Area officials are zeroing in on plans for Independence weekend, as both J4 and Old Home Week Reunion committees plan to share the North Catasauqua Park July 5.

Catasauqua Mayor Barbara Schlegel attended the Feb. 12 North Catasauqua Borough Council meeting to discuss plans for the J4 celebration to be held July 5 at the North Catasauqua Park.

Schlegel is a member of the committee that is planning the 2014 event. She came to the meeting to set the record straight on the plans for the day.

The J4 celebration is a joint-borough undertaking. The location passes back and forth between Catasauqua and North Catasauqua parks each year it is held.

This year, the J4 event coincides with Catasauqua plans for an Old Home Week, taking place June 27-July 6. An OHW reunion committee is planning to host an all-year Catasauqua High School class reunion at the North Catasauqua Park, hoping that the Old-timers' Softball Game, flea market, crafts and food concessions associated with the J4 event will attract additional registrants for the OHW reunion as well.

Schlegel emphasized that, while the two events will be at the park on the same day, they are separate events. She said the Catasauqua Borough Council had voted to allow a public works crew to go to the North Catasauqua Park set up tents for the reunion.

She also said the J4 committee was considering having a car show at the park as part of its celebration.

North Catasauqua resident Marc Hildenbrand said he had spoken to the reunion committee chair, Ben Ferenchak recently.

"I told him there's no way you can have tents, ball field and car show," he said. "If you end up with a hundred cars, it's impossible."

After some discussion, it was determined that a car show and a softball game could not be accommodated on the same day, as cars would be showing up while the game was going on, and they would be occupying the same space.

It is still not known how many would be expected to attend the reunion, and whether or not the reunion committee will want to offer beer to reunion guests.

"We can't vote on this until we know the number of people, beer or no beer, and the number of tents," said Councilman John Yanek.

Ferenchak had attended an earlier council meeting to discuss reunion plans but said he could not determine how many tents would be needed until he receives more replies to the invitations sent out to CHS graduates.

Councilman Bill Nothstein expressed opposition to the serving of beer at the reunion. He suggested allowing the tents, but no alcohol and no car show.

Schlegel said she would take the council's comments to the February meeting of the J4 Committee, to be held later that evening.