Mayor

Welcome from the Mayor of Van Alstyne!

Jim Atchison was sworn in as Mayor of Van Alstyne on June 23, 2020.  Prior to that Mayor Atchison served on the Van Alstyne Planning and Zoning Commission for 25 years and the Board of Trustees for the Van Alstyne Independent School District for 7 years.

Jim was born and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and attended the University of Dayton where he graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering.  He moved to Dallas and began a 37-year career in the defense business for Texas Instruments and Raytheon from which he retired in 2019.  Along  the way he earned a Masters of Science Degree in Engineering Management from Southern Methodist University.

Jim and his wife Melissa moved to Van Alstyne in 1994.  Both of their daughters attended Van Alstyne schools and graduated from Van Alstyne High School, and Melissa taught in VAISD for 13 years.  Jim and Melissa are active members of the First United Methodist Church in Van Alstyne where Melissa sings in the choir, and Jim serves on the Board of Trustees and the WEE School Board.

Mayor Atchison appreciates the strong sense of community values in Van Alstyne and recognizes the role of our city leadership in that environment.  He believes that our challenges include continuing to improve the quality of life of all citizens through attracting desirable retail and industrial businesses, implementing recreational opportunities, supporting our highly acclaimed school district, and partnering with our various non-profit organizations.

The Mayor seeks input from our citizens at Council meetings and via e-mail in order to work together to establish a course of action for the future of our great city and community.