Mayor Laurie Green: Leading Mineral City with Vision, Collaboration, and Heart
January 2, 2024
By Alyssa Manning
Mayor Laurie Green of Mineral City, Ohio, is a leader deeply committed to improving her community while celebrating its people. Her journey began with two years on the village council before becoming mayor in 2020. Over the course of her tenure, Mayor Green has focused on foundational initiatives, such as creating a dedicated street department. Recognizing the importance of self-sufficiency, she prioritized hiring a street superintendent and a full-time library director instead of relying on outsourcing or volunteers. Despite working within a constrained budget, her administration successfully rebuilt infrastructure, secured grants to offset costs, and brought essential services back to the village.
For Mayor Green, the people of Mineral City make it truly special. She credits the village council for their dedication, collaboration, and willingness to roll up their sleeves to address the needs of their community. This strong sense of teamwork and commitment has propelled the village toward tangible progress, including the development of a new park and the working toward the transformation of land into future housing opportunities. With so much accomplished in a short time, Mayor Green is optimistic about the village’s trajectory.
Her leadership style is rooted in trust, kindness, and delegation. By empowering village council committees and leaders to take ownership of their responsibilities, she avoids micromanaging and instead fosters an environment of accountability and mutual respect. "If you micromanage, people lose trust in you," she explains, emphasizing the importance of building relationships based on confidence. This approach, combined with her deep love for her village and its generations of families, has been key to Mineral City’s progress.
Challenges, however, remain significant. Funding has become increasingly difficult as grants are more competitive, and local government resources grow tighter. Mayor Green recognizes the uphill battle for small villages like Mineral City, which often lack planners, architects, or the large-scale funding needed to compete with bigger cities. Despite these obstacles, her administration continues to pursue grant opportunities while raising awareness about the struggles of small villages with state legislators.
Mayor Green credits the Mayors' Partnership for Progress (MPP) as an essential resource for municipalities, including Mineral City, providing guidance, information, and a network of support. Introduced to the MPP by a fellow mayor in Tuscarawas County, she quickly recognized its value in helping small villages access funding opportunities, share best practices, and stay connected to state-level updates. Attending meetings when possible and engaging with fellow mayors has allowed her to learn about solutions to shared challenges, discover valuable programs, and advocate more effectively for her community’s needs.
For Mayor Green, the MPP amplifies the voice of small villages like Mineral City, ensuring they are not left behind. The partnership equips her with tools to navigate shrinking budgets, competitive grants, and infrastructure needs, while fostering collaboration with other municipal leaders. By leveraging these resources, she is positioning Mineral City for growth and sustainability, keeping the village on track to achieve its long-term goals.
Collaboration with other mayors has further amplified her efforts. In her own county, regular communication with other municipal leaders has strengthened relationships and fostered shared problem-solving. Mayor Green looks forward to expanding these partnerships through the MPP, continuing to learn, and bringing fresh ideas to her community.
Her vision for the future of Mineral City is ambitious and heartfelt. Mayor Green is committed to diversifying funding sources, completing the village’s new park, and attracting businesses to stimulate economic growth. She believes that villages like hers have been “a forgotten voice for a long time,” but their success is essential for the health of larger cities and counties. “By building up villages, it makes cities and counties thrive,” she asserts, emphasizing the importance of advocating for the resources and recognition that small communities deserve.
Reflecting on her tenure, Mayor Green offers valuable advice to aspiring leaders: make connections, join networks, and ensure they align with your vision. She encourages leaders to look closely at the voices in the room and ask whether they represent a diverse and supportive fit. “Find your people,” she advises, emphasizing the power of collaboration to create meaningful change.
Mayor Laurie Green’s leadership in Mineral City is a testament to the impact of trust, collaboration, and vision. With a commitment to her people and a relentless focus on progress, she is not only strengthening her village but also ensuring its future as a thriving and resilient community.
By Alyssa Manning
Mayor Laurie Green of Mineral City, Ohio, is a leader deeply committed to improving her community while celebrating its people. Her journey began with two years on the village council before becoming mayor in 2020. Over the course of her tenure, Mayor Green has focused on foundational initiatives, such as creating a dedicated street department. Recognizing the importance of self-sufficiency, she prioritized hiring a street superintendent and a full-time library director instead of relying on outsourcing or volunteers. Despite working within a constrained budget, her administration successfully rebuilt infrastructure, secured grants to offset costs, and brought essential services back to the village.
For Mayor Green, the people of Mineral City make it truly special. She credits the village council for their dedication, collaboration, and willingness to roll up their sleeves to address the needs of their community. This strong sense of teamwork and commitment has propelled the village toward tangible progress, including the development of a new park and the working toward the transformation of land into future housing opportunities. With so much accomplished in a short time, Mayor Green is optimistic about the village’s trajectory.
Her leadership style is rooted in trust, kindness, and delegation. By empowering village council committees and leaders to take ownership of their responsibilities, she avoids micromanaging and instead fosters an environment of accountability and mutual respect. "If you micromanage, people lose trust in you," she explains, emphasizing the importance of building relationships based on confidence. This approach, combined with her deep love for her village and its generations of families, has been key to Mineral City’s progress.
Challenges, however, remain significant. Funding has become increasingly difficult as grants are more competitive, and local government resources grow tighter. Mayor Green recognizes the uphill battle for small villages like Mineral City, which often lack planners, architects, or the large-scale funding needed to compete with bigger cities. Despite these obstacles, her administration continues to pursue grant opportunities while raising awareness about the struggles of small villages with state legislators.
Mayor Green credits the Mayors' Partnership for Progress (MPP) as an essential resource for municipalities, including Mineral City, providing guidance, information, and a network of support. Introduced to the MPP by a fellow mayor in Tuscarawas County, she quickly recognized its value in helping small villages access funding opportunities, share best practices, and stay connected to state-level updates. Attending meetings when possible and engaging with fellow mayors has allowed her to learn about solutions to shared challenges, discover valuable programs, and advocate more effectively for her community’s needs.
For Mayor Green, the MPP amplifies the voice of small villages like Mineral City, ensuring they are not left behind. The partnership equips her with tools to navigate shrinking budgets, competitive grants, and infrastructure needs, while fostering collaboration with other municipal leaders. By leveraging these resources, she is positioning Mineral City for growth and sustainability, keeping the village on track to achieve its long-term goals.
Collaboration with other mayors has further amplified her efforts. In her own county, regular communication with other municipal leaders has strengthened relationships and fostered shared problem-solving. Mayor Green looks forward to expanding these partnerships through the MPP, continuing to learn, and bringing fresh ideas to her community.
Her vision for the future of Mineral City is ambitious and heartfelt. Mayor Green is committed to diversifying funding sources, completing the village’s new park, and attracting businesses to stimulate economic growth. She believes that villages like hers have been “a forgotten voice for a long time,” but their success is essential for the health of larger cities and counties. “By building up villages, it makes cities and counties thrive,” she asserts, emphasizing the importance of advocating for the resources and recognition that small communities deserve.
Reflecting on her tenure, Mayor Green offers valuable advice to aspiring leaders: make connections, join networks, and ensure they align with your vision. She encourages leaders to look closely at the voices in the room and ask whether they represent a diverse and supportive fit. “Find your people,” she advises, emphasizing the power of collaboration to create meaningful change.
Mayor Laurie Green’s leadership in Mineral City is a testament to the impact of trust, collaboration, and vision. With a commitment to her people and a relentless focus on progress, she is not only strengthening her village but also ensuring its future as a thriving and resilient community.