Lansford Borough wants to build off the success of last year’s history trolley tours and welcome tourists to town.

The tours, which were spearheaded by the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, originated at the No. 9 Mine and Museum, and the Jim Thorpe Trolley Co. took visitors on tours of the borough.

The PMVB partnered with these groups as well as the local historical society, a historic church and the borough to launch the tours, which brought people from the area as well as out-of-state visitors.

Michele Bartek, who chairs council’s economic development, tourism and grant committee, shared a letter regarding the upcoming year’s plans, which have yet to be finalized.

Marianne Rustad from PMVB said that they were waiting for the No. 9 Mine to open to come up with a schedule that works for the museum and mine tour and the trolley company.

Once set, the borough will receive a special event form for the tours, Rustad said in the letter.

Councilman Bruce Markovich explained that the trolley’s route will come up through town and point out various restaurants and businesses that visitors can stop at after the tour, which will be a shorter run without a stop for lunch included.

“They’re cutting out the lunch. Lunch is going to be on your own,” he said.

The trolley will make 40-minute runs through town pointing out historically significant points of interest, and the tours will still originate at the No. 9, where guests will also get a tour of the mine included in their ticket price, Markovich said.

Visitors can opt to tour the mine before or after the trolley tour, and there will be up to four trolley tours a day, he said.

“Initially, it’s going to start with two tours, but then it’s going to go to four tours,” he said.

Jim Thorpe Trolley Co. will handle the ticketing, and tourists will be able “to book on the fly,” meaning that people can opt for a trolley ride the same day as their visit rather than booking in advance.

The PMVB will continue to promote and market the tours.

Visitors will also stay on the trolley, and not get off at various sites, such as the historical society museum or the Welsh Church, Councilwoman Gwyneth Collevechio said.

“They’re not going to get off the trolley. They’ll stop at points of interest, talk about it, but not off, which is different than what we did in the fall,” she said.

The owner of the trolley company is excited about launching the excursion, looking to convert a trolley into a mine car and have a guide dressed in character telling the stories, Collevechio said.

People came from outside the area in the fall, she noted, recalling talking to people from Reading and even Maryland, she said.

“And that’s the idea to get people to come here and then stay here, eat, shop, spend some money and like what they see,” Collevechio said.

Resident Erin Soberick told council members that they need to work together to ensure the town is safe and work with the police department, because the recent dog attacks were all over social media.

“It was just on (Blue Ridge) 13 before I came here what was discussed here last week, the middle school, the Silver building, the dogs, the whole bit,” Collevechio said. “It was on the front page of the paper. We get a lot of negative publicity.

“We need positivity. We need people cleaning up their properties,” she said.

Bartek pointed out that they need Ridge Street, the main business district, cleaned up as well.

Resident Ron Peck said council needs to address weeds in the business district too, as during a recent parade weeds stood as tall as people along the route.

Council members discussed spraying for weeds and possibly getting a borough employee certified to spray.