Tomball on verge of backing out of Hooks deal

City claims airport owner not providing key financial data

By Brian Walzel
Editor

Is Hooks Airport really for sale?

That’s the question City of Tomball officials are asking themselves after a series of delays has put the potential deal in jeopardy.

The City of Tomball has been in negotiations to purchase Hooks Airport since 1995. The deal may fall through if the airport owner doesn't provide key financial information.

According to City Manager Jan Belcher, a planned appraisal of the property has fallen significantly behind schedule due to an expansion of the scope of a master plan and a lack of key financial information that has yet to be submitted by airport owner Jag Gill.

The city has now set a May 1 deadline for Gill to make available the information for the appraisal or the city will “discontinue efforts to purchase Hooks Airport.”

In June 2007, the appraisers for the airport were selected, but not contracted because, according to Belcher, Gill had not supplied revenue information to TxDOT.

After a January meeting with TxDOT, the city and financial advisers, Gill promised to provide the information within two weeks. As of press time last week, that information had yet to be provided.

“The owner has had the opportunity for years to provide that information,” Belcher said. “That information is not forthcoming.” In 2005, an initial appraisal on the airport found the facility to be worth approximately $28 million. “We don’t know what that is today,” Belcher said. “We don’t have the information needed to start the appraisal process.”

Also delaying the project has been a master plan of Hooks that Belcher claims has grown significantly larger than originally anticipated.

“During 2006, the scope of the master plan changed tremendously,” Belcher reported. “Other aspects were later included.”

The cost of the original master plan was $150,000. Since then, the cost has escalated to more than $700,000, 90 percent of which TxDOT has paid for. The original completion date for the master plan was February 2005.

In November 2007, it appeared that the master plan was nearing completion. But a report to the North Houston Association by Vesta Rae and Associates, hired by the city to help coordinate the possible sale, reported that there appeared to be “no willing seller” for the airport.

The possible sale has now been discussed in various phases since 1995, when the city was first approached about purchasing the facility. “I can understand the frustration because that’s a long time to be working on a project,” Belcher said.

The Tomball City Council held a special meeting March 31 to give an update on Hooks Airport and for Belcher, at least in part, to dispel any rumors that the city has abandoned the project.

“We wanted to give this update because we’ve had people say the city isn’t doing anything,” she said. “There’s a lot of work that has gone on behind the scenes.”

Gill did not return phone calls to the Tribune for comment on this story.

Tomball Chamber to host forum for council candidates

A Meet the Candidates forum providing candidates seeking election to the City of Tomball Council Positions 1 and 5 an opportunity to express their positions on issues is set for April 10. Candidates Warren Driver, David Mayes, David Quinn, and Derek Townsend will have the opportunity to present their views and opinions as they answer questions posed by community members. Presented by the Government and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, the forum will be held at the Elmer L. Beckendorf Conference Center at Lone Star College-Tomball, located at 30555 Tomball Parkway, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The purpose of this forum is to enlighten voters of the issues, ideas, and opinions of each individual campaign with fairness, and to encourage eligible City of Tomball residents to become active voters. The public is invited to attend.

Election Day is May 10 and all registered City of Tomball voters may cast ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at City Hall, 401 Market Street. Early voting will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 28, April 30, May 1, and May 5; from 7:45 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. on April 29 and May 6 (12-hour voting); and from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 2 at City Hall.

Call the Greater Tomball Area Chamber office at 281-351-7222 for additional forum information.

H-GAC to host quarterly public meeting in Tomball

Local residents have an opportunity to hear from area transportation officials and learn more about public transportation projects in the Tomball area when the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) meets to discuss transportation and mobility options.

The meeting will be held April 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the City of Tomball Community Center, located at 221 Market Street. Those in attendance at the meeting will hear from H-GAC officials on the following topics:

Transportation Planning
As MPO for transportation planning and coordination in the Houston-Galveston area, H-GAC serves Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller counties. It will provide an overview of the organization and its current transportation projects.

Subregional Planning
Subregional planning is an H-GAC initiative to support and develop partnerships between local governments and agencies in a geographically defined area. These partners, with the support of H-GAC, will define a “vision” for their communities’ future growth and development. In addition, H-GAC will assist participating governments in developing plans, programs and policies to implement and support its defined vision and local community goals.

SH 6 Access Management Study
H-GAC, in partnership with Harris County, TxDOT, and various other entities, recently completed the SH 6 Corridor Access Management Study. H-GAC officials will discuss the identified strategies to improve traffic flow and reduce collisions along SH 6 from I-10 to FM 521.

H-GAC is a voluntary association of 132 local governments and local elected officials from the 13-county Gulf Coast Planning Region - an area of 12,500 square miles with 5.4 million people. H-GAC works to promote efficient and accountable use of local, state, and federal tax dollars; serves as a problem-solving and information forum for local governments; and helps local governments, businesses, and civic organizations analyze trends and conditions affecting the area in order to respond to their needs.

For the first time in school history, the Magnolia Lady Bulldog varsity golf squad qualified for the regional tournament after a second place finish in the 15-5A season-ending tournament at Waterwood National Golf Club. The Lady Bulldogs shot a combined 691 for the two-day tournament, 43 shots back of tournament champion The Woodlands. Pictured above, the Lady Bulldog varsity golf team.
Submitted Photo

Local teacher takes part in cultural experience

By Melanie Smith
Tribune Staff

The National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) recently sponsored a trip for 12 economics teachers to travel to the Republic of Georgia to spread democracy through education. The trip was funded by the United States Department of Education.

Tomball’s Susan Guy was one of 12 teachers invited by the U.S. Department of Education to a trip to the Republic of Georgia.

More than 40 teachers nationwide applied to go on the trip. A Tomball area teacher was one of only 12 that were selected.

Susan Guy, a fifth and sixth grade economics teacher at Hill Intermediate Excel Academy in Aldine ISD, who was also a recent recipient of the prestigious Leavy Award, was one of those chosen to attend the trip.

“They chose me because they needed someone to teach the younger grades. Among the entire group, I was the only fifth and sixth grade teacher,” Guy said.

The teachers were strangers in the beginning, but after a few days they felt like family.

“Everyone picked on me because I taught the youngest grade out of everyone,” Guy said. “When you have an experience like this, you bond with those around you who speak English.”

The group had several goals during their trip. Their main focus was on professional development. The group strengthened leadership skills, economic understanding, and international competencies of economic teachers in Georgia. The group also informed teachers of Georgian economic programs of the teaching techniques used in the United States.

In each school, teachers held roundtable discussions covering economic topics as well as taught economic lessons to students.

“It was important for us to go on this trip because if you help to educate children, you can ultimately change a country,” Guy said.

The teachers went to four different schools and two universities during their stay. They were able to tour the country as well as enjoy local dining in their free time.

“The culture is so different from ours that we were constantly learning new things,” Guy said.

The way of life in Georgia is very different than the life teachers are used to. Many teachers learned that their hair dryers and other electronic devices wouldn’t work in Georgia’s outlets. The country currently has a negative birth rate, meaning the population has dwindled from year’s past. Educational safety regulations are not as strict in Georgia. Teachers found that there were no fire extinguishers or first aid kits in the classrooms.

Despite these differences, the children in Georgia were similar to American children in one aspect.

“The children in Georgia are very technologically advanced,” Guy said. “The Georgian teachers laughed at me when I asked if they had a problem with kids bringing their cell phones and other electronic devices in the classroom. The teachers said they text constantly!”

Upon returning from the trip, Guy has been working on lessons for her students as well as scheduling workshops for teachers across the state. Her lesson will cover the popular logos of the world. She will ask students if they can recognize what the logo represents. Guy was inspired for the project while in a store in Georgia.

“I recognized items that were written in Georgian just from their logos. Lay’s and Nestle are among a few brands that have spread their markets there, and I think kids can learn a lot from that,” Guy said.

Reflecting on the trip, Guy says she was very impressed with the attitude of students and civilians the group had constant contact with.

“These people gave so freely,” Guy said. “They’re going through so much, yet they were so happy to have us there teaching their children.”

Every year, the NCEE funds the travels of 12 economics teachers to a foreign country for approximately two weeks. In order to keep this a new experience for everyone, a teacher may only go on a trip sponsored by NCEE once during their career.

“This makes it fair for everyone. No teacher in the group had an advantage over another. It was everyone’s first time,” Guy said.

The Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Golf Classic was held at Lake Windcrest Golf Club on March 27. Co-Chaired by Clay Bohannan (right) and Tab Werner (left), the 30th Annual event was deemed a success by the Chamber. More than 175 golfers took part in the event. Pictured, Bohannan and Werner prepare for the Golf Ball Drop, which Emergency Health Centre of Willowbrook subsequently won.
Submitted Photo

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Thornton, Windham square off for Magnolia mayor’s seat

By Melanie Smith
Tribune Staff

For the first time in two elections, Jimmy Thornton will face opposition for the mayor’s seat. Jo Anne Windham will oppose Thornton for the position, which will be decided in a May 10 election.

Thornton has been the mayor of Magnolia for the past four years. In that time, Thornton says he has seen much positive growth and has helped bring the city out of debt.

“I have much experience in running a city,” Thornton said. “Honestly, I didn’t know much when I first took this position. Within the past four years, I have learned a tremendous amount about running a city and budgeting.”

Thornton feels that city infrastructure is important and that he would work to accommodate for the city’s growth.

“Roads, water, and sewage issues are always important to me,” Thornton said. “You always have to stay a bit ahead of the curve.”

Thornton believes that being an excellent mayor involves many things, but the most important being the ability to listen.

“I have learned to listen to those who want to talk, whether it’s a kid in school, a grandma, a working mom or dad or a neighbor. You have to listen and take care of the problem.”

Windham has lived in Magnolia for the past 46 years. She has held many city jobs, including City Secretary, Municipal Court Clerk, Tax Assessor Collector and Certified Texas Peace Officer.

Windham was also a charter member of the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce where she served as president for more than two years.

Windham served as secretary to the Magnolia Foundation and, from 1996 through 2006, on the board of the 4A Corp.

Windham declined an interview request from the Tribune. All information was obtained via e-mailed biography.

Members of the musical group Alpenfest perform at the 6th Annual Tomball German Heritage Festival. The annual festival was held March 28-30 in downtown Tomball.

Tomball maternity home ready to open its doors

By Brian Walzel
Editor

What began as a dream more than four years ago is finally coming true for Nancy Garza. Garza, executive director and founder for Baby and Me, a home for pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers, last week celebrated an open house for the foundation’s first facility, located at 14301 Alice Road.

From left to right, Irene Briggs, Lisa Corpus and Nancy Garza helped host an open house last week for Baby and Me’s new home in Tomball on Alice Road.

The opening of the Tomball home was a slight detour from the original plan that Garza had of building a new facility in Magnolia. The process of raising money for the building, Garza said, became tedious and was happening at a much slower pace than the need for a facility would allow.

Once word of the organization and the home spread, Garza began getting phone calls from interested girls. However, a home was still years away and Garza had her own family to take care of in her Magnolia area home. But a new idea, a quicker and more feasible solution, presented itself.

Garza, along with members of Baby and Me’s Board of Directors, recently traveled to Austin to visit a similar home, Breath of Life, for a training seminar.

“One of the directors there asked us, ‘Why aren’t you renting?’” Garza said. She soon realized that renting a facility was a quick and adequate solution to getting a home open. Meanwhile, plans for the Magnolia facility are still ongoing.

According to Garza, the Tomball home will have room for six to seven residents, including mothers and their babies, and a house mom. The house mom will oversee the day-to-day activities in the house and help teach housekeeping responsibilities, foster education and job training, and most importantly, how to care for a baby.

Each room in the house will feature the artistic touch of an interior designer. For example, one of the bedrooms, The Purple Room, is decorated with a light purple paint on the walls and purple and white furniture and crib. However, many of the rooms remain unfurnished.

That’s where Garza is turning to the community for help. Each of the rooms in the home is available for sponsorships. At the open house last week, sponsors had the opportunity to dedicate a piece of furniture, money, or time to the facility.

The home also has a small swimming pool in the backyard and one of the biggest needs right now is for a fence around the pool, Garza said. A small shed in the backyard will also be used for storage and Garza is looking for donations of shelves and someone to spend time to construct them.

Now that the first home is nearing completion, Garza said she will begin the process of notifying those who have contacted her about moving in. “I’d like to have them move in this month,” she said. “We’ve had up to nine girls who have shown an interest.”

For more information about Baby and Me, to donate or to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, call 281-252-6813.

ECHO Foundation readies for sixth annual golf tournament

The E.C.H.O. Foundation, benefiting Tomball Regional Medical Center (TRMC), announced last week plans for its 6th annual golf tournament. This year’s event is set for April 17 at High Meadow Ranch Golf Course.

Proceeds from this year’s tournament will benefit the new Women’s Imaging Center currently under construction at TRMC. Funds raised will help purchase new state-of-the-art equipment.

As in past years, the tournament will include raffle prizes, including $1,000 worth of ECHO Lawn equipment from D&S Automotive and Lawn, a 27-inch flat panel TV donated by Worthley's appliances, Astros tickets to the May 4 game against the Milwaukee Brewers donated by TRMC, a cooler pack with loads of golf goodies as well as a round of golf for two at High Meadow Ranch, and a TaylorMade “Rosa” Putter donated by Jake David with more prizes coming in every day.

The E.C.H.O. Foundation was created in 1996 to advance the philanthropic and charitable contributions for improving healthcare services and programs at Tomball Regional Medical Center. Funds raised by the Foundation are used to further the hospital’s mission as a non-profit organization.

To sign up for the tournament, contact the E.C.H.O. Foundation at 281-401-7928.

14-year-old Chandler nears bowling perfection

By Brian Walzel
Editor

Kyle Chandler’s ascension from a curious talent to a near bona-fide bowling prodigy has been a quick one.

Tomball’s Kyle Chandler is the third ranked youth bowler in Texas. He recently bowled a 298 in a league game in The Woodlands.

Two years ago at age 12, Chandler, who is now a freshman at Tomball High School, showed rare ability for a young athlete his age. He was beating good players handily, but he was still a wide-eyed youngster who knew he had a lot to learn.

Now at age 14, Chandler is putting the pieces together to solidify himself as one of the best young bowlers in the state.

In a sign that Chandler is thinking about the big picture, his family has hired a professional coach, Hall of Famer Jack Biondolillo, who rolled the first perfect game on national television in April 1967. Biondolillo says Chapman is one of the best young talents he has ever seen.

“In my 50 years of bowling, I have only seen one kid with kind that of talent. And he plays golf and goes by the name of Tiger (Woods),” he said.

Chandler is currently ranked third in the state in male scratch bowlers, less than 100 points behind first place Kyle Calcote of Friendswood. Earlier this year, Chandler rolled one of his best games, a 298 in a league game in The Woodlands.

He also placed third in the Texas Youth State Tournament.

His current league average is 210 and his tournament average is 225.

High marks, surely, but Chandler talks about getting better, improving the small things in his game.

Chandler said that Biondolillo helps with his mechanics, but also his mental game. “He helps me stay on track,” Chandler said. “He just reminds of the stuff I need to be thinking.”

While Chandler still talks about achieving his first perfect game, he also knows that a good score doesn’t necessarily mean a successful game.

“It’s not really about scoring,” he said, “it’s about what feels good. If things feel good in (my mechanics), then I feel like I had a good game.”

From the Book of Clifford

By Clifford Parker
Contributing Writer

Okay, let’s get this straight right up front. I’m being silly today! I do not believe a person should really do anything you are about to read. This whole story is pure foolishness and is not something I would ever, ever condone. Now, with that said, here is my foolish story.

For the past 15 years or more, I have traveled up to the ranch during this time of the year. It’s springtime and the grass is growing and the flowers are blooming. When I make this trip during the last part of March and first part of April, I am always pleased to see the beautiful sight of Texas bluebonnets and other wildflowers. Their beauty blankets the countryside and each and every year they bring pleasure to my eye.

My issue, however, is every year there are people who bring their families to see the sights, too. I am not opposed to everyone who enjoys the sights of our great state, but for some reason when people come out to the country, they seem to lose sight of the fact country roads carry as much, if not more, danger than city streets.

With that said, I have decided to write my “silly rules for visiting the country to enjoy the wildflowers.”

Now let me state once again, when I say silly rules, I really mean that these rules are outlandish and completely improper, so don’t follow them! I am simply relating my personal experiences of several things that I have seen with my own eyes while traveling the highways during the wildflower blooming season.

Rule One. Always park your car near or in the lane of traffic on all highways. When parking your car, don’t pay any attention to the fact that cars are passing you at 60 or 70 miles-per-hour. Do your best to park far enough in the road so the traffic will have to swerve into the other lanes of traffic to miss you. Also remember to always park just over the crest of hill so you are hidden to oncoming traffic.

Rule Two. Once parked, be sure and open your car door into the oncoming traffic. Always fail to check your mirrors to see if there are any cars coming. Also, try to time your door opening just at the precise time to alarm the drivers of the oncoming traffic.

Rule Three. If you do not feel the need to park in the oncoming traffic, always drive your car in the middle of the field and crush as many wildflowers as possible. Ask everyone else to do the same. This will allow the rest of the visitors to miss the beauty you just destroyed. Be sure and cut a few doughnuts with your car when you leave.

Rule Four. When driving upon or even trampling the flowers to destroy them, always do so while trespassing. Feel free to drive or walk across anybody’s property. Be sure and also ask your children to climb on anything that may be in the field. Always allow them to jump in the middle of the wire fence and tear it down as much as possible. Allow them to jump on the hay bales and also allow them to tear and/or cut the hay strings because it seems to be fun.

Rule Five. Don’t ever watch your children or your pets. Allow them to run up and down the ditches alongside the highways and near the traffic areas. The ditches are great clean places to play in, as they probably don’t have any broken glass, boards with nails, or other items that can cause them injury.

Rule Six. If someone has to slam on their brakes to miss you and your family, always display acts of anger in front of everyone. Be sure and curse the drivers that almost hit you and your family and always wave at them with your friendly finger. This makes a great impression on your children and those around you.

Rule Seven. Last, but not least, after you have enjoyed yourself, always do a U-turn in the middle of the highway to head back home. You really don’t have to obey any traffic rules. You can always blame the flowers for your driving habits.

Now, lest you have forgotten, I do not really condone these rules. They are just fun! I don’t condone them, my wife doesn’t condone them, my momma doesn’t condone them, this newspaper, nor its staff or editors condone them, along with a whole lot of other people. If you try to follow these rules, it could be your last time to ever read my story. You may be fertilizing the flowers.

-- Clifford