Texoma Living Well Magazine January/February 2020 | Page 3

A Note From The Mayor
David Plyler, Mayor
SHERMAN, TEXAS
A Growing, Vibrant Community
T
he year 2019 was an incredibly exciting time in Sherman, Texas. During the last year
alone, Sherman took numerous significant strides forward as a city in both the public and
private sectors. And with new infrastructure and economic projects slated to come on-
line during this coming year, the future of our city has never looked brighter.
Good schools are absolutely vital to any town that wants to provide an outstanding quality-of-life
for its citizens. Because while parks are wonderful and potholes will always need to be filled, we
must first ensure we’re doing right by our kids. Having facilities available at all levels of education
that provide the maximum opportunities for children to learn is a critical part of that equation.
That’s why I’m incredibly proud of the work being done to build a new, state-of-the-
art Sherman High School. With a slated completion date in fall of 2020, this facility
will serve generations of students in traditional subjects as well as through a brand-
new Advanced Manufacturing Program to prepare our kids for the workforce.
A high-functioning school system is the first things families ask about when they move here – but it’s also
the first thing prospective employers ask about as well. And Sherman’s pro-business approach to economic
development has paid huge dividends in recent years. During 2019, our growing city added numerous
employers, in addition to dozens of new small businesses in and around our growing, historic downtown.
Chief among those exciting economic developments was the addition of Finisar on our city’s south side.
The high-tech manufacturer has brought more than 600 high-paying jobs to town, with plans to add even
more employment as demand for its 3D imaging technology used in Apple iPhones continues to expand.
On the public sector side of things, Sherman boasts world-class utilities, as upgrades to our
town’s drinking water plant have now been completed. That $30 million investment has greatly
increased our ability to provide clean drinking water to our citizens and businesses for decades
to come. Additional projects to expand our fire department, revamp our library, and add even
more parks and ball fields were either completed in the last year or are due to wrap up soon.
And the close of 2019 saw Sherman break ground on one of the most ambitious projects Grayson
County has ever seen – the Highway 75 “GAP” Project. With a scheduled build time of three
years, the GAP Project will greatly upgrade and improve our County’s main thoroughfare and
bring it up to Interstate standards. Financial contributions from both the City of Sherman and
Grayson County – in addition to some great regional cooperation – made the project possible.
The City is also working alongside private developers to create several new commercial centers, with
Schulman’s Movie Bowl Grill and the Crossroads Medical Center anchoring the city’s south side, and
the Sherman Landing development anchoring on the north. Both of those projects will greatly expand
the reach of Sherman’s economy to its borders, providing jobs and new opportunities along the way.
Put it all together and you have a small picture of our growing, vibrant community.
Because although Sherman is just an hour from downtown Dallas, we might as well be
a world away. And as our city continues its recent trend of rapid growth, we plan to
make sure that our quality-of-life remains peerless in the great state of Texas.
TEXOMA AREA Living Well Magazine | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
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