Each summer, The Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs hosts a week-long Public Leadership Academy for elected officials. Elected officials invited to attend include mayors, councilmembers, school board members, township trustees, county commissioners, and members of Ohio’s General Assembly.

The Ohio Public Leadership Academy is an intensive, one-week, residential program for Ohio’s rising state and local elected officials who want to build trust across party lines and return to political life with a better understanding of their colleagues and a renewed commitment to public service. This year’s academy, which ended Friday, July 26, again included Ohio mayors recommended for the program by Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst.

Barhorst, who first recommended mayors for the conference when he served as president of the Mayors Association of Ohio four years ago, has continued to recommend mayors on behalf of the Ohio Municipal League (OML) since.

During the year he served as president of the Mayors Association, Barhorst visited every county seat mayor. More recently, he travels the state meeting with local municipal officials on behalf of the OML as a paid field representative, promoting best practices in municipal government.

“Recommending the mayors who attend the academy is a natural extension of my work,” Barhorst stated recently. “I probably meet more mayors across the state than anyone else. During the meetings in which I participate I always keep the program in the back of my mind, scouting for talent not only for the academy, but for other opportunities as well.”

The guidelines include an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, and an attempt is made to include both male and female nominees. This year the mayors attending included Botkins Mayor Lance Symonds, Circleville Mayor Michelle Blanton, Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry, and Trotwood Mayor Yvette Page.

“It was unfortunate that the program coincided with the Shelby County Fair,” Symonds stated. “My own kids have projects on exhibit, and attending the Ohio Public Leadership Academy would mean that I’d miss five of the seven days of the fair.

“However, my wife agreed that the opportunity was one that was too good to pass up. There are more than 900 mayors in Ohio, and with less than one half of one percent of mayors invited to attend each year, the opportunity might not ever present itself again.”

“It was a good decision,” Symonds stated. “I learned a great deal, and made contacts and friendships that I’m sure will prove useful not only for me, but for the citizens of Botkins in the future.”

“The program is always well-received,” Barhorst stated. “Every year, mayors who have previously attended the program return for the reception half-way through the week. In addition to the attendees telling me the program is a ‘good use of their time’ and that they ‘get a lot out of it’, I can’t think of a better outward sign than a mayor traveling three or more hours a couple of years after they have participated in the program to again thank their teachers for what they learned during the week.”

“Ohio has a lot of good public servants,” Barhorst noted. “The program at Ohio State helps to make a few of them even better. I’m just glad to play a small role in helping identify talent for the program.”