North Catasauqua resident Brenda Dreisbach is concerned about noise in her neighborhood, and came to the Aug. 26 borough council meeting with her lawyer and a draft of a noise and nuisance ordinance in hand.

At the conclusion of her proposal, there was no response from the council members.

Attorney Joseph Backer began the presentation by speaking on her behalf.

"The idea here is that everybody is [living] close together. We have people living right on top of each other," he said.

Referring to the noise and nuisance issues outlined in Dreisbach's ordinance draft, he said, "Your police department is handicapped because there is no ordinance. I think that's what she's looking for, on behalf of the community."

Backer said Dreisbach has reviewed other municipal noise ordinances in drafting her document, a copy of which was in front of each council member.

Following Backer's comments, Dreisbach also spoke to the council.

"Children nowadays don't know how to respect adults. Sometimes adults don't know how to be neighborly anymore," she said. "It's a shame that it's gotten to this point. It's a sign of the times."

She said it's time to enact an ordinance so police have something they can enforce.

"I would appreciate it if you would give me a call," she said. I'd be more than happy to work with you to make revisions to this draft… before something really happens."

In a discussion that occurred later in the meeting, Keglovits commented that when the borough looked into a possible noise ordinance years ago, they learned a machine would have to be purchased to measure noise levels in order to enforce such an ordinance and that a reasonable level, somewhat higher than the one in Dreisbach's draft would have to be set.

Council members also questioned her suggestion for nighttime noise limits beginning at 8:30 p.m.

Fire Chief Sean McGinley said he believes a concern he has about a noise ordinance is that police would be too much occupied with checking noise levels when there is a complaint, and that public safety would be shortchanged as a result.

Paone said the only noise complaint he has personally heard was about the fire siren on the fire station, which would be excluded from an ordinance. Police Chief Kim Moyer said noise complaints typically come in as a result of an occasional late-night party or holiday fireworks.

Keglovits asked council members to look at the ordinance and be ready to comment at the Sept. 9 council meeting.