no where to be seen the night of the forum.

Scott said he worked late that evening. After getting off his bus route at 6 p.m., he said, “It was just too late to go.”

Bramlett offered no comment to the Tribune as to his absence as of press time last week.

Those incumbents seeking to maintain their council seats arrived on time for the 7 p.m. event, ready for the question and answer session to follow.

About 40 to 50 residents were in attendance with questions for the candidates. Questions centered upon direction and leadership for the community and whether the City of Magnolia, now classified as a Type A Municipality by Texas Local Government Code, could ever go back to a mayor-council form of government.

The questions were varied and well thought out, said Anne Sundquist, president of the Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce.

Each incumbent was allowed to speak on the improvement of infrastructure, the need for a city manager form of government, the growth of the city, and the knowledge necessary to direct city infrastructure and finances.

On the May 12 ballot, voters will be asked to respond yes or no to abandon “the city manager form of government in the municipality of Magnolia, Montgomery County, Texas.”

Incumbents Chris Neal in Position 1, Richard Carby in Position 2 and Todd Kana in Position 3 agreed that Magnolia should maintain a city manager form of government.

Scott and Bramlett have previously said they are against the city manager form of government.

Representatives from the Tomball Wal-Mart store No. 703 took part in ceremonies at several Tomball Independent School District schools in celebration of Earth Day. Last week, store employees planted trees at Tomball Intermediate, Tomball Elementary and Beckendorf Elementary. Pictured above at Beckendorf Elementary (back row, left to right), Wal-Mart Assistant Manager Elliott Gremilleion, Chad Brown, Ahslyn Llornede, Savannah Smith, Roosevelt Graham, District Manager Tyler Fortner, and Assistant Manager B.J. Phillips; kneeling are Kelsey Zalesak and Department Manager Alicia Collette.
Photo By Brian Walzel

Magnolia Depot Day fundraiser benefits community heritage

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Bright sunshine and cool breezes played on the faces of those in attendance at Magnolia’s Depot Day celebration and fundraiser held April 21 at the Depot Museum complex. More than 1,000 people attended the daylong event. Shoppers looked over the wares being sold at the vendor booths to the sounds of live music, while historians offered tours of the caboose, the depot and blacksmithing demonstrations throughout the day. Children were entertained with moonwalks, sand art and cool drinks. At noon notable county and city dignitaries were auctioned off to the highest bidder for a day.

Pictured, (left to right) Amy Clifford, Holly Knowles, and Arti Artze of Calico Ranch at the April 21 Depot Day celebration and fundraiser held in Magnolia at the Depot Museum complex. The trio supported Depot Day by purchasing booth space to display their handmade, “country chic” wares.

They included Pct. 2 County Commissioner Craig Doyal, Mayor Jimmy Thornton, Chief of Police Ron Cunningham, Pct. 5 Constable David Hill, and Justice of the Peace Matt Masden. The event is in its 14th year. All proceeds benefit the improvement of the Magnolia Depot Museum complex. The depot is a core part of Magnolia’s heritage. It has been the focus of the Magnolia Historical Society for many years.

Pct. 2 Commissioner’s fish fry raises $70,000 for community groups

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The Magnolia High School commons area was barely large enough to hold those in attendance on April 19 at a fish fry benefit and auction that grossed more than $70,000. The event was sponsored by Montgomery County Pct. 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal.

Pictured, (left to right) Cal and Wayne Arnold, Bailey Arnold, Montgomery County Pct. 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal and Dwight Arnold at the commissioner’s sixth annual fish fry held at Magnolia High School on April 19.

More than 900 people were served a fried catfish dinner with all the fixings, while those same hundreds contributed more than $50,000 at various sponsorship levels.

Up for bid was a barbecue event package with all the extras that went for $2,000.

The high bidder won a meal for themselves and 100 friends. The meal includes preparation and service by Doyal, Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Gage, Texas Ranger Kevin Pullen, and Magnolia’s Charlie Riley.

The “Million Dollar Cake,” donated by Mildred Evans of Magnolia, was the biggest auction item of the evening, bringing in $12,000, said Marie Moore, Doyal’s fundraising manager.

Evans creates the sweet confections for area public and private benefits each year.

“We call it the ‘Million Dollar Cake’ because over the years, her cakes have helped to raise over a million dollars for the community,” said Moore.

The larger portion of the money raised goes to support many community groups and organizations, Moore said.

According to Moore, among those groups listed on Doyal’s campaign report are the Magnolia Independent School District campus booster clubs, Magnolia FFA, the Lions Club, the Magnolia Rotary Club, Montgomery County Search and Rescue, and Friends of Conroe, with the largest portion going to the Montgomery County Fair Association.

Cougars, Bulldogs track and field athletes qualify for regional meet

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

Several area high school track and field athletes qualified for their respective regional meets, which were held last week at various sites around Texas. The 15-5A and 16-5A district championships were held April 11-13 at Lufkin and Klein High Schools, respectively.

Magnolia Results

Magnolia took part in the 15-5A meet. Both the boys and girls teams fell well short of qualifying for the regional meet, but several individual Bulldog athletes finished in the top three of their respective events to move on. The most successful event for Magnolia was the boys’ pole vault, which Travis Matthews won with a jump of 16-feet, 6-inches. Austin Matthews finished second with a jump of 15 feet. Meanwhile, Randy Stewart finished second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.60 seconds, sending him to regionals. Michael Cook took first place in the 1,600-meter run, finishing the race in 4 minutes, 19.53 seconds. For the Lady Bulldogs, Hannah Fort advanced to regionals in the high jump with a leap of 5-feet, 2 inches. Holly Vonderau won the triple jump at 37 feet, 3.5 inches, and Flo Carrington also won first place in the discus, with a throw of 125 feet, 2 inches. Carrington also took second place honors in the shot put with a toss of just over 39 feet.

Tomball Results

For the Cougars, Patrick Deakins finished in third place in the 800-meter run, with a time of 2 minutes, 2 seconds, narrowly defeating Tyler Anderson of Klein Collins. Matt Perri took second in the 1,600-meter run, finishing in 4 minutes, 30 seconds. He also finished second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9 minutes, 49 seconds. Tyler Golden squeaked into the regional meet in the boys’ shot put, with a throw of 47 feet, 4 inches, just one inch better than Rickey McGowan of Klein Forest. Eric Ritts finished third and earned a regional trip in the discus with a toss of 142 feet, 3 inches. The only two representatives from the girls’ squad at regionals were Jenny Smith and Kenya McDaniel. Smith advanced by way of her second place finish in the high jump, with a leap of an even 5 feet. McDaniel finished second in the long jump at 18 feet, 4 inches. The Region II meet, where representatives from Magnolia High School participated in, was held last weekend at Baylor University in Waco. The Region III meet, which the Cougars qualified for, was held at Humble High School. Results from those meets were unavailable at press time last week.

Ballot proposition calls for school tax cap for elderly, disabled

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

Among the key issues facing voters during the May 12 election will be a proposition to cap taxes for the elderly and disabled.

Proposition 1 on the state ballot calls for a constitutional amendment that would limit the total amount of ad valorem taxes “that may be imposed for public school purposes on the residence homestead of the elderly or disabled.”

If it passes, the amendment would reflect any reduction in the rate for those taxes for the 2006 and 2007 school years.

The proposition will be on the official state ballot, but not on some city ballots, such as the ballot for City of Tomball and Tomball ISD elections.

The vote is a key part of legislation for Texas homeowners. In 2005, Texas lawmakers voted for a reduction in school property taxes to begin in 2006. However, the reduction did not include senior citizens or the disabled.

There is some concern that many voters ages 65 and over may not choose to vote in a non-presidential election.

The proposition comes in an election year when both Waller ISD and Tomball ISD are seeking approval for multi-million dollar bond elections in order to build new facilities and renovate current ones.

Early voting begins April 30 and will run through May 8. The general election is May 12.