Working toward a more informed voter

MILFORD — The Pike County MAL Chapter of the League of Women Voters will be sponsoring two upcoming public events to help residents better understand the workings of their local and state governments.

A forum titled "Know Your Local Elected Officials" forum will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 20, at the Pike County Public Library, 119 East Harford St., in Milford. Included in our panel are Pike County Commissioner Matt Osterberg, Matamoras Boro Mayor Janet Clark, and Milford Township Supervisor Don Quick, who will participate in a question and answer period via written questions from the audience. The questions will be screened in the interests of time and keeping to the purpose of the meeting.

Refreshments will be served, and a suggested donation of $5 is requested to help defray the cost of the facility.

"We hope that members of the community will take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about governance in Pike County," says the league.

On Wednesday, April 13, the Pike County League of Women Voters will also be sponsoring a trip to Harrisburg for a tour of the Pennsylvania capitol and brief meetings with our elected state representatives.

For those who have not had an opportunity to visit the state capitol, it is described on its website as "a priceless architectural and artistic treasure." The Capitol was designed in the American Renaissance style by Philadelphia architect Joseph Huston (1866-1940), who envisioned the building as a “Palace of Art.” Built and furnished at a cost of $13 million and opened to the public in 1904, it "features paintings, stained glass and furnishings by some of the best artisans of the day. The building incorporates various Renaissance designs in some of its largest rooms: Italian in the House Chamber, French in the Senate Chamber, and English in the Governor’s Reception Room. It also reflects Greek, Roman and Victorian influences in its art and ornamentation. Throughout the building, Huston blended the various styles with motifs featuring Pennsylvania’s achievements in labor, industry and history, making the Capitol uniquely American. Its five-story exterior is faced with handsome Vermont granite, and the roof is composed of green glazed terra cotta tile."

The Capitol’s centerpiece is a spectacular 272-foot, 52 million-pound dome inspired by Michelangelo’s design for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Following its completion, the building was the tallest structure between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh for 80 years.

A bus has been reserved for the occasion, with an approximate pickup time at 7:12 a.m. in the park and ride across from McDonald's in Lords Valley (Hawley) just off I-84. It is about a three hour ride from there to Harrisburg, with a return approximately 7 p.m. that evening.

A non-member cost of $45 does not include lunch. Seats will be first-come-first-serve after membership reservations have been taken. Those interested in traveling to Harrisburg should call 570-213-7873, or email their request to PikeLWV@gmail.com.

For those interested in becoming members or needing more information about the Pike County League, visit www.LWVPike.org.