Mayor Thomas Muir announces he won’t be running for re-election

blake347
10 hours ago
4 min read

Sanger Mayor Thomas Muir was first elected in May of 2010 and he announced at Monday’s regular scheduled meeting he isn’t seeking re-election. Muir released a statement to the Sanger News this week explaining his decision. “As usual, Council voted at our first Council meeting of the year to set the upcoming May election, where two Council members and the Mayoral position will be elected. With the election now set, I wanted to make my intentions clear regarding the Mayoral position. I have decided not to run for re-election. My hope is that this announcement will allow extra time for thoughtful, well-considered, decisions by those that might consideration running for Mayor.

As of the May election, I will have served in the position for 16 years, along with additional years on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the 4B Board. It has been a privilege to serve the citizens of Sanger in various capacities. For me, being on Council has been a commitment -- a solemn responsibility -- to serve those who graciously elected me to the job. While I am sure that not every constituent has agreed with all the decisions I have participated in as Mayor, I hope citizens know that each decision was motivated by having the best interests of our beloved town at heart. I believe the hard work by Council of improving the city’s position over many years is now bearing fruit, allowing current and future Councils, and city administrations, the optionality of considering decisions we never could have made before such improvements.

Personally, when I started in elected position, I hoped to use my service as an example to teach my children the importance of serving others by investing in a town that means so much to our family. With all our kids basically out of the house now and with our last one down at UT in Austin, Elizabeth and I have entered a new phase. We have two grandchildren and another one on the way in just the next few weeks. It is time to invest personally in the next generation of our family and spend some extra time together. Additionally, there are some personal ministry opportunities and initiatives in my business that I would also like to press into more fully. I look forward to focusing more effort toward these areas. It is certainly hard to step away from something in which I have been so invested, but I think the time is right to make the transition.

Elizabeth and I have grown up in Sanger, we have invested in Sanger for decades now as a couple, and we will continue to invest ourselves in Sanger – just in new and additional ways.

Thank you, Sanger community, for the opportunity to serve over these years.”

Muir follows a long line of family members that have worked and served in the Sanger community. Beginning with his great-grandfather, who came to Sanger in the 1930’s as a rancher, his family continues to devote themselves to the community. Thomas and his wife, Elizabeth, have raised their family of three daughters in Sanger and now have grandchildren that reside here. With the 6th generation of their family now growing up in Sanger, you might say Sanger is in their genes. “We love our community and felt it was important to instill in our kids a mindset of service to others. Giving our time to city involvement is one way we have tried to instill this value.”

Serving as Mayor for the past 16 years has had its rewards and challenges for Muir, as Sanger has seen substantial growth during this time. Prior to his service as Mayor, Muir also served as a City Councilman, 4B Economic Development Board member, and Planning and Zoning Commission member.

Apart from his service to the Sanger community, Thomas serves in various volunteer and community capacities, including Chair for the University of North Texas Foundation, Vice President of the Upper Trinity Conservation Trust, Past-Chair of the Denton County Homelessness Leadership Team, Past-Chair of the Texas Health Resource Denton/Wise/ Parker Community Impact Council, board member of the Denton County Soil and Water Conservation District and member of the Sanger Lions Club. He is an active member of First Baptist Church in Sanger. He has previously served as a state-wide executive board member and audit committee chair for Texas Baptists. He has served previously as the finance committee chair for the Denton Baptist Association and as a founding board member of the Sanger Education Foundation.

Thomas has over 26 years of financial industry experience. He is the owner of Cultivar Capital, Inc., a fee-only investment management firm, where he provides investment advice to individuals, businesses, and serves as portfolio manager for a publicly traded ETF. His credentials as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner (CFP®), bring unique insight into city planning and oversight. As a proud Sanger graduate, Thomas continued his education, graduating from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting. Due to his interest in ranching, Thomas is also a graduate of the TCU Ranch Management Program's evening division.

A theme of Thomas’ service is giving back through broad reaching service and representation, as he tries to focus on the best interests of the Sanger community and its residents. Having grown up and raised his family in Sanger, he truly understands the Sanger motto of “When You’re Here, You’re Home”.

The Sanger News will highlight the city’s progress, while Muir has been Mayor in the coming weeks. The filing period to run for Mayor begins January 14 and ends February 13, 2026.