Hello! I am Judge Byron Ryder from Leon County, known as the “Deerest Place in Texas.” I am very honored to serve as the new president of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas. I would like to thank all of the members of our Association as well as my Commissioners and my county citizens for allowing me to serve.
Public office is not a new thing to me. I served as mayor of the city of Buffalo for 12 years and have now served as Leon County Judge for the last 22 years. I have been chairman of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments three times and president of the North & East Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association two times. I also served as president of the National Association of Regional Councils in Washington, D.C.
There is always something new to learn and do every day. Each day brings many challenges and opportunities. I strongly believe in accountability and availability. I work for all of the people of Leon County, and my door is always open to the Leon County citizens (they are my bosses).
I am a Constitutional County Judge, which means I have responsibilities for the budget, Commissioners Court, and daily oversight of county operations. I preside over misdemeanors, probates, guardianships, juvenile cases, and any other cases as needed. It is a constant learning process, and I have been blessed with wonderful county attorneys and assistants; they make my job much easier.
In my role as County Judge, I try to keep the public informed of new laws and help them understand what we do and why we do it. Also, I help our citizens in times of disasters to get them back on their feet, such as during our spring floods.
I am blessed to have a Commissioners Court that works well together to solve issues. We focus on senior citizens, veterans, and our youth. Even though we do stress these areas, we do not neglect our total population.
Family is very important to me. My wife, Dianne, and I have been married for 52 years. We are blessed with two sons, Jeffrey and Brent, and their wives, Janey and Shelia, as well as four wonderful grandchildren. We enjoy escaping to the mountains to ski at Christmas each year. My family is a constant support to me on this journey.
I look forward to meeting and working with each one of you. I will gladly share my contact information with you, and I want you to reach out if I can be of any help to you. If you are ever in Leon County, look me up! I would love to visit and share our historic courthouse with you.