Council Message by Ron Messer
On Sunday, February 21st, I was pleasantly surprised when I got a call from Mayor Dobrozsi informing me that I was selected to fill the open seat on City Council and would be sworn in on March 3rd. I was also excited to start this new learning experience in the service of the city I have loved for the last 35 years.
My wife, three daughters, and I moved to Montgomery in 1986, after living briefly in Fairfield and Blue Ash. Our sights had been set on Montgomery from early on, so we jumped on the first good opportunity to purchase a home in a beautiful and relatively new Montgomery neighborhood. Well, 35 years later, my wife and I are still living in that house. Clearly, our choice of Montgomery was a good one because even though our three daughters have grown up and moved out, they have also chosen to live in Montgomery with their husbands and children. In total, there are now 17 of us enjoying this great city.
After over 36 years working at Procter & Gamble, I now have a fun part-time job as a fitness specialist at Twin Lakes in Montgomery, working with some of the incredible citizens that live there. At one time, Twin Lakes had a program called “Living Is Learning.” After thinking about that, I realized how true that was. Continually learning really is a vital component to living a happy, productive, and fulfilling life. A lot of learning is from school and books, but much is also from doing, seeking new experiences, and learning from our successes and mistakes. Ironically, it seems that the more we know, the more we realize there is to learn.
I have truly been blessed with a wide variety of experiences and learning opportunities ranging from schools, the military, my family, P&G, small part-time jobs, MCLA (Montgomery Citizens’ Leadership Academy), volunteering, and now serving on the City of Montgomery Council. I’ve been suddenly immersed in legal terms, procedures (e.g., Roberts Rules of Order), and processes that are new to me. I’ve become a sponge, a newbie, but what a great and fun way to learn, grow, and contribute.
City Council and administration are looking forward to learning more from the residents’ survey sent earlier this year and actively listening to our citizens. Join me in learning more about Montgomery by enrolling in the MCLA, joining a committee or commission, or simply attending our open meetings and discussing how we can continually improve Montgomery in this constantly changing world.
I am truly honored to serve this great city that my family and I have called home for 35 years—still learning and enjoying every minute of it. Join me!