Tony Battle

How old are you and what do you do?

I’m 48 years old and part-owner and operator of a large commercial construction company.

What is your previous experience to an elected or appointed office?

I served on the Planning and Zoning Commission for Bandera for six years. After taking a break while my children were young, I returned to public service with a oneyear appointed term on the City Council, followed by a two-year elected term. I’ve also served on other boards, including Catholic Charities of San Antonio, the American General Contractors Association, and the New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation.

Tell me about some of your community activities.

I’m a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Bandera. I’ve coached sports in a volunteer capacity within Bandera over the last 8-10 years, including the Boys and Girls Club and Little League. My son and I are also very involved in Youth Rodeo. He’s a calf roper, and we travel all over the state competing.

Why should voters trust you?

I hope that my past service has demonstrated integrity and transparency that can be objectively measured. I’ve not been afraid to take on challenging issues, and we have been able to resolve them successfully. I bring a level of transparency with a proven track record throughout my service in Bandera. I would say that my tenure also shows my commitment to the city.

Bandera is growing. How would you handle the growth and more coming?

That’s an interesting question. I first drove into Bandera in 1985, and I grew up spending a lot of time here from that point on. The population of the city of Bandera hasn’t changed since then – just in very small increments. So, although our county is growing, our city and the population within are pretty constant. However, we are developing as a city. I think the challenge we have is maintaining our identity. Which, to me, is surrounded by the Cowboy Capital of the World.

What is Bandera’s biggest asset?

We are the Cowboy Capital of the World, and we get people from all over the world traveling to our city. I myself decided to hang my hat here and raise my family in Bandera, because I think it is one of the best places in the world. Our identity as the cowboy capital and paying homage to our western heritage is of utmost importance. Our tourism and the tax generated by our visitors help to support our community. That’s why I am so passionate about what I do on city council. I want to maintain our heritage and be mindful of the people who came before us. My family has owned and operated the Mayan Dude Ranch since 1951, so maintaining that legacy is important to me.

What is your biggest strength?

My loyalty and passion for Bandera. How that translates to my work on the council is that I am passionate about all the things I spoke of that make up the fabric of our community. When you have that level of passion about something, you’re going to be successful at it. The technical strengths I bring to my position come from my career in construction and owning and operating a multi-million-dollar business. So, my leadership skills and construction skills will help us navigate the big projects we have upcoming in Bandera. These projects are bigger than anything Bandera has faced in decades. It’s essential we have the right people on the council to navigate us through these projects. In particular, our Wastewater treatment plant and our collaboration with TXDoT to protect our central business district, while capitalizing on added sidewalks for parts of Main Street.

What is your biggest weakness?

My biggest weakness is delegation. It always has been. I struggle to delegate, and that’s because I am a hands-on type of person. What I’ve learned as I’ve become wiser and longer in the tooth is that with the right leadership, delegation is imperative, so having the right city staff that can take on the day-to-day is so important.

Why should people vote for you?

I am transparent, and I have the knowledge to get us through these critical projects as an incumbent. I’ve been working on these projects for three years, that’s three years of inherent knowledge that needs to be maintained. It would be a detriment to the city if these projects weren’t carried out correctly. There are millions of dollars on the line, and if not navigated properly, it could cost our residents a lot of tax money. My knowledge will help us leverage as much grant money as we can to avoid tax increases. My relationship with our engineers is critical to the grant writing that will save citizens money and get us our much-needed infrastructure that will serve this community for generations to come.