Business View Civil & Municipal | Volme 3, Issue 2

93 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 wide variety of industries, including Ludlum Measurements – manufacturers of products such as radiation detection equipment, who employ more than 300 people in the city. Gypsum is also big business in Sweetwater, where United States Gypsum employs 200 people at their sheetrock manufacturing site. Georgia Pacific Gypsum Plant has recently invested $300 million in an expansion which will bring an additional 120 new jobs to the community. The local economic development corporation provided an incentive of $2.5 million to install a water line to this facility. Other major employers include Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital, The City of Sweetwater, and the Sweetwater Independent School District, the city’s largest employer, with over 400 employees. “Here in Sweetwater, what also makes us special is that we have a really diverse economy,” explains Miesha Adames, Executive Director of Sweetwater Economic Development. “We have some oil, we have some wind and solar, we have manufacturing, we have hospitality, and we have service industries.” Nolan County is home to a 200-megawatt solar farm and over 1400 wind turbines. “We welcome all green energy,” says Adames. “We support our renewables and we do we love our oil too.” Sweetwater Economic Development offers a number of incentives. FTE incentives pay employers a premium for each full-time position created, and this is part of Sweetwater’s plan to retain existing business and encourage growth. Façade grants are available for commercial buildings which offer the opportunity to update storefronts and assist with the beautification of the community. The City and Sweetwater Economic Development have partnered to demolish dilapidated structures in efforts to beautify Sweetwater. Adames reports, “We are trying to build a better relationship between our school districts and our local companies. This will allow them to create SWEETWATER , TEXAS