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Bob Pitcock of Magnolia has good reason to be thankful for every day. In December of 1989 he suffered a heart attack and was given a dire diagnosis that his heart was failing and he needed a transplant. Luckily for him and his family, a heart became available several months later and he gained a new lease on life.

“You feel forever grateful that someone has faced the tragedy of losing a family member and thought to donate the organs to a patient in desperate need, especially at a time like that,” said Pitcock.

Many heart transplant patients have a long history of cardiac issues.

“I had hereditary heart problems and had five heart attacks over a six-year period,” stated Pitcock, who was a 50-year old family man, truck driver and musician at the time of his transplant. “I even had one heart attack while I was playing onstage at the Texas Opry Jamboree in Magnolia.”

After receiving his new heart in January 1991, Pitcock spent 17 days in the hospital. He recovered quickly, and was able to drive a car within five weeks. He still returns to St. Luke’s Hospital annually for a checkup. 

“I was fortunate that I had no rejection issues and only a few minor problems in all these years,” he recalled. “I feel somewhat like Humpty Dumpty who fell into pieces. But, luckily, St. Luke’s (Hospital in Houston) was able to put me back together again.”

Pitcock has devoted his time to campaigning for families to donate the organs of their loved ones and to helping other transplant patients who need emotional support from someone who has gone through it. Sometimes he talks to them in person or over the phone; other times he corresponds via mail or email. He is a member of “Transplant Buddies” and has communicated with recipients and donor families all over the world.

Pitcock remembers a particular case of a 14-year-old boy who was afraid to accept his necessary heart transplant. He was able to talk to the boy and convince him that the operation would be worth it, and he finally agreed to the transplant. Afterward, the boy’s family called Pitcock to thank him.

“This is what I live for, along with just the feeling of happiness for being alive,” he said.

Pitcock credits his heart transplant surgeon, O.H. (Bud) Frazier, with saving his life. Dr. Frazier, the Chief of the Center for Cardiac Support at the Texas Heart Institute and Chief of Transplant Service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital (both in Houston), has performed more than 1,200 heart transplants during his career. Pitcock was transplant No. 395 for Frazier.

Anyone needing emotional help with their own or a family member’s transplant can check out www.transplantbuddies.org, a community site dedicated to providing information and support about the transplant process. 

There was more good news for Magnolia ISD employees following the Board of Trustees meeting Aug. 20.  According to Chief Financial Officer Erich Morris, all full-time MISD employees will get a three percent pay raise and additionally the district will increase its contribution to employee health insurance by $50 per month. This will increase the contribution per participating employee to $275 per month.

Morris said the pay raise was good timing, given that the district had not been able to provide raises in recent years, due to state funding concerns.

“The school board felt like this was the right thing to do and is within our budget this year,” he said.

Morris explained the new insurance contribution amount is more than the minimum required contribution of $225 per month. The district conducted a survey to ensure they were in line with other districts before arriving at the $275 per month figure.

“The district performed a survey of surrounding districts and became aware that other districts were contributing a bit more,” he said. “Taking that into consideration and with premiums rising year after year, the district administration recommended the increase to the board.”

The board also committed $500,000 for district-wide technology needs, which will primarily be used for classroom computer upgrades and replacements.

“This isn’t really new funding. The intent is to replenish the technology funds that were lost during the budget cuts from recent years,” said Morris. 

The final approved budget number is $83.6 million, which is $3.8 million more than the $79.8 million previously projected. Besides the new staff benefits, all 16 new staff positions throughout the district --- six teachers and ten paraprofessionals --- were approved.

Morris said that the district decided to come up with a conservative budget this year, since the upcoming legislative session is expected by many to cut state funding even more.

“It is a challenge to budget when there is fear of the unknown,” he said. “We are balancing the fear of the unknown with the needs of our folks and doing it in a way that is conservative. We must look at what’s possibly coming in the future.”

The board is still estimating the new student growth rate to be one percent, with enrollment expected to peak by October.

A recent weekend offered two community events just hours apart for Magnolia residents to enjoy. The second annual Tailgate Party, held on The Stroll Aug. 18, had a large turnout – that is, until a major thunderstorm drowned out the festivities a bit early. Football teams, marching bands, cheerleaders and flag drill teams from both Magnolia high schools provided a celebratory spirit to get everyone in the mood for cheering.

Magnolia Community Foundation President Deborah Rose Miller initiated enhancements to this year’s event, such as rotating performances at several Stroll locations, rather than just one main location and a combined pep rally for both area high schools. The crowd enthusiastically applauded the performers and chomped on goodies from the food stands. A dunking booth, sponsored by the Magnolia Rotary Club, was a popular attraction that offered people a chance to soak the high school coaches and principals. All proceeds benefited the Magnolia ISD athletic programs.

This year’s Tailgate Party had 36 vendors and an estimated 2,000 attendees, which was approximately a 10 percent increase over last year.

“Things had just started really buzzing and then a huge thunderstorm forced us to shut down,” said Miller, “but we expect next year’s event to be even bigger and better.”

The Community Foundation wants the Tailgate Party to continue to build community spirit among residents and students.

Also that evening, the Montgomery County Search & Rescue organization held its annual fundraiser at the Montgomery County Community Building in Magnolia. The barbeque plate sales and silent auction raised more than $18,000 this year.

The organization operates solely with volunteers, but needs money for operational expenses, training and equipment repairs, according to Vice President J. Carter Miller.

Montgomery County Search & Rescue offers services to people in need of locating missing family members. For more information, or to volunteer to help the organization, visit the website at www.moscar.org.

Also on hand at the fundraiser were booths from civic and emergency response organizations such as Montgomery County CPS, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Montgomery County Sheriff Citizen’s Academy, Texas Wheels of Justice and Montgomery County Emergency Management.

The Magnolia City Council wrapped up the summer Aug. 14, with a lengthy agenda of activities and resolutions. The oath of office was administered to City Secretary Lynne George, Municipal Court Judge Jimmy Thornton and Municipal Court Administrator Karla Bussey.

The council agreed to annex several acres adjacent to the Canrig Drilling Technologies offices, along FM 1488 in Magnolia, which pushes the city limits eastward. They agreed to consider a contract for improvements to Commerce and 10^th streets, near the Walgreens store that is being constructed. They also agreed to award a new contract for city janitorial services to Alpha Cleaning Concepts. Approximately eight bids were received and council decided that Alpha provided the most services for the cost.

The council will allow a variance of less than the required five feet on one lot within the Magnolia Ridge subdivision, because the permit has already been issued for a home to be constructed, but they wanted to state that any additional lot deviations would need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Residents of Connie Street, near Nichols Sawmill Road, requested city action regarding a serious drainage problem that they said caused flooding to several homes three times within the last two years. The council agreed to consider a corrective action of larger culverts at that corner to accommodate high rainwater volume.

Mayor Todd Kana proclaimed the first full week of September to be National Payroll Week for Magnolia, as a means to promote economic health and to educate the business community and the public about responsible payroll practices, laws and guidelines. The American Payroll Association, which promotes itself as the nation’s leader in payroll education, has declared September 3-7, 2012 as National Payroll Week to celebrate America’s 156 million wage earners and the payroll professionals who pay them.

Kana also presented a City of Magnolia flag to Magnolia ISD Superintendent Todd Stephens. The flag, which was designed by a Magnolia student, will be displayed at the Celeste Graves Education Center.

The council terminated an agreement with Magnolia ISD regarding joint maintenance for the planned recreation center pool and tennis courts, based on the recommendation of Deborah Rose Miller, president of the Magnolia Community Foundation. She has helped develop a plan that will allow Magnolia ISD to take on full maintenance of the facilities, and indicated that this would be reasonable because the facilities will be utilized by the schools and students.

Police Chief Domingo Ibarra reported a high rate of arrests being made by Magnolia police officers, as well as the benefit to the city from restitution for vandalism to Unity Park, a recently confiscated automobile as a result of the asset forfeiture rule and $113,000 received from fines as a result of the city’s red-light camera at the corner of FM 1488 and Buddy Riley. The camera has helped promote the safety of residents by reminding drivers that they need to come to a complete stop at this busy intersection. 

Ibarra stated he was very proud of the recent success realized by the joint efforts of the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, local businesses and residents, which resulted in the demolition of a dilapidated structure on Roy Street being accomplished free of charge by volunteers. Several Magnolia police officers and city council members attended the demolition.

“The neighbors on that street are so happy with the outcome,” said council member Anne Sundquist. 

City Administrator Paul Mendes reported that the better records being kept by the public works department has resulted in greater water conservation. He also stated the municipal court is in the process of removing outstanding warrants for persons who are no longer in the area, which should allow it to manage the recoverable warrants more effectively.

A public hearing was held just prior to the city council meeting regarding the proposal to make a change in tax revenues from properties on the tax rolls during the last year. This change from $0.4814 per $100 of appraised value to $0.4527 per $100 of appraised value could result in greater or lower taxes for individual properties, depending on their county-appraised value. The tax will apply to properties within the Magnolia city limits only.

This was the first of two public hearings to be held on the subject – the second one will be on Tuesday evening, Aug. 21. The council will vote on the proposal the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 29. No citizens spoke up during this first public hearing. 

Magnolia ISD employees should get a break for the coming year in the form of a three percent raise across the board. According to Chief Financial Officer Erich Morris, the MISD board of trustees is expected to pass a final budget totaling $79.8 million, which is more than $1.3 million higher than the previous year, at its monthly meeting Aug. 20. Along with personnel raises, up to 16 new staff positions (six teachers and ten paraprofessionals) are anticipated, based on specific district needs.

Morris stated the budget should be balanced and would result in a surplus of up to $400,000 at the end of the year, which can help with the budget for the following year. This year’s new funds are a result of slightly higher Montgomery County property appraisals and new student growth, which is projected to be about one percent.

“The property tax rate for schools will remain the same as in 2011-12,” said Morris. “We are adopting a very conservative approach to the budget because we do not know what the next state legislature will do in regard to school funding. We are in the second year of the current two-year state finance system, which means there will be no big uncertainty in funding for the 2012-13 school year. However, there could be changes as a result of the next legislative session.”

Morris indicated that other factors could increase the amount of funding received by MISD, such as greater new student numbers than expected or higher property tax collections. However, he agreed the best approach to the budget was a conservative one, in order to meet the overall needs of the district and ensure no new layoffs.

MISD will also be increasing the lunch price for students that are not receiving reduced-price meals in order to cover rising food costs and to adhere to federal guidelines outlined in the Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010. The new lunch price will be $2.15 for elementary students and $2.40 for secondary students, an increase of $0.10 in both cases. There will be no increase in breakfast charges.