Jim Thorpe Borough plans to seek two Local Share Account grants in the next funding cycle for wiring improvements at the Asa Packer Mansion and the potential acquisition of a drone for the police department.

In a push toward modernizing the police force, council also discussed acquiring a drone to help enhance public safety.

The LSA grant application for the drone, which totals $17,917, would cover the cost of equipment, training and FAA pilot licensing for officers.

Police Chief Joe Schatz and Mayor Eric Cinicola told council that they believe the drone could be a game changer for managing large public events and emergencies.

“With the amount of crowds that we have, it would be another eye in the sky for surveillance and monitoring,” Schatz said. “It would be used for tasks ranging from overseeing crowd dynamics to assisting in traffic management, and providing aerial views during accidents or search and rescue operations.”

The drone, Schatz said, would be equipped with advanced technology such as wide-view cameras and thermal imaging, which could be crucial for locating individuals in distress, especially at night.

“We spoke with some other departments, including one over in Schuylkill County, and they said this is one of the best things they have done for their operations,” Schatz said.

Cinicola said the drone would be particularly useful for the fire department when responding to events in the borough’s mountainous and riverine terrain, where traditional search methods may be slow or hazardous.

“We can … perhaps fly to an exact location … we can locate someone in the river or in a collapse zone, God forbid we ever have that situation,” Cinicola said.

Council expressed optimism about securing the necessary funding for the mansion project and the drone.

“Both of these are really great projects for the borough and we hope to be successful with the LSA grants,” Strubinger said.

Mansion

The mansion’s wiring, which includes outdated knob-and-tube systems, was identified as a safety hazard, according to borough council President Greg Strubinger.

“This is a very worthy project, and we’re hoping to get funded to be able to do that,” Strubinger said. “This will help mitigate potential dangers and preserve the building for future generations.”

The project is estimated to cost approximately $164,000, with the borough intending to use matching funds.

“We were proposing matching funds … $15,165 from borough general funds and $15,165 from mansion funds,” borough Manager Maureen Sterner said.

Council aims to finalize the necessary paperwork next week to ensure the matching funds are authorized.