Every so often, County Progress asks our distinguished Judges and Commissioners to allow us a glimpse into their public lives, giving us a fresh appreciation for the myriad of roles and responsibilities they shoulder every day. Our thanks to Kendall County Commissioner Christina Bergmann for taking the time to visit with us.
I am a proud sixth-generation, lifelong resident of Kendall County. Both sides of my family are recognized as Founding Families, each having left a legacy of service that I am honored to continue as Commissioner for Precinct 1.
My grandparents, Edgar and Ruby Bergmann, started Bergmann Lumber Company in 1957. I grew up around the store and met many of the locals as well as visitors. I started working at the lumber store while I was in middle school. I had the privilege of working alongside my grandfather, my dad, and my mom – a blessing I didn’t fully appreciate at that time. After graduating from Boerne High School, I enrolled at Southwest Texas State University, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, majoring in management.
While I was at college, my parents, Randy and Darlene Bergmann, purchased the lumber store from my grandparents. My future, or so I thought, was going to be at a new job in San Antonio. However, my mom became ill in November of 1999, and I went back to the lumberyard to help my dad and sister Shanna run the business. Just a few months later, in February of 2000, my mom passed away.
I might have wondered how different life would have been if I had followed my original career path, but I never regretted my decision to come home. That wonderful lumberyard is where I met my husband, Michael, with whom I have two beautiful children. That lumberyard helped shape me into a firefighter, and then a councilwoman, and then a Commissioner. Over the years I learned so much from that experience, not just about the business and how to manage it, but also about myself. After serving the community for over 60 years, we made the decision to close Bergmann Lumber in 2017.
One of my sincerest passions for public service started in 1991 when I became the first female firefighter for the Boerne Volunteer Fire Department at the age of 16, following in the footsteps of my grandfather, my dad, and my uncle. I have now been a member of the BVFD for 30 years!
I have also had the honor of serving on Boerne’s Historic Landmark Commission and as a two-term councilmember for District 5. I have the pleasure of serving on the boards for the Boerne Rotary Club, the Boerne Chamber of Commerce, The Cibolo Preserve, and the Transportation Policy Board for the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
With the support of my family, friends, and patrons of the lumberyard, I campaigned for and won the Precinct 1 Commissioner seat and took office on Jan. 1, 2017. I am currently serving my second term.
I have been married to Michael Peese for 18 years, and we have two amazing children, Ember, age 9, and Kastin, age 7. We are a family that loves the outdoors. During the summer months we enjoy fishing the Texas Gulf Coast, catching trout, black drum, red drum, and whatever else we can hook. We also enjoy camping on the Guadalupe River. When we aren’t on the water we enjoy hunting, riding four wheelers, and traveling to our favorite places – Colorado and Florida. We look forward to our “Bergmann Family” vacations.
IS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED?
I thought my service on Boerne’s City Council had given me an idea of how county government functions. While there are similarities between the two, I came to learn that there are many more differences. For example, as a councilwoman, I was accustomed to the staff making presentations about issues in my district which simply needed a yes or no vote. As a County Commissioner, I am more engaged in obtaining information for decisions that will appear on the agenda. While I wasn’t as prepared as I would have liked, I was able to make the transition thanks to the help of fellow employees and because of the things I learned attending conferences.
TYPICAL DAY:
A typical day for me begins around 7:30 a.m. I settle into the office, check emails, check voicemails, and follow up on phone calls. From there, I take a walk around the courthouse to visit with department heads and employees. Afterward, I head back to my office to take care of the day’s work, which could include reviewing items from the development office, scheduling meetings, preparing items for court days, and attending training with our road and bridge crews. Amid all this, I meet with my constituents, work closely with various departments to see how things are going, and help whenever needed. If time permits, I’ll take a drive through roads in my precinct. I’d say I call it a day between 4:30 and 5:00, but I know from experience that phone calls and emails happen anytime, and sometimes they need to be responded to after normal working hours.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE:
Like so many counties close to large urban areas, we are challenged by rapid growth, water availability, drought management, traffic congestion, new residential developments, and managing the taxpayers’ expectations. I remember Boerne as a one-stoplight town. Like so many of the so-called old-timers, I struggled with the cultural change from rural county to suburban outpost of San Antonio. The biggest challenge, however, is helping the public understand why counties seem largely ineffective in dealing with these issues as compared to cities.
FAVORITE PART OF BEING A COUNTY COMMISSIONER:
There are so many parts of being a Commissioner that it is hard to pick just one. I enjoy being connected to the community and having the time to visit with my constituents. I enjoy seeing projects get off the ground and move to the finish line. I love that I get to represent one of the great Hill Country counties and continue my family’s legacy in my home county.