At the last regularly scheduled Jim Thorpe Borough Council meeting, Mayor Michael Sofranko and Police Chief Joseph Schatz, swore in new police officer Matthew Schwarz.

Mayor Sofranko stated, "He (Schwarz) is an outstanding candidate.""He is a graduate from the Allentown Police Academy. He ranked very high in his class," he added.Mayor Sofranko thanked the Civil Service Commission for working to find a new police officer. He also thanked the residents of Jim Thorpe, Jim Thorpe Police Department, and Jim Thorpe Borough Council for their support. He also welcomed Schwarz to the police force.Mayor Sofranko also announced that today, Jim Thorpe will be hosting National Night Out. National Night Out (NNO) will take place at Memorial Park from 6 pm to 10 pm. Some of the things that will be featured at NNO are: speakers, information booths, finger printing, crash dummies, and live music.In other news, Carson Helfridge, representing the Middle Carbon County Comprehensive Plan, presented council with draft copies of the plan.The Middle Carbon County Comprehensive Plan is compromised of Jim Thorpe, Penn Forest Township, Summit Hill, and Lansford. A committee of representatives from the four municipalities has been working on the draft plan."The plan is a forward looking document to take a look at setting policy, goals, and objectives for the four municipalities over the next 15 or 20 years," stated Helfridge.Helfridge asked council to take a look at the draft plan.In other news, council:Approved to terminate services of the Borough Manager, Wesley Johnson, for cause effective immediately.Appointed Maria Sebelin as delegate for the Tax Collection Committee, alternate Louise McClafferty.Reappointed council member John McGuire to the Planning Commission.Reappointed Roxanne Long to the Zoning Hearing Board.Approved James Billig and Andrew Roberts as alternates to the Zoning Hearing Board.Approved Livengood Excavators to widen West 8th Street in the amount of $6,373.90.Approved the resolution for the Fire Recovery Service for the Fire Department.Approved the Jim Thorpe Lions Club to hold the 18th annual Halloween parade on October 27th.During public comment resident Jerry Hoare presented council with a petition requesting a noise ordinance.Hoare stated that 216 people from the borough signed the petition.He also presented council with a copy of a sample noise ordinance from New Hope, Pennsylvania.Discussion took place amongst residents, members of council, and officials. Some of the noise concerns mentioned included excessive vehicular exhaust noise and construction noise at certain times of day.Another concern mentioned included needing to tailor a noise ordinance to fit the borough and how the borough operates.Mayor Sofranko stated, "When Jim Thorpe Borough sets up an ordinance, whatever it may be, it is our job to see that it gets enforced. It has to be throughout the entire town. It has to be something that benefits all of Jim Thorpe, not just specific areas."Hoare stated, "The ordinance that I submitted is a sample ordinance. No two towns are the same. That ordinance would have to be tweaked by council."Jim Thorpe currently utilizes the Pennsylvania Crimes Code for citing noise complaints. For the excessive vehicular exhaust the borough follows the Motor Vehicle Code in Pennsylvania.Borough Council along with the Planning Commission will do research and begin looking into a noise ordinance.