Decades of progress: Reflecting on 30 years of the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress

For three decades, local leaders across Appalachian Ohio have proven that small communities accomplish far more when they stand together.

What began back in 1995 as informal meetings among regional mayors officially took root on Feb. 2, 1996, when Ohio University signed a formal agreement to provide technical assistance. By September of that year, the coalition incorporated as the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress (MPP), later establishing its official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2003.

Thirty years after those initial conversations, the organization has evolved into a vital pillar of regional governance and collaborative leadership.

Small towns, big voice

MPP’s core mission has always been straightforward: enhance the lives of Appalachian Ohio residents through collaboration, integrity and shared leadership.

Small rural villages and cities rarely have the luxury of large administrative teams or full-time grant writers. By bringing mayors and city managers to the same table, MPP creates a network to pool resources, exchange technical knowledge, streamline local services and give local communities a unified voice in state policy discussions.

"When you run a small village, you don't always have a team of people to handle every big issue that comes down the road," said Scott Hill, mayor of Racine and president of the Mayors' Partnership for Progress. "That’s why MPP has mattered so much over the last 30 years. It gives our towns a real voice, lets us share equipment and resources, and makes sure our folks in Appalachia aren't being left behind."

MPP President Elect Greg Fraunfelter, mayor of Logan, said that the organization allows mayors to share ideas and work together to find solutions to challenges that they might otherwise have to tackle on their own.

“The MPP has been invaluable to Logan, providing us with resources, connections and opportunities to learn from other communities,” Fraunfelter said.

Growth across the region

From an original 11-county footprint in southeast Ohio, MPP’s footprint has expanded significantly and today represents members in 27 counties. That network spans 219 municipalities, allowing local officials to tackle shared infrastructure, economic, and operational challenges as a unified front.

An anchor higher education partnership

Throughout its 30-year history, Ohio University has served as the administrative and research backbone for the coalition. Originally supported through the Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD), MPP continues to work directly with its successor, the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, giving student researchers,  faculty and professional staff a front-row seat to practical public administration in action.

“Ohio University has a commitment to serve the state of Ohio and the Appalachian region,” noted Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez. “On February 2, 1996, Ohio University proudly signed a certificate of agreement with mayors who would ultimately form the Mayors Partnership for Progress.... Ohio University is incredibly proud to have been your partner throughout that journey, and we are deeply grateful for the trust, collaboration and shared commitment that have made this work, and its lasting impact across our region, possible.”

Formal legislative recognition

On Sept. 10, during the 30th anniversary celebration in Frankfort, an official commendation issued on behalf of 12 Ohio House members (Representatives Ty Moore, Mark Johnson, Bob Peterson, Justin Pizzulli, Kevin Ritter, Jason Stephens, Monica Robb Blasdel, Jodi Salvo, Ron Ferguson, Adam Holmes, and Mark Hiner, and Speaker Huffman) was presented in person by the Honorable Bob Peterson.

“The Mayors’ Partnership for Progress has become renowned as an institution that has continually worked to advance our state’s rural communities and strengthen Appalachian Ohio.  This outstanding endeavor has united the region’s city managers, village administrators, and mayors to improve the quality of life for innumerable residents, and this remarkable milestone [30th anniversary] commemorates the organizations reputation for success,” the commendation states.

The Ohio Senate followed suit with their own recognition, sponsored by Senators McColley, Brenner, Chavez, Cutrona, Johnson, Landis, and Wilkin. The state lawmakers noted in the recognition that MPP's record of service is "a justifiable source of pride and an outstanding reflection not only on the organization itself but also on its hard-working members and on the communities it serves."

Other formal recognitions from U.S. Congressman David J. Taylor, U.S. Senator Jon Husted, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and the Buckeye Hills Regional Council were additionally presented. 

Thirty years after its founding, the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress continues to show that the region’s communities build a stronger, more resilient future when they work together.