With Unity Park and The Stroll nearly complete, the main goal for the committees right now is paying off past projects and finding out what the citizens want in the future, Mendes said.

“We are conducting a survey among the community to find out what we need,” he said. “What will fit here, what can we use that will fit the personality and location of Magnolia as well as its economic status. You try to find something that fits the community and neighborhood.”

The survey is a joint effort between the committees and the Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce.

It will be some time before any new projects will be started, to give the committees time to save more money, said Mendes.

The committees held a workshop July 31 to discuss their budgets and future projects.

“There’s been a number of things on the fire, we will be talking about what they think should be the next course of action at the workshop,” said Mendes. “I am looking forward to getting their insight on projects. The park – it’s a major, major expense to maintain it and we have to look at that and adding on and improving it and facilitating crowds and activities we hope to hold there.”

Mendes said one of the most important things he hopes to accomplish as director of the committees is to help bring in business to the city.

“We definitely want to move economic development forward for the community and attract new businesses into the city; at the heart of the city are the citizens,” he said. “They’re the taxpayers, movers and shakers of community but the lifeblood is businesses. We’ve got to keep them vibrant and working for us, they are the backbone of 4A and 4B and we want to make sure we have a helpful environment for businesses.”

Jonny Williams, President of 4A, said in addition to building up money for the future, the committees are working on improving the monthly city-sponsored Farmer’s Market and are still in the process of re-locating the historic “Yellow House.”

Williams said the committees may also consider hiring someone since the departure of project and events coordinator Katrina Welch, who resigned July 14.

“We’re just waiting to see how all of our budgets work and we may change directions a little bit and include a little more than an events coordinator,” he said. “Nothing’s definite on that.”

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