Madison Record (Madison, AL)
Posted on July 6, 2006
By Tracy B. Cieniewicz
Three high-level municipal executives from Russia met with Mayor Sandy Kirkindall recently to learn how Madison generates revenue and handles rapid growth.
Russian delegates Yuriy Ivanov, First Deputy Head of the Kursk City Administration; Mikhail Kharlamov, Head of the Department of Finance, Uvat District Administration; and, Oskar Zianurov, Director of Gorno-Altaysk Energy Municipal Enterprise came to Alabama as participants of the Open World Program.
The nonpartisan initiative is a project of the U.S. Congress that builds mutual understanding between the emerging leaders of participating countries and their U.S. counterparts.
The purpose of the visit was to learn how Alabama politicians and civic leaders manage and promote urban development, economic growth and small business initiatives as part of a unique exchange program focused on accountable governance.
"This is a good opportunity to strengthen international relations," Kirkindall explained.
With the aid of interpreters, the Russian delegates asked Kirkindall about the process of forming a city budget, a mayor's influence in the budget-making process, the city's tax base, how taxes are divided among federal, state, county and city entities, and how the city of Madison uses its revenue for growth.
Delegation representative Vyacheslav Buzhinskiy said the visit with Kirkindall was informative and gave the Russian delegates a great source inspiration for initiating change in their own cities.
"It has been very interesting. The major problem in Russia is they are in a transition era and are in a division of power," Buzhinskiy said. "This give ideas to revise their system and is helpful for development."
The Russian delegation visit was sponsored by the Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress and hosted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville Office of International Programs.
In addition to their meetings with the Kirkindall and Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer, the Russian delegation visited the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce to learn about Huntsville's economic development initiatives; discussed the Madison area business climate, small business development and business-support organizations with local business leaders at the Madison City Chamber of Commerce; met with consultants at the Organization of Small Business Owners (OSBO); exchanged views with the Executive Director of the Women's Business Center of North Alabama (WBCNA); and attended a luncheon at the Huntsville Rotary Club.
The group also had the opportunity to tour the U.S. Space and Rocket Center during their visit.
[Reprinted with Permission]
