Jim Thorpe Borough Council agreed to reduce the amount of a St. Patrick's Day Parade public services contract for the Ancient Order of Hibernians Alec Campbell Division 1 of Carbon County.

The AOH was originally sent an estimate for $954, but the bill was reduced to $342 after lengthy discussion at Thursday night's council meeting.According to public services manager Vince Yaich, the first estimate covered the labor cost of borough employees picking up barricades from Palmerton, setting them out along the route, returning them the day after the parade, and cleaning Broadway. It also included the equipment cost associated with those activities.Council unanimously agreed to drop the labor charge and only recoup money for equipment maintenance."If it's something the employees are doing during a regular work day, they're getting paid whether they are setting up barricades or getting equipment ready for the next snowstorm," Yaich said. "It's up to council, but I'm fine with dropping the labor cost if it's not outside of their regular work day."A recent borough policy requires every organization wanting to hold an event in town to fill out service contracts for the police and public service departments.The borough then decides if any additional officers are needed for the event and what public services are necessary.Extra police coverage will cost the AOH $4,664 for the 2016 parade, set for March 13 at 1 p.m.According to Hugh Dugan, co-chairman of the parade committee, the AOH had already signed the police services contract before Thursday, but had questions about the public services contract.In asking for a reduced amount, Dugan said it costs the AOH over $30,000 to put on the parade each year."We have to hit the businesses all over town," Dugan said. "It gets tougher and tougher to get this money every year. If our costs increase, there is no way we can keep up the quality of what we're doing."Council President Greg Strubinger said more and more municipalities are requiring help to pay for costs associated with events in their towns."Our number of events have increased dramatically and it's one of the reasons we initiated the police services contract and the public services contract," he said.The parade, started in 1998, draws around 10,000 people to Jim Thorpe each year.Francis "Snitz" O'Donnell has been named the 2016 grand marshal."The AOH has always donated money to the borough after the event," Councilman John McGuire said. "We've always had a great relationship and hope that can continue."