{"id":2415,"date":"2026-06-23T17:13:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T17:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/?page_id=2415"},"modified":"2026-06-23T17:13:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T17:13:47","slug":"don-mason-zanesville","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/don-mason-zanesville\/","title":{"rendered":"Don Mason | Zanesville"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mayor Don Mason: Leading Zanesville into a Bright Future<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Zanesville<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n

April 1, 2025
\nBy Alyssa Manning<\/p>\n

When Mayor Don Mason took office in Zanesville, he had a clear\u00a0goal in mind: to improve the quality\u00a0of life for the city’s residents. Over\u00a0the past few years, his leadership has transformed the city, focusing on\u00a0revitalizing parks, cleaning up\u00a0streets, improving housing, and\u00a0fostering a sense of community.<\/p>\n

A City Reimagined\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

For years, Zanesville\u2019s parks had fallen into disrepair, but Mayor Mason saw them as vital gathering spaces for families and friends. Under his leadership, efforts to restore and enhance\u00a0these parks have been underway, creating more inviting spaces for recreation and relaxation.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s streets have also seen a major transformation. To combat litter and improve sanitation, Mason\u2019s administration distributed 96-gallon trash and recycling containers to residents, making waste collection more efficient and significantly reducing scattered trash. The impact was immediate\u2014cleaner streets, better waste management, and fewer storm sewer backups. The addition of two street sweepers running daily has further ensured that roads remain clean, and storm drains clear, reducing the risk of flooding.<\/p>\n

Housing has been another cornerstone of Mason\u2019s agenda. Instead of tearing down homes, the\u00a0city has shifted its focus to rehabilitation and home improvements. Additionally, Mason\u2019s\u00a0administration has partnered with developers, bringing 130 new housing units to the inner city.\u00a0By making housing development a priority, the city aims to attract more commuters and\u00a0encourage them to become active members of the Zanesville community.<\/p>\n

Building a Connected and Vibrant Community\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Infrastructure improvements have been central to Mason\u2019s vision. The ongoing reconstruction of\u00a0Dug Road, a major primary street that has been closed since 2017, will connect the downtown\u00a0business district with lower-income neighborhoods, fostering economic opportunity. Additionally, the acquisition of a 28-acre superfund site has been cleared and is being developed for recreational use and housing, is another step toward making Zanesville a more dynamic and\u00a0engaging place to live. The site is well situated for easy access for recreational use such as\u00a0soccer, flag football, pickle ball, basketball, a dog park, and amphitheater.<\/p>\n

Beyond physical improvements, Mason has worked to strengthen the social fabric of the city. He\u00a0believes in leading by example, a lesson he learned from his father who was a Marine Corp staff\u00a0sergeant. He personally meets with every newly hired city employee and is deeply involved in\u00a0the community. He shares with the new hires the value of working for the public.<\/p>\n

His leadership has encouraged collaboration among businesses, nonprofits, and residents.\u00a0Downtown concerts have become a popular initiative, bringing people together, boosting local\u00a0businesses, and raising funds for community programs. His philosophy is simple: get people out\u00a0of their silos and create opportunities for them to connect.<\/p>\n

The Role of the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the key resources that has helped Mason in his efforts is the Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress (MPP). Through this network, Mason has been able to share strategies, gain insights,\u00a0and advocate for policies that benefit not just Zanesville, but the entire region.<\/p>\n

MPP serves as a platform for small and mid-sized cities to address common challenges, from\u00a0economic development and infrastructure improvements to housing and public safety. By\u00a0engaging with other municipal leaders, Mason has been able to bring innovative ideas back to
\nZanesville, shaping policies that enhance the city\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n

One notable outcome of MPP\u2019s influence has been the city\u2019s renewed focus on housing\u00a0development. Recognizing the need to attract more residents and workers, Mason has leveraged\u00a0ideas from other MPP municipalities to encourage investment in Zanesville\u2019s housing market.\u00a0Additionally, the MPP has provided opportunities to advocate for state and federal funding,\u00a0ensuring that Appalachian Ohio\u2019s communities receive the support they need.<\/p>\n

Mason\u2019s involvement in the Mayors\u2019 Partnership has reinforced his belief in collaboration as the\u00a0key to success. By working together, small cities can amplify their voices and create meaningful\u00a0change.<\/p>\n

A Legacy of Revitalization\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reflecting on his time, Mason takes great pride in the revitalization of downtown Zanesville. Once a quiet area, the city center has transformed into a bustling hub of entertainment, dining,\u00a0and shopping. Seeing hundreds to thousands of people enjoying downtown on a Friday night\u00a0reminds him of his childhood, proof that the city is back on track.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Mason envisions Zanesville as a thriving city with more housing, strong schools,
\nand quality healthcare. The city\u2019s proximity to Columbus, just an hour away, makes it an\u00a0attractive place to live, and with more people working remotely, Zanesville\u2019s appeal as a\u00a0residential hub is growing.<\/p>\n

His advice to other mayors and aspiring leaders-engage as many community members and\u00a0government entities as possible. Collaboration is key to meaningful change.\u00a0Mayor Don Mason\u2019s leadership has set Zanesville on a path of renewal and growth, proving that\u00a0with vision, determination, and community involvement, a city can be transformed<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2415","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2415"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2417,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2415\/revisions\/2417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}