The Carbon County Association of Mayors agreed to support proposed legislation that would allow local police officers to use radar for speed enforcement.

Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko, who conducted the meeting Monday at the Inn of Jim Thorpe, said Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that doesn't let local police departments use radar.Sofranko presented statistics from 2011 that shows that in Pennsylvania, 47.82 percent of traffic fatalities were related to speeding. The state is the second in the nation in speeding death percentage, with Maine showing 50.74 percent of its traffic fatalities having a speed connection.He said in Jim Thorpe the borough often asks state police to assist with speed enforcement on Route 903.Palmerton Mayor Chris Olivia said another problem is that although speeding tickets can cost motorists $150 or more, local municipalities receive only $12 from that ticket."That's why we don't allow our police to patrol Route 248," he said.Another issue discussed at the meeting was the amount of money municipalities spend for police officers to attend magistrate hearings.Olivia said that on hearing days, municipal police must travel to the prison to pick up prisoners for hearing attendance, wait until the hearing is held, then transport the suspects back to prison.Several mayors said that when this involves police officers who work night shift, it means bringing them out during the day and paying them overtime to attend the hearings."We have concerns," Olivia said. "Money is getting tighter and tighter."It was agreed to invite a judge and police chiefs to attend the next meeting of the mayors' group at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, tentatively set for the Inn of Jim Thorpe.DrugsThe mayors also briefly discussed drug problems in the area with Sofranko noting that a survey of teens in 2011 showed the main drug being used in the local area is marijuana. The statistics also indicate that the overwhelming majority of local youths don't use drugs.He said the teens said their first use of drugs generally began in sixth to eighth grades.As prescription drug abuse is a problem, people can dispose of unused prescription drugs at the Jim Thorpe and Lehighton borough halls.Lansford Mayor James Romanko said he would like to see a countywide drill on school terrorism, possibly during the summer months."God forbid a Columbine should happen," he said. "Are we prepared to act on something like that?"Mayor Sofranko said Jim Thorpe police held a drill last summer simulating a terrorism situation with victims. He said various police departments participated, as well as ambulance corps and even a medical helicopter.The drill was run by Jim Thorpe Chief of Police Joseph Schatz.