Tomball - Magnolia Edition | November 2025

Government

BY ATIRIKTA KUMAR, NICHAELA SHAHEEN & JULIANNA WASHBURN

New assistant city manager named

Magnolia veteran, former city leader Paul Mendes remembered with Hwy. 249 dedication

Tomball has appointed Sakura Moten as its new assistant city manager Nov. 3. The impact Moten brings more than 20 years of

On Oct. 23, Lt. Col. Paul Mendes’ family mem- bers listened to sentimental stories looking back on his life as a veteran, city administrator for Magnolia and friend. Family members also got to unveil the sign that will signify a section of Hwy. 249 dedicated to Mendes, who died in 2019. What you need to know A section of Hwy. 249, which passes through Montgomery County, was ocially designated as the Lt. Col. Paul P. Mendes Memorial Parkway by the Texas Legislature, per an Oct. 24 news release. Hwy. 249 includes 15.5 miles from the southern edge of Montgomery County on the west side to the northern county line. At the Oct. 23 dedication ceremony, Charlie Riley, Montgomery County Pre- cinct 2 commissioner, said Mendes was a driving force in making that 15.5-mile stretch happen. “The road will be here to serve the community and the travelers who accept the open connection just like Paul’s oce door, which was always open to anyone who needed help,” Riley said at the ceremony. According to the release, Gov. Greg Abbott made

Sakura Moten

experience in munic- ipal administration, nance, technology and organizational development, per a Nov. 5 news release. She previously served as director of administra- tive services and acting city manager for the city of Keller. “We’re excited to welcome Sakura to Tomball,” City Manager David Esquivel said in the release. “Her experience ... will be a tremendous asset.” Moten began her new role Nov. 17 and replaces previous assistant city manager Jes- sica Rogers, who left to serve as the director of economic development in Fort Worth, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Paul Mendes’ family and community leaders gathered Oct. 23 to honor the veteran and former city leader.

COURTESY MONTGOMERY COUNTY PRECINCT 2

the memorial designation eective Sept. 1. “Paul Mendes knew the importance of that tollway and ... the wonderful benets that it would bring to this community,” Operations Manager Robert Castaneda said at the dedication ceremony. Some context Mendes was appointed Magnolia’s city adminis- trator in July 2010—a role he served until his death. He also served as the city manager for Oak Ridge North and was in the military for 26 years, per prior reporting. County allocates nearly $70M of road bond funds Montgomery County commissioners have allo- cated almost $70 million to road bond projects, which is more than half of the rst issuance from the county’s $480 million road bond program, per an update presented during the Oct. 28 Commissioners Court meeting. The breakdown Budget Ocer Amanda Carter told commis- sioners the rst of four rounds of funds from the county’s $480 million road bond program is already more than 50% allocated within just a few months. Ocials said they are preparing for the next round of the bond issuance to provide more funding for road bond projects. As of October, the county reported $129 million in total income from the 2025 road bond pro- gram—$128 million in bond proceeds and about

Governor appoints Mike Holley as DA

Allocations as of October

$31M

$17.6M

$15.7M

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed First Assistant District Attorney Mike Holley as the new Mont- gomery County district attorney on Oct. 29, per an Oct. 29 news release. Holley has been a part of the county’s DA oce

$4.5M

Precinct 2

Precinct 3

Precinct 4

Precinct 1

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Mike Holley

$1 million in interest earnings—according to the October nancial report. How we got here Montgomery County voters approved the $480 million road bond in May 2025, authorizing major transportation investments to address regional congestion and support growth across the county. This bond was the rst county voters had considered in 10 years, and it will fund 76 projects across the four precincts.

since 2012, and was promoted to the rst assistant district attorney in 2016, per the DA’s website. The details Holley will serve as Montgomery County’s DA until Brett Ligon’s current term expires on Dec. 31, 2026, per the release. Ligon resigned Oct. 2 to run for state Senate District 4.

TOMBALL MAGNOLIA EDITION