MAGNOLIA SPRINGS - Over the last year, the Town of Magnolia Springs has purchased the schoolyard property directly in front of the fire department and has recently entered into a purchase agreement for property 12395 Magnolia Springs Highway with plans for a new town hall/library. An ad hoc committee was created for the school property earlier this year, including then mayor Bob Holk, Mayor Kim Koniar, and councilmember Marley Gardner.

With Holk’s recent resignation, Koniar would like to fill the vacant seat on the committee as well as garner more community involvement. She’d then like to create a new committee surrounding the Magnolia Springs Highway property.

“I feel we ought to have an ad hoc committee that discusses not only the school property but the potential town center property as well, and I think we should include some members of the community and not just councilmembers,” Koniar said. She suggested a committee made up of three councilmembers and three citizens for the schoolyard property. She plans to wait until the now vacant seat one is filled before deciding the third councilmember.

The original suggestion included having one committee concerned with both properties, but discussion led to agreement of creating two separate committees.

“I would be cautious,” said councilmember Nick Shields. “There is a lot of legal work, structure work, possible modification, moving, permitting, and leases that are associated with the town center property that are not associated with the school property. I think separating these two issues might be beneficial to the town center and to the greenspace, so you have your greenspace people and your construction people.”

During the meeting, approximately five citizens in attendance showed interest in serving on the schoolyard committee, and Koniar and Gardner agreed once the vacant council seat is filled they will discuss committee members.

Currently, there are drainage issues surrounding the schoolyard property which the council will monitor to determine what might have to go into the issue to fix it. On the potential town center property, the purchase agreement has been executed and a survey and home inspection have been completed. Two contractors have examined the building, with the largest concern being moisture underneath the crawlspace.

“There’s no air flowing under there, but everybody who looked at it said there’s no big problem and that they can handle anything that we want to do as a town,” said councilmember Steve Mobley. “The biggest estimate I’ve gotten was around $15,000 to do everything that we need to do once we buy the property. Everything is moving forward and I don’t see any issues as we stand right now.” The appraisal has been done but no word on the results. The council has also spoken to an agent at United Bank concerning a loan to go towards the property.

For more on Magnolia Springs, check out their website at www.townofmagnoliasprings.org.