Franklin Township supervisors approved the Franklin Township Lions Club request to allow the use of volunteers to assist the club in putting up lights for the Franklin Lions Festival of Lights.

The decision was announced during a recent township meeting.Club members have told supervisors that without some outside assistance from the public, the light show is in jeopardy of folding."We do have liability concerns," noted Rod Green, chairman of the board of supervisors. "We are concerned about our insurance."Our solicitor recommended that any outside groups be asked to sign a waiver and provide proof of insurance. This spreads out the liability."Green said that the supervisors do not want to see the Festival of Lights fold because it benefits the community."I'm in favor of using volunteers as long as they sign the waiver and provide a certificate of insurance," agreed Paul Kocher, assistant chairman.The 11th annual Festival of Lights is scheduled to be held on weekends after the Thanksgiving holiday, until the end of December. Proceeds from the festival benefit the local community. The club donates funds to maintain the Phifer Ice Dam Park, which is a community park.It also funds local police, ambulance and fire department, provides food baskets to needy families during holidays and provides eyeglasses to those in need.The annual festival features approximately 400,000 lights in a walk-through display, with a live Santa Claus and refreshments.The board also approved the request of Jeff Hoffman of Bartush Signs to replace a static sign with an electronic sign at Saltzer's Appliances, Route 209, Lehighton. Hoffman said the sign area will be slightly less than the present sign and will not be considered a flashing sign as long as the message stays constant for four seconds or longer.He noted that Saltzer's will not be using the sign to advertise for any other business except its own.The board approved a time extension to Lighthouse Baptist Church to complete it's building project.The board approved secretary Sandra Gaumer's request to establish a NOW account at Jim Thorpe National Bank for the Central Carbon Regional Parks Recreation Greenway Open Space Plan to accept the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Natural Resources (DCNR) grant of $36,000 and to establish a second NOW account at the same bank for the Central Carbon Regional Comp Plan Joint Municipal Account.Gaumer said the new accounts were suggested by DCNR because the comp plan funds should not be intermingling with township funds.The board also requested an extension for a dredge permit for the Phifer Ice Dam Park.The board approved adding Paul Kocher and Dana Dee Miller to the Agricultural Security Advisory Committee.