A standing-room-only crowd attended the Franklin Township supervisors meeting Tuesday night to discuss the township fire company hosting Lehighton Bike Night.

Chairman of the Board Rod Green said, "In my opinion the fire department is going about this backward, the event was advertised before we even were contacted."Supervisors said without the township approval, the fire department personnel would not be covered under their workers' compensation policy and essentially would be uncovered in the event some of their personnel would be injured.Green pointed out that the event is already publicized even though the township has not officially heard a request to approve the event.Insurance issues quickly took a back burner to the question posed by Supervisor Robin Cressley, who asked fire department Vice President Bart Blakesley if "there was any discussion about providing police protection?"Resident David Bradley questioned, "Why is the township trying to shake down the fire department for money?"Discussions followed about the township's need to protect the community.Community members pointed out that there was no added police protection at a recent block party held by the fire department.Green said, "I have been in contact with Lehighton Borough officials and the numbers provided are attendance has been as high as 20,000, and the township needs to plan for potential issues."Bradley countered, "There is a baseball game going on right behind the building, there is no added police for that event?"Again, Green pointed out the difference in the anticipated attendance and the need for protection, at which point Bradley tossed a package of Magnum prophylactics from the back of the room to the desk of the supervisors and said, "Here is your protection."Cressley redirected the attention of the meeting and again asked Blakesley about the discussion regarding police presence.Blakesley said, "I have not been in contact with Chief (Thomas) Beltz, and perhaps I should have asked him his opinion."He added, "The fire department is not running bike night, we are simply hosting bike night."Cressley made a motion, seconded by Supervisor Paul Kocher, to approve the request of the Franklin Township Fire Department to host the Bike Night event.In other matters, the board approved the request of the fire department to host boot drives: one on Maury Road and one on Pohopoco Drive.