Local · Trusted · Free
The Morning Impact — your neighborhood's most important stories, delivered every morning.
Bob Harvey officially stepped into Magnolia’s city administrator role July 14, marking both his first day on the job and his first City Council meeting in the position.
What we know
City Council extended an offer to Harvey following a decision made after an executive session during its June 9 meeting.
Although July 14 was technically his first day, Harvey said he had already spent time attending meetings and becoming familiar with city operations during the hiring process.
What he’s saying
During his first update to council, Harvey said he has started meeting with city staff, reviewing major developments and learning how Magnolia organizes its contracts, records and other documents.
“My intention is to get out and take a look at every department that we have, and talk to every employee,” Harvey said. “I want to know what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong, where we can make improvements.”
Harvey said one of his early priorities will be consolidating city records and creating a more organized system for contracts and other information so employees are “working and singing from the same hymn book.”
Despite the work ahead, Harvey said he was encouraged by his early conversations with city staff.
“I’m very grateful to come to work for the city of Magnolia,” Harvey said. “There’s a lot of challenges that we have here, but everybody’s willing to work together.”
Diving deeper
Harvey previously told Community Impact that his professional experience includes:
Harvey previously ran for Montgomery County Precinct 2 commissioner during the March Republican primary. Incumbent Commissioner Charlie Riley won the race with 54.03% of the unofficial vote, while Harvey received 45.97%.
How we got here
Magnolia City Council voted Jan. 28 to terminate former City Administrator Chris Whittaker, approving a resolution declaring a “lack of confidence” and removing him from office immediately.
The 4-0 vote followed an executive session regarding employment and personnel matters. Council member Geoff Beyers was absent.
Before the vote, council conducted an evaluation discussion in open session at Whittaker’s request. Council members asked about several topics, including capital improvement priorities and updates on city contracts and projects.
Whittaker was appointed city administrator in May 2025. He replaced interim City Administrator Markus Benoit, who served for less than 90 days before his employment was terminated in March 2025.
