From the Mayor’s Desk
This fall I had the rare opportunity to view the wonder of American government through the eyes of foreigners. Four Russian women visited Milford as participants in the “Women as Leaders” component of the Open World Russian Leadership Program. During their week-long stay, coordinated by the Clermont County League of Women Voters, these women visited many branches of our government. The visits included trips to the Ohio State House, the Ohio Supreme Court, the Clermont County Sheriff’s office and jail, Milford Mayor’s Court, and our City Hall. Two of the ladies stayed with my wife and me during their visit.
On election day, they all came to watch me vote and observe the Kid’s Voting process as well. In the evening we toured the Hamilton County Board of Elections so they could get a complete understanding, from start to finish, of our election process. The part that intrigued me most was that these four ladies traveled 4000 miles to learn how the American election process works. They appreciate the power of the individual and the impact each vote can make. They came from a country that, only twelve years ago, used its power to vote to remove the entire Soviet Union out of existence. Sadly, voter turnout in Clermont County was only 37%. That means that only a little over 1 in 3 eligible voters chose to participate in the affairs of their government.
At our meeting of November 6, 2002, I presented each of these Russian leaders with a key to the City. I encourage each of you to empower yourselves by voting and taking part in your local government as our friends from Russia have. Our Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., and everyone is encouraged to attend. Additionally, the meetings are broadcast on Cable Channel 17 Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
