Power of 32 kicked off its first day of information gathering Tuesday with public meetings across the region, including a modest gathering in Butler.

And it's not too late to get your two cents in with another meeting being held Aug. 9 at the Cranberry Township Municipal Building on Rochester Road, plus meetings throughout the Pittsburgh region.

Power of 32 is a regional visioning project, somewhat like the multi-municipal comprehensive plan Butler, East Butler and Butler, Summit and Penn townships have been working on for the past three years.

Power of 32 includes 32 counties in Western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and northern West Virginia and Maryland.

Jerry Andree, Cranberry Township manager and a member of the Power 32 board of directors said Thursday the entire project is to "develop a common vision for the region, so that we can work together instead of against one another."

Andree said everything from economic development to quality of life to use and conservation of natural resources and more are all issues to be discussed and considered during these public information gathering sessions or "conversations" as they are being called by Power of 32.

About 30 conversation meetings were held across the region on Tuesday with more than 500 people participating. All of the information gathered at these meetings will be processed and presented at a public meeting in the fall.

From there, Andree said, recommendations and an action plan will be developed by the board, foundations and states representatives.

"People who can implement this plan are already at the table, they just need to have the information as to what to do from the people of the region," Andree said. "Please come to the meetings. These are your chances to voice your opinions."

Upcoming Power of 32 public meetings in the Butler County area:

• 6 p.m. Aug. 9, Cranberry Township Municipal Building, 2525 Rochester Road;

• 6 p.m. Aug. 9, Penn Brewery, Troy Hill, Pittsburgh's North Side

• 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., two sessions on Aug. 25 at the Belmont Complex in East Franklin Township, Armstrong County.