Jim Thorpe’s Memorial Hall is closed for repairs following water damage from a burst fire suppression line, with borough council approving expedited decision-making authority Thursday night to reopen the facility as quickly as possible.

The pipe burst occurred earlier this month when an elbow joint failed in the ceiling above the women’s restroom, according to Borough Manager Maureen Sterner.

“It was the fire suppression line,” Sterner said. “We took all the precautions for the freezing temperatures but this was not a normal water pipe.”

The damage came just months after the borough rededicated Memorial Hall in October following a nearly $10 million renovation project that consolidated borough administration, police operations and community event space under one roof for the first time in the borough’s history.

The renovation transformed one-third of the building’s top floor into borough office space, with the remainder reserved for community events. The Jim Thorpe Police Department moved into the lower level, upgrading from a 1,000-square-foot facility to a 5,000-square-foot headquarters.

Council approved a motion Thursday to give the borough’s buildings and grounds committee authority to make interim repair decisions without waiting for full council meetings. All decisions will be ratified at future council meetings.

Council President Connor Rodgers said the goal is to balance speed with quality.

“To get the Memorial Hall open as soon as possible, while making sure it’s done right,” Rodgers said of the decision.

Borough staff have been monitoring the building closely since the incident occurred several weeks ago.

“Our staff has been on top of the hall the past few weeks since the event, and we’ve pretty much assured that building’s dried out since the burst,” Rodgers said.

Employees have maintained regular checks around the clock to ensure no additional problems develop, he added.

The borough’s insurance adjuster is assessing the damage and will provide a financial determination, Rodgers said.

“Providing a specific timeline for reopening is difficult given the nature of the repairs,” he added.

The water damage forced relocation of the America 250PA Kick-Off Event to Jim Thorpe Area School District.

Despite the closure, council approved four rental requests from Mauch Chunk Trust Company for Memorial Hall events scheduled for June 15, June 25, Oct. 13 and Dec. 5, all subject to the rental agreement and compliance with the hall’s rules and regulations.

Council also approved a request Thursday from Dave Gasker for Memorial Hall to serve as an alternate location for an America 250PA opening ceremony.