Get to Know Mayor Frank Ritchie

FFrank Ritchie wears many hats. He’s a husband, father, successful local business owner, pastor, and now –mayor of the City of Boerne. His journey into local politics is not a traditional one, but instead a tale of a grassroots campaign powered by the efforts of enthusiastic local citizens.

Ritchie’s road to Mayor all started with a question he had asked on social media. “The upcoming mayoral election for the City of Boerne was being discussed. I asked what would happen if no one ran for the office. A couple of friends of mine commented, ‘Frank, you should run!’ Other people began to jump on board, and it got me curious,” said Ritchie. He began doing his research on the subject and eventually went and picked up the packet from the City to see exactly what running for Mayor involved. According to Ritchie, “I have always been involved in the local community and I wondered if I could really have the opportunity to make a difference.” After much consideration, and even more prayer, Ritchie decided to throw his hat in the ring. According to Frank, “My mantra is Colossians 3:23,

by Lauren Stumberg photos by Melissa Lindsey

Together We are Better, Together We are Boerne.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. I had to make sure that this was where God was leading me, and not just something that I wanted to do.”

Once he officially put his name on the role to be a candidate, the ball really got rolling. Much of the community rallied behind him showing their support. Ritchie ran an untraditional campaign with no campaign funding or campaigning. He simply ran on the message that he loves Boerne and desires to see the City maintain the quality of life that so many are attracted to. Local citizens who were ready for a change helped spread the word, they even printed their own campaign signs and bumper stickers! Ritchie won the May 2023 General Election by 76% of the vote, officially taking office on May 23, 2023.

Mayor Ritchie believes that the most important part of his new role is to bring the community together. “The future of Boerne is bright, but complicated. Infrastructure, water conservation and managing the growth are just a few of the numerous topics that we as a community must figure out the best solutions for. These can all be divisive issues, but as a leader I hope to set a positive tone and inspire a grace minded community,” he said. “One of my favor- continued on page 18 continued from page 16 ite quotes is by John Wesley, ‘We may not all believe alike, but we can all love alike’. Boerne is not only a city, but also a way of life. It is important for us to work together to figure out how to preserve that.”

A self-proclaimed “positive person”, Mayor Ritchie has even started a weekly blog where he highlights the good things that are happening in our community. “That’s the Boerne that people need to know about, the good things so often get drowned out. Leadership starts at the top, so hopefully I can set the tone and positivity will trickle down throughout the community.”

Only a few months into his new role, Mayor Ritchie and his sidekick, Bella, are settling in and learning the best way to manage running a business and his pastoral duties alongside being mayor. “There has been a steep learning curve over the past couple of months. Lots of research and reading daily to keep me up-to-date and well informed on the important local topics. Everyone at the City has been extremely helpful and understanding. Thankfully, I am very okay with saying, ‘I don’t know’. But that doesn’t mean I won’t know,” chuckled Ritchie.

“The City of Boerne is a great organization. Everyone here is knowledgeable and works hard and for me to rely on them is key. The City Manager, Ben Thatcher, along with his Assistant City Managers, Kristy Stark and Danny Zincke, all have big jobs and I have seen first-hand that they are extremely well-equipped and capable of running this City and its approximately 300 employees. The City Manager is responsible for the overall management of City operations and they work closely with both the Mayor and City Council, who are responsible for setting the policy direction. It is so important for those three sectors of local government to work together. If you surround yourself with good people, good things will happen!”

Mayor Ritchie emphasized that he is here to serve the community of Boerne. He finished by saying, knowledgeable “If it’s good for Boerne, I’m in!”