A Palmerton woman has asked borough officials to not make its iconic bandstand in its borough park go to a permit-only use.

Resident Lisa Snell Kern shared her concerns with borough council on Thursday as it contemplates the language of an ordinance for its bandstand.

“I do not want to see the bandstand go to permit-only,” Snell Kern said. “I would hope the bad would outweigh the good.”

Instead, Snell Kern suggested perhaps council consider a “no loitering” designation.

Council President Terry Costenbader said council would ask its parks and recreation commission to look at that and make recommendations.

Afterward, Councilman Andrew Hollywood said the borough has to do what it can to protect its historic structure from mischief.

“We have a problem with vandalism,” Hollywood said. “We have to have some kind of structure to give them.”

Councilman Cory Kepner said the borough is awaiting word on its application for a Local Share Assessment Grant.

Resident Marj Federanich said that while she understood where Snell Kern is coming from, “it’s not worked so far.”

“I’d love to see the good taking over the bad,” Federanich said. “Unfortunately, it’s the bad taking over the good.”

Federanich added, “We need to do something more than just open it up.”

Mayor Don Herrmann noted that he and Joe Federanich did a lot of work last summer to the bandstand, only to see damage done to it.

Herrmann said those who are bad are making the bandstand look really bad, and agreed something needs to be done.

Councilwoman Holly Hausman-Sell asked how new cameras would help solve the problem.

Herrmann said he believes they will be a big help.

Costenbader said that council is aware of the issue and will address it.

“We’ve been down this road before, and we’ll send it to parks and rec, and they’ll make a recommendation,” he said.

In November, Kepner said council was looking at how to word the ordinance to make it enforceable.

Joe Federanich, of the Palmerton Bandstand Committee, told council in October that damage continues to happen at an alarming rate to the bandstand in the borough park.

Borough Manager Donna McGarry said at that time that she reached out to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission because the bandstand is a historical structure. Unfortunately, she said they had no suggestions other than what the borough is doing.

Marj Federanich, who spoke on behalf of the Concourse Club of Palmerton, suggested putting a sign up stating no bicycles, skateboards, or loitering is allowed inside the bandstand so that there’s some type of presence of a warning.

She referred to an incident in which a juvenile was injured near the bandstand.

However, Hollywood said at that time he didn’t believe a sign would make a difference.

Hausman-Sell previously said that vandalism in the park isn’t just relegated to the bandstand.

Herrmann said the police department has been proactive in its approach.

Marj Federanich said people have spent a lot of money and made many contributions to ensure the bandstand would remain a vital component of the park.

McGarry said at that time she hoped to have an ordinance for the bandstand in time for Thursday night’s council meeting.

In August, Kepner said there’s been some consideration to closing the bandstand to general access, with use only allowed by permission of council, and that council has considered looking at new camera systems.

Also at that time, council denied a request for bathrooms in the borough park.

In July, Kepner said a bicycle damaged the bandstand, and it’s believed the perpetrators who caused it are from outside the borough.

Borough police Chief Tim Kromer said that the borough’s ordinance does not allow bicycles, skateboards or scooters in the bandstand.

The newly remodeled bandstand had been damaged within days after the structure was rededicated in September.

The Donald and Mary Behler Foundation stepped in with all of the funding for the construction costs of the project.

Before that, Joe Federanich said it had been more than 30 years since any improvements had been made to the bandstand.