Curtain coming down on Handren’s time as mayor

BOERNE – There’s going to be a new mayor in town as Tim Handren formally announced he won’t be sitting on the City Council dais next term.

Handren said he wants to spend more time with his family, adding his role as head honcho of Santikos Entertainment Co. is also a priority.

“I’m the CEO of Santikos in San Antonio, and we’ve been a hard-hit industry over the last three years since the pandemic,” Handren said during an interview on The Boerne Brew, part of the Boerne Radio 103.9 FM lineup in conjunction with The Star.

“And we’re making our way out of that,” he added. “In fact, we have a pretty aggressive growth strategy at Santikos, and I think what I had to reflect on is that with my responsibilities there, my wife has fallen too low on the priority scheme. And I had to make a decision on how do I get a bit of balance in my life.”

While a seat on the council doesn’t pay much, about $200 a month, the elected gig can be very time consuming, Handren said.

The role — which basically is grounded in citizen volunteerism — is like a second full-time job, the mayor added.

“ You don’t, just because you’re in the role, know everything about city government,” he said. “It takes a lot fo time to learn all the rules of city government. You have to learn the rules of county and state functions as well. Those aren’t things you just kind of instantly know because you’re in the role. You have to study and learn how to be effective in those roles.”

Handren, who has been visiting Boerne since the 1990s, said he moved to the Hill Country burg in 1999. After living just outside the city limits, he moved inside the city limits about seven years ago.

“We’ve been in love with this community for a long time,” he said.

Noting he initially didn’t intend to seek city office, a friend encouraged him to run for the council after becoming a resident.

It wasn’t long before his civic service began.

“I pointed out very quickly: There’s no training program. You’re thrown into a fire very quickly, and you go to start voting on stuff that you don’t understand,” Handren recalled of his early days at City Hall, noting he detailed his experiences in a column called “Council Chronicles” that ran in The Star.

Just one year into his first term on council, he ran for mayor and has held that spot since 2019.

During that time, Handren realized the city’s master plan was both outdated and required frequent changes to keep pace with growth.

“I realized Boerne had a 10-year master plan that had not been updated in 12 years, and I thought, ‘That’s not how you run a business,’” he recalled.

A prime focus for Handren in his leadership role was ensuring the plan was freshened annually, noting that in just one year there can be significant changes — such as 2019 to 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his tenure, Handren was instrumental in forming two committees charged with figuring out some of the biggest issues facing both the Hill Country and the state at large: water and transportation.

The Kendall County Water Committee, created by Handren, includes representatives from each regional water supplier in the area, Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District directors and city staff.

The Boerne, Kendall County and Fair Oaks Transportation Committee wrapped up its work late last year after its creation in 2019, and the members’ efforts culminated in a thick book full of recommendations for local leaders on how to handle roadway challenges.

The council has initiated its first roads project related to the suggestions, in part because of Director of Development Services Jeff Carroll’s role on the committee, Handren said.

A roundabout is planned for the intersection at Johns Road and School Street.

“That wasn’t an accident. That was all pretty planned,” Handren said, noting Carroll’s involvement kept council members in the loop prior to the committee’s report.

Handren filed for reelection in the May 6 contest, then withdrew his name.

Two candidates have stepped forward to vie for the seat — District 2 Councilwoman Nina Woolard and Ritchie Automotive owner Frank Ritchie.

The Boerne Brew airs 8 a.m. Saturdays on KBRN radio 103.9 FM. It is also available at boernestar.com on Mondays.