LISBON, Ohio – Lisbon Mayor Peter Wilson is a village native but spent most of his adulthood outside the United States as a foreign news correspondent.
He was kidnapped in Venezuela though, and that persuaded him to return in 2016 to his hometown.
Wilson was elected to village council in 2017 and in 2019 was elected mayor, taking office at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In his second term, Wilson says he and a “good group of people,” as well as willing volunteers, county officials and others are working together to make the village the best it can be.
Wilson acknowledges that village residents, like people across most communities, are concerned about the future of property taxes and how that will affect plans for growth. A group appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine is studying property tax reform as a citizens’ group seeks an end to such funding.
But Wilson says the village has been moving forward with projects.
“We have aggressively been pursuing grants,” which has resulted in the village being awarded between $7 and 8 million in funding, the mayor adds.
Wilson points out that, like many municipalities, Lisbon’s aging infrastructure is crumbling, but grant funding has made possible replacement of the Grant Street Bridge and the bridge on Pritchard Street near McKinley Elementary School, as well as a new water tank. The latter project had been studied for 20 years with no action.
The village recently received $465,000 to help pay for the construction of a bridge connecting the Greenway Bike Trail to Willow Grove Park.
Also under consideration are grant applications for a major sewer line replacement, recreation projects and slate sidewalk improvements.
Wilson, who writes the grant applications, says village council has been good about giving permission when he proposes seeking a grant, and county commissioners, county Engineer Bert Dawson and the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association, or OMEGA, have also been helpful as the village pursues grants. OMEGA is a planning and development organization that serves 10 counties including Columbiana.
Residents, he says, have been generous in donating toward the village pool which needs at least $200,000 in repairs. Some of the cost may be covered with grant dollars.
One project of which Wilson is particularly proud is the effort to rewrite the village zoning code, a project that has been underway since last year when village council voted to earmark $50,000 to hire a consultant for the work.
“It was a mishmash of codes taken from other municipalities,” Wilson says. “You need to have a good zoning code to facilitate investment and growth.”
A draft was to be presented in late September to the planning commission and board of zoning appeals for input, then forwarded for council’s decision.
By early 2026, Wilson hopes the village will have a new “considerably coherent” zoning code that will encourage people to invest in the village.
“We’re seeing more and more investment here, but I’m always looking for fresh investments. The idea is to grow the local economy to make Lisbon a more attractive place to have a business and also start a family,” he says.
And he’s unhappy the village’s popular decreased 8% according to the most recent U.S. Census.
“I think it’s a great village, but the more people we lose, the more our tax base shrinks, which means we either cut back services because of falling revenue or have to increase taxes. Both are unacceptable,” he says.
The alternative is making Lisbon a more attractive place to live, he adds.
Proposals to annex portions of Center Township or form a Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) with the township, which utilizes much of the village’s services, have been rebuffed, the mayor says.
“They have the land; we have the services,” he points out, adding, “I want to work with our neighbors. We need a joint effort between the trustees and village, but they weren’t interested.”
Wilson says he has shared ideas with county commissioners regarding creating a county building department which would cut down on the length of time required to secure permits through the state. They seem “very receptive to the idea,” he says.
Expanding broadband service and boosting tourism are also ideas Wilson believes will help not just Lisbon but the county at large.
Tourism is a growth industry that creates hospitality jobs in restaurants, bars, bed and breakfasts and cafes, according to Wilson. Columbiana County boasts many sights that are surrounded by recreational assets, the mayor says, adding that’s why he returned home.
“I love it here; I see our potential, and we really need to get our name out there much more than we are,” Wilson says.
The bike trail attracts people from other states and on average, each cyclist spends $120 on food, drinks and souvenirs, Wilson says. “We should be capitalizing on that.”
He says village officials and residents want a vibrant downtown, even though, realistically, he said he knows Lisbon cannot compete with Boardman or Columbiana for big chain stores. But that’s OK with him.
“That’s what makes Lisbon Lisbon. I like the small town feel,” Wilson says. “It’s good to look for the niche businesses. The niche businesses will always be bricks and mortar.”
A volunteer committee – of which the mayor is a member – has been active producing the flower gardens and Christmas lighting in the village square, and the Chamber of Commerce has placed a bulletin board there as well to promote activities.
New signs are being made to direct foot traffic to various sites, and a farmer’s market every Saturday has proven popular.
Some new businesses opened recently and a new restaurant is in the works.
Meanwhile, Wilson says he is “very pleased” village officials recently reached out to home developers, hoping to attract new construction.
Wilson says the village has many two-story homes but older people seek one-story living and are moving into other communities to find it.
“We have to offer them one story,” he says, adding he hopes five to six such homes will be built within the next year through the Welcome Home Ohio project through the Department of Development.
The program is being pursued by the county land bank with more steps pending, but Wilson says he’s optimistic.
“A big part of my job as mayor is promoting the village,” he says. “We have to promote the region and its assets.”
Pictured at top: The village square in Lisbon, the county seat of Columbiana County, is cared for by a committee of volunteers.