MOUNT CARMEL - Mount Carmel resident Meg Bartos has announced her candidacy for Northumberland County prothonotary on the Democratic ticket.
Bartos cites her decades of legal experience, from judicial offices and courtrooms, sheriffs' offices, district attorneys' offices, law firms and magistrates' offices across the state and locally - as a legal assistant, researcher and notary.
Bartos said she has worked at one of the largest firms in Philadelphia, with law firms and legislators across the commonwealth, courtroom and supervisory experience as a legal assistant to the district attorney's office, at the magistrates offices handling all the civil matters. She attended Pennsylvania State University for paralegal certification and Shippensburg University as a public administration major, and os a member of the National Paralegal Association, the Central Pennsylvania Paralegal Association and the Pennsylvania Notary and National Notary Associations, Bartos said as a result of this experience and training, she knows the local, state and federal systems and knows the job she is seeking.
If elected, Bartos has prioritized her goals and objectives, which include document management, document retention and communication between the offices in order to keep information and casework flowing smoothly.
Bartos, who has served as a township manager, said she understands the need to incorporate cost-effective means of creating efficiencies and technological enhancements and ensuring proper training and continuing education for staff as provided by various associations and agencies. Also, she is proficient in grant writing, research and historic preservation. She noted that as a member of National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Main Street, Downtown Affiliates, she has developed working relationships over many years with staff at many state and federal agencies and national historic, preservation and revitalization organizations in the region and across the Commonwealth. She has experience and training in gaining funding to preserve history and legal records.
Bartos resides in Mount Carmel with her husband, Steve, and two children, Nathaniel and Ethan. The Bartos family has lived in Mount Carmel and Atlas for many generations. Her husband Steve, son of Edward (Kopper) Bartos, was born and raised in Atlas.
Bartos has been actively involved in many community volunteer organizations to enhance the area such as the Lower Anthracite Heritage Trail, Strategic Teaming for Anthracite Regional Recreation (STARR), Mount Carmel Downtown Inc., Project Advocate and the Business and Education Committee for the Brush Valley Chamber of Commerce.
She has also been actively involved with the Kulpmont Football and Baseball Association, Mount Carmel Baseball Association, Mount Carmel Elementary Wrestling Boosters, Mount Carmel PTA and volunteered at Mount Carmel and Shamokin School Districts on a number of projects, initiatives and grants. "My kids have been involved with four to five sports a year for the past 11 years, and I've been an involved mom in all of their programs," she said.
Bartos has also volunteered her time and services to local communities by researching and writing grants pro bono and preparing draft legal documents, including the formation of two non-profit organizations for the benefit of the communities of Northumberland County.