The council voted unanimously at a special meeting to hire Paul Mendes, previously city manager of Oak Ridge North, as a part-time administrator for the city.

Mendes was fired by the Oak Ridge North city council in December by a 3-2 vote over issues involving the Biofuels Power Corp. Finances, contracts, city equipment and purchases were cited as reasons for his termination, according to media reports.

According to Phil Grant with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Mendes has two pending felony charges against him for abuse of official capacity.

Mendes had been with Oak Ridge for nearly 16 years.

Magnolia council member Patsy Williams said she has personally known Mendes for several years, as have other members of council and that Mendes spoke openly about his departure from Oak Ridge North with the council.

“He’s still innocent until proven guilty,” Williams said.

She added that Mendes’ experience working with TxDOT is one of the reasons the council hired him as a consultant.

“I’ve known Paul for about 12 years and there have been other members (of council) that know him. He works very well with TxDOT. He is also very familiar with budgeting, very familiar with a lot of areas right now that we’re going to spearhead,” Williams said. “Our 1774 project with TxDOT cannot move forward unless we get sewer and water lines mapped out. He knows how to do that and how to save money.”

Williams said that Mendes will work one or two days a week “with certain problem areas” and be paid on an hourly basis.

Councilman Jody Sanders said Mendes has a “world of experience” in city managing and that he feels he will do a good job working with the city. He also weighed in on his departure from Oak Ridge North.

“He voluntarily discussed that with us and after listening to his side of the story, I feel like he will be exonerated and that’s why he got my vote,” Sanders said.

Mendes said he was “delighted” at the chance to work for the city of Magnolia.

“I had some time available,” Mendes said. “I was asked by one of the council members if I would consider it and I said I’d love it.”

He added that the council and mayor knew beforehand of his departure from Oak Ridge North and the issues surrounding it.

“They were well aware of it,” he said. “Fortunately, there are enough people here that know me and believe that I still have some redeeming qualities.”

Before working for Oak Ridge North, Mendes served in the U.S. Army for 26 years. He worked throughout the world, spending most of the time in East Asia. His last assignment was working as a Headquarters Commandant in Fort Lewis, Wash.

“It was very much like a city manager,” he said.

Mendes, who resides in The Woodlands, said he’s looking forward to helping the city until a permanent city administrator is hired.

“I appreciate the opportunity. Magnolia’s a small a community and has all the challenges of a small community. However, it has tremendous opportunity for growth,” he said.

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