A Cultural Exchange at Center

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A 12-member delegation from the European countries of Hungary, Italy, Romania and Slovakia visited The Center for Rural Development in Somerset Friday as part of a regional tour organized by the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL).

March 13, 2011

Roma delegation visits Pulaski County

by Heather Tomlinson Commonwealth Journal The Commonwealth Journal Sun Mar 13, 2011, 07:00 AM EDT

Somerset —

Serbian native Dijana Pavlovic has liked what she’s seen of Kentucky so far in her limited time here — although it doesn’t bring to mind what television may show of America.

“This is another type of America,” Pavlovic said. “This is the America we never saw.”

Pavlovic, a resident of Italy, last week toured several sites in Kentucky and Washington D.C. as part of a 12-member delegation of European political and policy professionals that came to the U.S. to network with leaders and officials — and to pick up on some ways to make accessible necessities such as education to minority groups of Europe.

The delegates are part of the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) group from the Roma countries of Hungary, Italy, Romania, and Slovakia. They are members of the European Roma ethnic minority population, a group that makes up only two percent of the total European population and that faces major economic, social, and political challenges due to discrimination and limited access to education and employment, according to a press release from the ACYPL.

“We learned very, very much about leadership and how democracy treats minority groups,” Pavlovic said.

The delegation on Friday took a tour of The Center for Rural Development during their stop in Somerset, which was given by Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center.

It was during the course of the program that the delegation participated in open discussions with local and regional government, community and business leaders in an effort to network and learn more about creating opportunities for underserved and minority populations in their home countries.

“We have to use our knowledge to raise our people to a better life condition,” said Imre Belog, a delegate from Hungary.

It was through those interactions they examined “ ... government policy making, American politics, political advocacy, and social and community service efforts aimed at creating opportunities for public policy solutions that address the needs of underserved and minority populations,” stated the press release.

The delegation also explored the role of political participation and representation in addressing social and economic challenges.

The group visited Lexington, Frankfort, Somerset, Covington, and Lancaster during their tour of Kentucky and met with Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Dan Mongiardo, State Representative Lonnie Napier, Kentucky Education Commis-sioner Terry Holliday, Ph.D., and representatives of The Center.

But the delegates made their stops in Kentucky only after visiting Washington, D.C., where they examined “ ... the role and function of the federal government and (non-govern-mental organizations) in public policy making,” stated the press release. It was during that stop they met with Congressman Ben Chandler (D-KY), the National Democratic Institute, and the AFL-CIO.

Pavlovic said she and other members of the delegation will take some of the programs and institutions they have experienced in the U.S. back with them to hopefully implement in their own countries.

“It’s normal here that someone is different,” she said, in reference to the “melting pot” culture of America. “This we can bring back to Europe.”

But it isn’t until the delegation returns to Europe — and finally takes a rest from its whirl-wind tour — that it can sit down and draw out the differences and similarities between the U.S. and Europe.

“We can measure the differences and parallels (between the two),” Belog said.

The group was be escorted by Nathan Mick, an ACYPL alumnus and Economic Development Director for Garrard County. Mick, a Roma descendant himself, traveled to Australia on an ACYPL program in 2009.

The ACYPLprograms are funded by the US State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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