Ricky Gleason Targets Kendall County Judge Runoff With Property-Rights and Planning Agenda
Lifelong resident and former planning commissioner Ricky Gleason is in a May 26 runoff for Kendall County Judge, emphasizing a three-horizon plan to manage growth, protect water resources, and support first responders.
With less than a month before the May 26 Republican primary runoff for Kendall County Judge, candidate Ricky Gleason is making his final push to voters, focusing on property rights, long-term planning, and preserving the Hill Country way of life. Gleason, a financial advisor and former two-term member of the Boerne Planning and Zoning Commission, faces incumbent Shane Stolarczyk after earning 40.94 percent of the vote in the March 3 primary, short of the 50 percent majority needed for an outright win. Because no Democrat filed for the general election, the runoff winner will become the next county judge.
Gleason has built his campaign around a "CEO mindset" for county government, drawing on over a decade of experience as a financial planner and business consultant. He currently serves as a partner and financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial and is a co-founder of Forge Business Brokerage. "In Texas, the County Judge is effectively the CEO of the county," Gleason said. "That role calls for someone who builds consensus, manages a budget responsibly, plans for what is coming, and respects the people who pay the bills."
Central to his platform is a three-horizon planning framework designed to address rapid growth along the Interstate 10 corridor and the Texas Triangle. The first horizon, zero to three years, focuses on operational fixes for safety, mobility, and emergency response without adding unnecessary regulation. The second, three to 10 years, aligns capital investments for infrastructure, particularly where mobility and water intersect, to avoid costly mistakes. The third horizon, beyond 10 years, emphasizes long-term stewardship of water resources, property rights, and rural character. Gleason has identified water as the county's greatest long-term challenge and advocates for regional collaboration through the Priority Groundwater Management Area.
Gleason also pledges to bolster volunteer fire departments and EMS teams, describing first responders as "the backbone of public safety in Kendall County." A lifelong Kendall County resident, he grew up in Boerne, worked at the county fairgrounds and Naples Pizza Kitchen, and played football for Boerne High School. He serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Kendall County, the 100 Club of Kendall County, and The Centurions of Kendall County, and is a past president of Hope for Heroes. "Kendall County is where I grew up, and it is where my wife and I are raising our kids," Gleason said. "I am running to make sure this is still a place they are proud to call home."
The runoff election is scheduled for May 26, with early voting from May 18 through May 22. Kendall County participates in the Countywide Polling Place Program, allowing registered voters to cast ballots at any open vote center. A candidate forum between Gleason and Stolarczyk is set for May 8 at 6 p.m. at Comfort Lobby Coffee Shop. Voters can find polling locations and sample ballots through the Kendall County Elections Office.