De-Districted Dem Decides To Run For Congress Seat

DINGMAN — “Opportunity often follows disappointment in life,” is how Phil Scollo describes a sudden tectonic shift in the Pa. political landscape that saw him jumping from a bid for state Assembly to a more ambitious run for Congress.

In early January, Scollo, a Democrat, announced his plan to run for Republican Mike Peifer’s Assembly seat. That was because Dingman Election District No. 1, where Scollo, 56, resides, had been redistricted from the 189th District to Peifer’s 139th District. Then last week, the Pa. Supreme Court threw out the redistricting plan, and Scollo found himself back in the 189th for the time being.

Meanwhile Liz Forrest announced her bid to unseat the GOP’s Rosemary Brown in the 189th, leaving Scollo with nothing to run for, because he did not want to run against fellow Democrat Forrest in a primary. He also figured that by the time the Assembly straightened out the redistricting, possibly leaving Dingman 1 in the 139th, it would still be too late for a campaign.

So Scollo decided to make lemonade out of the redistricting lemons and upped the ante, announcing that he would seek the Democratic Party nomination to take on Republican Tom Marino in the 10th Congressional District.

“In these unprecedented times, the residents of the 10th Congressional District certainly deserve a choice,” Scollo said.

Scollo, a native New Yorker, moved to the Milford area with wife, Karen, and two of his three children in 1998.

A summa cum laude graduate of St. John’s University, he holds a B.S. in Government and Politics. A former insurance industry executive and currently a management consultant, Scollo said his business experience and problem-solving skills would transfer neatly to public service... for complete story, get this week's issue.

County Seeks To Sell Advertising Space On Its New Buses

MILFORD — In the past year, the Pike County Transportation Department has managed to add nine new vehicles to their fleet, all without using county tax dollars.

Pike County Transportation Department (PCTD) Director Keith W. Raser told the county commissioners last Wednesday that they just took possession of two new 18-passenger buses and a mini-van.

He also requested permission to begin seeking bids from advertising firms to help offset operating costs by selling ad space inside and outside their vehicles, something Monroe County has been doing for quite some time.

The commissioners approved his request and commended him for all of his hard work in obtaining the funds to provide better transportation services for the people of Pike County.

The newest vehicles were made possible through a Community Public Transportation Grant for the Senior Citizen Shared Ride Program and a grant through the Rural Transportation Program for Persons with Disabilities, which totaled $304,000.

In addition, Raser said the department received word that they will receive $205,000, through a consolidated capital grant, to purchase two handicapped-accessible 16-passenger buses and one 7-passenger minivan with the expected delivery date this spring.

This will bring their fleet to 20 vehicles servicing the aging and handicapped population of the county.

Raser said it is exciting how far the Transportation Department has come from the days when it was part of the Pike County Area Agency on Aging where they had only a half dozen mini-vans to service the entire aging and handicapped population of the county.

With the aging population in the area continuing to grow, the larger buses will provide enough space for ridership through the department’s four transportation programs.

PCTD, which moved their headquarters last year to Milford, is responsible for the transportation of residents through their Shared Ride, Medical Assistance, People with Disabilities, and the General Public programs... for complete story, get this week's issue.

Rep. Peifer Stresses More Jobs In Campaign For Re-Election

HAWLEY — State Rep. Mike Peifer (R) of the 139th Legislative District for Pike and Wayne Counties is seeking re-election and focusing on jobs and getting people back to work.

At a casual style campaign meeting held for the “Friends of Mike Peifer” last week in Ehrhardt’s Waterfront Restaurant on Lake Wallenpaupack, he told the Pike County Dispatch, “I think what we are facing now is the importance of good family-sustaining jobs in our communities.”

Peifer serves on the Appropriations and Finance Committees and has earned respect in Harrisburg as a leader on fiscal issues with his CPA background and as an advocate for creating jobs. The Greentown native also serves on the Game & Fisheries Committee.

Peifer stresses controlling spending and borrowing at the state level for the government to live within its means so-to-speak just like families struggle to do.

He is also committed to issues pertaining to senior citizens, veterans, and children.

“In the last several months, we’ve seen where the Wallenpaupack School District currently has greater than 50 percent of the kids that attend receive a free or reduced lunch,” Peifer said

“That gives a good indication that families are struggling. So we need to work on getting them back to work... for complete story, get this week's issue.