HONESDALE, PA — Eighteen Wayne County voters who have voted, without fail, in each fall election for the past 50 years were welcomed into Pennsylvania’s Voter Hall of Fame on July 7 at the Wayne County Commissioners’ meeting.

Eleven of those voters were on hand to receive certificates of recognition from Gov. Tom Wolf and state and county officials. Elected officials on hand lauded their consistency.

“Voting is one of our most important rights. The U.S. stands alone in who decides who will represent us,” said Commissioners’ Chair Brian Smith. He noted that many elections are decided by only a few votes and asked the inductees to “stress this to the youngsters.”

State Sen. Lisa Baker continued Smith’s thought, noting that “women’s right to vote was decided by one vote… You have showed the way.”

“You are the kind of people we depend upon. Thank you so much,” said Rep. Sandra Major.

Commissioner Wendell Kay, who also serves as chair of the board of elections, said getting the elections right is the most important duty of county government. “If we don’t get that right, nothing else matters,” he said.

Inductee Paul Meagher thanked the commissioners and bureau of elections director Cindy Furman for organizing the ceremony and recalled that his father Morris Meagher taught civics at Honesdale High School for 40 years, “and I’m sure he taught these three commissioners and others that voting is our duty and our honor.”

In other business, the commissioners’ noted the July 6 death of Bruce Mackle, who served as Wayne County treasurer from 1988 to 2008, and later as Sen. Baker’s regional field representative.

They also accepted a $100,714 state environmental grant and from it approved the $50,200 purchase of a Rocket Composter for a 2015 program request by the Wayne Highlands School District.