At its Jan. 8 meeting, the Magnolia City Council appointed Rick Carby, a former Magnolia councilman and U.S. Army veteran, to fill Position 3 after it was left vacant by Chris Schod's resignation.

"I've lived inside the city since 1996, and I like to be up to date on what is going on," Carby said. "It's good to work on bettering your city."

Council approved Schod's resignation because he was "unable to continue to serve," Mayor Todd Kana said. Harvey served on the council from 2005–07 and served as a military policeman for 26 years, retiring in 2003. Kana asked Carby to fill the position for the remainder of Schod's term, which ends in May. Schod was originally elected in May 2009 and re-elected in May 2011.

In other council business, a $102,651 bid for re-paving and expanding 6th Street was approved. City Administrator Paul Mendes said work will begin in the upcoming days, and the project is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of February.

After feedback from the community and Planning Commission, City Council also approved an amendment to the Buildings and Building Regulations chapter in the city's Code of Ordinances which changed requirements on exteriors of single family homes. A previous version of the Masonry Ordinance called for a short list of masonry materials builders could use on the exteriors of homes, and the amendment added hardy plank and cement stucco to the list.

"We kept commercial buildings and apartment buildings the same," Councilwoman Anne Sunquist said. "We want our buildings fire safe, but felt the ordinance was too restrictive for residents of single and duel family homes. Cement stucco and hardy plank still have a quality appearance about them."