Jim Thorpe Borough Council reversed course Thursday night on its plans to add municipal watershed property to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s safety zone program.

Council agreed last month to put its watersheds on both sides of town into the program, which would have seen game commission officers conducting random patrols to help cut back on unlawful activity.

After the meeting, however, council learned that by entering into the program, all-terrain vehicle use would be limited. The borough could give permission for people to use ATVs while hunting, but recreational use would not be permitted.

On Thursday night, council unanimously voted to reverse its decision and not enter into the program.

“We found out that anyone in violation would be cited and the borough could not give a blanket exemption to that ATV rule,” Council Greg Strubinger said last week. “I don’t think we want to shut out responsible users of the property who have used it for recreation.”

Council heard from members of the Mauch Chunk Rod and Gun Club who regularly ride on the nearby Germantown property and said they would unofficially take on the role of policing it themselves.

“We were just out there on Sunday,” Jerry Kmetz said. “If we see something going on out there, we’re going to tell the chief about it. We’ve been taking care of it out there. If there is trash, we pick it up. We don’t want to see it ruined for everyone.”

The borough has received some complaints of trash on the property before, but most of that was unfounded, officials said.

“We went out and there really wasn’t a whole lot there,” Police Chief Joe Schatz said of past visits. “I was really expecting it to look a lot worse than it did.”

One complaint, Councilwoman Joanne Klitsch said, should not result in such strict rules for other users.

“I personally haven’t seen enough going on out there to warrant this action,” she said. “I don’t think the situation is that bad.”

Councilman Jay Miller said he was willing to go along with the decision of his colleagues, but wanted to put it on the record that he sees the value in the agreement with the Game Commission.

“I think there are some real benefits in taking this deal,” Miller said. “I’ll say this, if there are any issues, I hope a future council takes another look at this.”

Wildlife Conservation Officer Cory Bentzoni visited a council workshop last month and said the state has worked with Lehighton in the past and just signed up some property in Weatherly Borough as part of the program.

The agreement would have lasted for five years and automatically renewed annually after that.

Vince Yaich, Jim Thorpe’s fire chief and public services manager, said even though the borough did sign the agreement, the game commission can still come on the property to respond to a complaint.

“If there is a report of trapping out of season or something like that, they’ll be out there,” Yaich said.