Jim Thorpe Borough Council members are upset that a resident who helps promote events for local organizations could face a fine from the borough.

Borough officials said they just want the resident to comply with regulations.

The resident on Second Street allowed organizations like fire companies and churches to post signs on a fence in his backyard, which faces Route 903.

But the borough recently threatened a $500 fine unless he took down the signs or got a permit, which costs between $125 to $250 per sign.

Councilwoman Edie Lukasevich said she’s upset that the borough would fine someone who is helping local organizations.

“First of all, the signs are on this man’s property, and on his fence. He’s worried, he’s upset, he couldn’t afford a $500 fine,” she said. “They’re all charity things.”

Property records list the owner as Bruce Hurley.

Councilwoman Joanne Klitsch said she was “totally furious” to receive phone calls from residents who were upset about the signs.

“When I got the phone calls, I said, ‘What’s the problem here? He owns that fence,’ ” Klitsch said.

Lukasevich said she received 32 phone calls from residents who were upset by the borough’s fine.

Presumably some of them came from members of the organizations who have used the fence.

Fairview Hose Co., Immaculate Conception Church, and a charity remembering a Jim Thorpe boy who died of cancer have all used the fence in the last year.

The property is often filled with political signs, yet none of those candidates have been fined, Lukasveich said.

Lukasevich said she would like to know the identity of the person who made the complaint.

Borough manager Maureen Sterner said the borough’s zoning officer, a hired contractor, sent the resident a notice of violation after another resident made a complaint.

“There were signs put up without a permit. The notice of violation was for no permit,” she said.

There haven’t been any signs posted at the corner since the notice of violation went out.

Sterner said the borough is planning to meet with the property owner next week to discuss the next step.

“We don’t look to fine people. The end goal is always to get people to comply with the ordinances,” she said.

The borough happens to be considering changes to its sign ordinance right now. Sterner said if council wants to change the ordinance to make it cheaper for nonprofits to post signs, then that is their decision.

Klitsch said she believes that council will change the ordinance to allow the resident to continue to post signs to help local nonprofits.