Has one of Boerne’s finest ever gifted you a traffic ticket? If so, you have probably met Claudia Lemon and the staff at the Municipal Court.
For the last 19 years, Claudia has managed the day-to-day operations of the team that handles all Class C misdemeanor offenses filed by Boerne Police, Animal Control, the Fire Marshal’s Office, and Permitting and Code Compliance.
She likes the clear-cut nature of the work, along with the structure, discipline, and attention to detail the job requires. These are some of the ways in which her work at the court mirrors the work she did during her 20-year career in the Air Force.
Claudia met her husband when they were both stationed at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea. They were married shortly after and have been together for the last 41 years. After the two veterans retired from the Air Force, they chose to settle in Texas, where they had both spent time growing up. A military brat with plenty of stops along the way, Claudia graduated high school in Abilene. But it was her husband’s hometown of Boerne where the couple chose to live.
She enjoys working for the City and the Municipal Court. Most of the caseload is traffic violations, but they also handle City ordinance violations and other criminal offenses like public intoxication, theft, drug paraphernalia possession, and disorderly conduct. They are currently managing a caseload of about 400, but see more than 2,000 cases per year in traffic violations alone.
In fact, Claudia says more citizens interact with municipal courts than all the other courts combined. And even though it’s not a joyous occasion that brings them into the office, court staff regularly receive some of the best customer feedback.
“Our goal is to treat every customer fairly, impartially, and respectfully as we guide them through the process,” Claudia said. “So that when they are finished with their court business, they have trust and confidence in the judicial system.”
Some of the things she likes most about working for the City of Boerne are the opportunities it provides for engagement and leadership development. She says that even though Boerne is growing, it still has the small-town charm loved by all.