The third time wasn’t the charm for a proposed bus route that would bring some Carbon County residents to Mauch Chunk Lake Park.

On Thursday, the board of commissioners voted 2-1 to table the matter of the new beach bus route with LANTA until June 1 to allow the county’s insurance company to review the proposal and determine any liabilities that would come up for the route.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich, who has been in favor of the route, made the motion to table, saying, that this would allow PCoRP with the opportunity “to give us risk mitigation recommendations based upon their concern on days that are swim at your own risk and how that could impact the liability of the county.”

By moving the motion vote to June 1, Lukasevich said it still allows the county and LANTA with the opportunity to introduce the new route in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner voted against tabling this matter, citing that he feels there is just too many questions that need to be addressed before something like this could be implemented.

“We had a meeting with PCoRP and to me, my interpretation is this a great liability to the county,” Ahner said, adding, “How do we determine if a child could get off the bus at Mauch Chunk Lake if the lake is swim at your own risk?”

“Are we now making the decision for the parents that the kids can swim without a lifeguard? We’re opening ourselves up to a lot of liability here. There’s exclusions in our insurance policies that do not cover death. If something would happen there ... we want to be prepared. ... We’re responsible for their safety when they get there.”

Mauch Chunk Lake Park had two drownings in the lake in the last five years, the commissioners cited, but Lukasevich said that he sees children at the beach without an adult all the time. These children are there because they are camping at the park and the parents are back at the campsite.

“So are we really increasing our liability?” he questioned, adding that he is looking forward to hearing PCoRP’s assessment and recommendation.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein, who was not in attendance the last two meetings, said that the insurance company has great concern over the liability.

He added that he sees both sides because it is a good idea, but it also carries great liability.

The proposed route, if it comes to fruition, would serve the communities of Nesquehoning, Lansford, Summit Hill and Jim Thorpe and be operated by LANTA.