Good morning, my brothers and sisters of Boerne. It is about 5:30 in the morning as I sit here at my kitchen table and write these thoughts about the past few days and the days to come.
First, I thank God that our community is intact and there were no lives lost during last week’s flooding event.
Second, I want to commend the City of Boerne staff, including our police, fire, utilities, streets, parks, communication, animal care, and leadership teams who continued working in the midst of the storms to ensure our citizens’ safety, as well as those within the greater Boerne area.
I also want to thank Kendall County, our neighboring first responder agencies, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and all the state first responders who were already working with city staff to plan and prepare before the rain even hit us. This is what it means to be efficient, effective, well-coordinated, and what I believe to be an exemplary organization.
As I look back at what we have declared a natural disaster due to the amount of rain we received in such a short amount of time, I think about what could have been and what really happened.
The past few days showed us that everything can change in an instant, but it also showed me how great our community is, as well. From our city staff keeping everyone informed to our citizens who were attentive and mindful of the situation by heeding the warning, and also coming together to support one another in a very short time.
Looking Ahead
The next few weeks and months are going to be difficult, challenging, and exhausting for our city staff and the community as cleanup and repairs take place.
But as Boerne always does, we will come together, we will work together, and, most importantly, we will support and care for another. Because that is what we do – that is what I believe makes us Boerne.
I encourage our residents to continue to look to the City of Boerne’s official news sources, MyBoerneNews.com and social media, to find the latest accurate information during the recovery phase. There is already information on the cleanup process and helpful information on next steps.
As the cleanup process begins, there will be opportunities for us all to come together and support one another. I know that is what we will do, because that is who we are, and that is what the Boerne community has always done. Like I always say, together we are better, together we are Boerne.
With gratitude in my heart and hope for the future of Boerne, I say thank you one more time, and I look forward to serving next to you as we move forward.
And let us remember, God comforts us and equips us to comfort others. Amen.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
With love in my heart for us all,
Mayor Frank Ritchie
