By Edmond Ortiz
A former Fair Oaks Ranch City Council member is planning to run for mayor.
What is happening
Laura Koerner, a U.S. Navy veteran and current president of Fair Oaks Ranch’s Municipal Development District, announced Nov. 9 that she will file for mayor in the city’s May 1 elections. She hopes to succeed Mayor Glen Maxton, who is term-limited. He has served as mayor for two consecutive three-year terms.
Koerner served on the council from 2017 to 2025, including four years as mayor pro tem. During her tenure at City Hall, she also served on the city’s communications, branding, and emergency operations committees.
Presiding over the city’s municipal development district, she oversees funding to support economic development, community improvements, and long-term property values, according to a press release.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Koerner served as a surface warfare officer onboard the destroyer USS Mahan and the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, during her seven years of active duty, the release stated.
In 2020, she was appointed as chair of the Texas Veterans Commission, and serves as a Blue and Gold Officer, helping local high school students apply to the Naval Academy.
Koerner has more than 20 years of experience in project management and engineering. She and her husband, Mike, also a Navy veteran, moved post-military to Fair Oaks Ranch where they are raising their twin teenage daughters.
What they are saying
Planning to hold a campaign kickoff event Nov. 15, Koerner said she seeks to lean on her military service, professional experience, and history of local leadership to focus on key issues affecting Fair Oaks Ranch.
“I want to continue to serve our neighbors to make sure that the city maintains quality services for our residents and is a responsible steward of taxpayer funds,” Koerner said in a statement.
“Our city is blessed with amazing residents, character, and tremendous resources. My priority is to protect and enhance our community assets and respect the taxpayers who keep our community strong.”
Filing for local May 1 elections begins January 13. The Place 1 council seat, occupied by Emily Kinney, is also scheduled to be part of Fair Oaks Ranch’s May 1 election.
