Nesquehoning is giving the OK to Carbon County's request to utilize the borough recreation center for female prisoners in the case of an emergency at the prison.

On Wednesday, borough council voted to give conditional approval to the request with the stipulations that if it is an emergency that also affects the residents of Nesquehoning, the recreation center would not be available to the prison since it is also used as a shelter; long-term arrangements for the prisoners must be made within 12 hours of the prisoner arrivals; and reimbursement of any costs the borough incurs as a result of the prison's use of the building. Council members David DeMelfi and Mary Fox were absent."I don't want to see them have to bus them (the prisoners) 50 or 100 miles, but we got to look at our own protection," Councilman Frank Jacobs said.The terms of the agreement include that in the event the prison, located on the Broad Mountain in Nesquehoning, must be evacuated during an emergency at the facility, female inmates would be transported to the Nesquehoning Recreation Center and housed there until other arrangements could be made. The inmates would be guarded by sheriff's deputies and prison guards, with the assistance of state police and Nesquehoning police.Nesquehoning also granted the prison's request last year.Before the vote, council noted that Jim Thorpe Borough Council said it was not in favor of housing the male inmates at Jim Thorpe Memorial Hall in the event of an emergency, but no formal action on the matter was taken.Last week, the county prison board reported that it is moving forward on getting mutual aid agreements in place with Kuhn's and George Transportation for buses in emergency situations. Both companies said they were willing to provide buses and drivers.A formal agreement is now being written up for that agreement.In other matters, Councilman George Sabol thanked the Nesquehoning VFW for all they do for the community.The VFW recently purchased $5,000 in stun gun equipment for the borough police department and recently gave $500 toward the new Christmas lights.