Jim Thorpe is not only the Carbon County seat, but also its tourism hub.

While that's a boon for area businesses, it's stretching borough resources thin, especially within the police department.Mayor Michael Sofranko said he hopes things may soon change after the Carbon County commissioners agreed to meet with borough officials."There are a number of issues we would like to talk about," Sofranko said at a council meeting last week. "One is the amount of never-ending traffic downtown. With the 903 bridge work, other construction projects and just tourism in general, there is a lot of congestion. We want to look at ways to improve parking and access downtown."A date has not been set for the meeting, which will include the commissioners, Sofranko, Jim Thorpe Police Chief Joe Schatz, council members John McGuire and Joanne Klitsch, and representatives from the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce and Amazing Jim Thorpe.A preliminary discussion between the county and borough has already taken place."We had a long conversation about the amount of money the county takes in from the hotel tax and the county parking lot," Sofranko said. "The borough does get around $5,000 from the county to help with traffic control for Fall Foliage festival. That's a step in the right direction."One suggestion that will come from Schatz may help deal with the backlog of vehicles waiting to enter the county lot during peak times."I just think people should pay when they're coming out of the lot rather than when they go in," Schatz said. "If you can get your ticket and just keep moving I think it would help."Council said it wants to be careful not to put a negative spin on tourism, which it called very beneficial.According to Sofranko, without the tourists, Jim Thorpe risks "falling into disrepair" as some other towns have done over the years."We're very fortunate here in Jim Thorpe," he said. "We just need to make sure we have the proper services for our visitors and our residents."During 2016 budget negotiations, the police department will again likely request an additional full-time police officer.It currently has six on staff."There are times we have one guy on during a Saturday when there are 20,000 people downtown," Schatz said. "We're trying to protect a big populace."According to Schatz's statistics, over 50,000 riders rode Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway trains in 2014. Just under 20,000 of those riders came in October.This weekend will be no different downtown as the borough prepares for thousands of steam train enthusiasts.The Berkshire type steam locomotive No. 765 will make a guest appearance over the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway today and Sunday.Around 38,000 vehicles entered the county parking lot, next to the train station, in 2014.The "Lehigh Gorge Specials" will leave Bethlehem on Norfolk Southern Railroad and jump onto the Reading and Northern track in the Lehigh Gorge. The train will end up in Pittston for a return trip to Bethlehem. The train will lay over in Jim Thorpe for up to two hours in the afternoon."The other week they did a trial run to the Jim Thorpe Market parking lot at 1 or 2 a.m. and there were 150 people in the parking lot to see them," Sofranko said. "That is how popular the steam engines are. We're expecting a crush of train enthusiasts."Schatz said the police department has no service agreement with the railway."Trains are a big tourist attraction, but we put officers out just for that event and we can't patrol anything on the east side," he said."Maybe it is time to sit down with them and discuss a contract. The reality though is that if they say we're not doing it, we still have to provide our service."The borough has also asked the county sheriff's department to come out and help with traffic control and haven't had much luck.Sofranko said the Carbon County Mayor's Association plans to meet with the sheriff candidates to try and foster a working relationship.Council President Greg Strubinger echoed Sofranko's thoughts."In a lot of ways it is convenient to be the county seat, but there are some issues that come along with that," he said.