WORTH TWP — Residents want something done to prevent a recurrence of a disturbance many of them experienced over a recent weekend.

More than 50 people attended Tuesday's township supervisors meeting to voice frustrations with the Resonance Music Festival that used Cooper's Lake as a venue from Sept. 19 to 22.

“A noise ordinance will not protect us from the criminal issues arising from this event,” said resident Dawn Smith.

Smith said the event and its participants misbehaved to an illegal degree. She said she was told of examples of public nudity, public intoxication and illegal drug use, among other illicit activities.

In addition to behavior, many residents complained about the noise that reverberated within their houses throughout the event, including beyond the 2 a.m. time limit that they claim was promised at a previous meeting by event organizers.

One woman claimed she heard music playing when she awoke for work at 5 a.m.

Resident Lisa Alben said the noise was so loud, residents couldn't bear it.

“My sister has two little kids. They decided to go away for the weekend,” Alben said.

Resident Rob Rathbun said the residents' concerns must be addressed, but not with a noise ordinance. He said the noise ordinance would do little to prevent big companies from breaking the law.

“I'm afraid people are going to do what they want and pay the fine,” Rathbun said. “We need something in place that is going to stop this from happening in the first place.”

Rathbun said the focus should be on making sure the campground better examines the events using its space.

“I had respect and trust in Cooper's before this,” he said. “This did a lot of damage in my opinion to their reputation in this community.”

Resident Al Gordon said an ordinance would impose unnecessary restraints on the residents too.

“An ordinance is not what we need,” Gordon said. “The idea of a permit is what we should talk about, not the idea of an ordinance.”

Many liked the idea of permits and time of day constraints, like halting excessive noise past 11 p.m., but some still focused on a traditional noise ordinance.

“It will be addressed,” Supervisor Fred Brezel said. “There will be action taken. Some will like it, and some will not.”

Brezel told residents at the meeting that he did not want to promise anything until after the township's solicitor could discuss options with the supervisors.

Available to the public were some examples gathered for the township regarding a noise ordinance.

“I didn't like any of them,” Brezel said.

Brezel said he liked the idea of permits because then it would not restrict the residents too.

Representatives from the festival tried to answer some residents' questions and explain their point of view.

“We're willing to work with the township in the future, and we want to be better neighbors,” said Casey Schneider, owner of Central Productions, which organizes the event.

Schneider said festival organizers felt as though they followed the courtesies asked of them. He said after 2 a.m. the music was moved to inside the barn area to reduce the noise.

Schneider said the organizers would like to be and do better next year, having heard and read great responses from people who attended the event.

“The reaction since the event has been crazy positive aside from these 30 residents,” Schneider said. “It's been mostly positive we've heard so far.”

Some residents pointed to Brezel's employment by the campground as a reason for supervisors prolonging the process.

“I can't imagine how it can be legal for him not to recuse himself while he's on the board,” said Linda Haas.

Brezel said he has not seen any law or evidence that he needed to recuse himself in cases involving his employer.

“If that prevents people from being a supervisor, then there's a lot of people who will be out of a job,” Brezel said. “I'm looking out for the welfare of our residents. It's a tightrope sometimes.”

Haas said she felt the event's organizers have consistently lied throughout their dealings with the township, and she was disappointed in the campground.

She said the event has left a sour taste in the mouths of many residents, and she believes the group that attended Tuesday's meeting will continue attending meetings until they see a resolution.

“I am so personally disappointed in the whole Cooper family,” Haas said. “We are going to pursue every avenue as taxpayers to keep them (the event) from coming back.”