For the first time in its history, Lehighton's annual Bike Night will be held in a different location in the borough.

Organizers of the widely popular event met with borough council at a special meeting on Monday to discuss the change in location.Lehighton Downtown Initiative Committee President Frank Potoczak, of Red Castle Brewery and Castle Grill, and Lehighton Bike Night Committee member Ty Poole, of Boat Yard Bar and Grill, openly discussed their intentions for this year's event.Rather than operate from the lower and upper park as it has in each of the previous 15 years, this year's event is planned for Aug. 9 at the Grove, as well as the surrounding areas of Seventh Street, Eighth Street, Iron and Alum streets.On Monday, Potoczak told council, "We still think that the traffic is going to be an issue. We feel that holding it elsewhere would alleviate it and help out."Yes, there will be some changes, but I think we can make it work," Potoczak said. "We're taking it very seriously."Councilman Scott Rehrig then told Potoczak and Poole, "It is the intent of this council to have a family-oriented affair."Potoczak agreed. "I think it's in everybody's best interests to have no issues."Mayor Thomas Mase noted that the borough's police department can't be expected to be everywhere to monitor things during the event.Police Chief Brian Biechy said, "My preference would be to have it in an enclosed area. It's a trial basis."Potoczak said it would take a team effort to make the event bigger and better.Rehrig said council wants to keep the lines of communication open. Potoczak said plans could potentially be ready for review within the next several weeks.At a special meeting held near the end of last month, council, on a 5-0 vote, made a motion to not allow the event to be held outside of the borough.That decision came after borough manager Nicole Beckett said Poole and Potoczak had informed her at that time that they were considering moving the event to Franklin Township because of construction work to the McCall Bridge, as well as lower park construction.The park project will include new lighting, landscaping, sidewalks, walkways, utility improvements, ADA Accessibility and signage, Beckett said.Earlier at that meeting, residents Paul Mriss, an officer with the Lehighton Fire Department, and Ed Finney, who founded Bike Night 15 years ago and also served as event president for many years, pleaded with council to leave the event in the borough.The event is sponsored by the Lehighton Downtown Initiative Committee.In other business, council on a 5-0 vote, with Councilman Darryl Arner and Councilwoman Helen Torok absent:• Agreed to authorize borough solicitor Jim Nanovic to draft an amendment to the open container ordinance for special events to allow on borough property upon council's approval.• Agreed to amend an ordinance to allow Bring Your Own Beer at the Recreation Center for special events as per the recreation director's request.• Accepted the resignation of Georgia Traupman as part-time police secretary, with her last working day open for discussion.• Agreed to advertisefor a part-time policesecretary.• Agreed to have ascoreboard donated bythe former Jim Thorpe National Bank, now known as the Jim ThorpeNeighborhood Bank, moved from the Annex to the Lehighton RecreationCenter.