Dear Editor,

The charm people experience in Jim Thorpe is possible because people here all work together, as a team, to make it happen. In the case of the Mauch Chunk Opera House, it would be impossible to offer a regular program without our mutual relationships with local residents, our treasured volunteers, hotels, restaurants, businesses, and banks.While the Opera House helps fill hotels, shops, galleries, and restaurants, every business in the town offers something of their own to entice more visitors, and new businesses spring up as a result. In turn, the survival of all these businesses is absolutely crucial to our own.If you live in or visit Jim Thorpe, you'll notice the many changes that have occurred at the Opera House in recent years. A new steel roof, front canopy, seats, sound system, lighting, carpeting, electrical, backstage, hanger fans installed, interior lobbies and bathrooms remodeled, repaired and repainted interior walls, a complete exterior repainting, and new concession counters are among the many improvements.A matching grant raised the money for the first new roof for the Opera House in 130 years. All the other funds were raised privately, either by direct investment from JTAMS Inc., or through donations from companies like Martin Guitar and Purple Audio, funds collected online by JTAMS, individual memberships to the Mauch Chunk Historical Society, or money spent at Opera House concessions during shows.All the improvements to the facility don't somehow leave when JTAMS eventually returns its keys they're the permanent property of the Mauch Chunk Historical Society. These improvements position it to take on nearby deep-pockets venues (two World Cafes, SteelStacks, The Sands, New Hope Winery, the Sellersville Theater, Blairstown Theater, and innumerable Philly and Jersey venues), most of which didn't even exist 10 years ago, but today all compete for the same customers.Today, JTAMS assumes 100 percent of this competitive risk. It is a real and local business, not a hobby. We pay many thousands of dollars in amusement taxes and local taxes, and pay Carbon County businesses for the many services that we require. We assume the risk for each show, and the MCHS makes some money as a result, risk-free. That's the deal.Anyone that has run any business will know instantly that the arithmetic cited ("Noise Ordinance won't solve the problem" - 6/14) is fundamentally flawed and disingenuous: it doesn't even consider the expense side of the equation (performer costs, housing and food, venue rental, utilities, amusement taxes, royalties, line of credit costs, insurances, discounts, printing, personnel costs, equipment rental expenses, night-of-show costs), and its nightly attendance estimates are just absolutely nonsensical.We have taken many steps to keep the performance sound indoors. They represent for us a massive investment we dearly would have preferred to use for our bills. All the replacement doors had to be custom-manufactured and installed, each underwent two additional rounds of acoustic treatment, the windows in the front have been sheet rocked and treated, acoustic panels have been built and installed inside the facility, and the project continues.It's typical for some to assume that others are making all kinds of money. It reminds me of when I rented my first apartment at 18 years old I assumed my landlord was simply loaded. But as I worked a few jobs, bought and sold some properties, and lived life a little, I realized he couldn't pay his bills unless I paid my rent.The same concept applies here. We wouldn't be driving used cars and working second and third jobs if we were. Some people yell, "Well, they must be doing it for some reason!" How about these reasons: we care about live music and performance. We'd like to be successful and are willing to bear the responsibility. We care about Jim Thorpe, because we live here.We always tell performers that the Opera House is special, and that unlike other places, it's a true neighborhood venue. Once they perform here, they agree it is special. Ask any business or homeowner who benefits if the Opera House is successful: I think they'll say, "All of us."We can all work together.Sincerely,Dan HugosMauch Chunk Opera House