Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Council notebook on May 10 meeting

Audit report
Mike Reiner of the firm Sager, Swisher and Company presented the borough’s 2009 audit report, which was accepted by the council.
In his report, Reiner reported the borough’s capital improvement fund operating in the black.
“The borough’s economic condition has improved,” Reiner said.

QRS statistics
John Murphy Jr., assistant operations chief for the Columbia Quick Response Service, reported the QRS responded to 303 calls in the first quarter of the year and 115 just last month.
“We’ve been busy in May. It is picking up,” Murphy said.

Vandalism reports
Resident Robert Gainer addressed the council about vandalism and drug problems in his South Second Street neighborhood.
“The former railroad station on Bank Avenue have become a bedroom for teenagers. I do call police,” he said.
He also spoke of speeding in the area of Second and Union streets and residents not properly taking care of their dog waste.
He also questioned funding the borough once received from the Von Hess Foundation.

Parade is approved
The council approved a request from the Columbia Lions Club for its annual Mardi Gras Parade, Thursday, Oct. 28.

Other business:
* Voted down a request to make a $50 donation to the Firefighter’s Charitable Foundation.
* Approved a $400 fee for property code appeals.
* Approved a letter of intent to apply for Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority’s 2011 CDBG grant for Plane Street from Manor Street to Route 441.
* Approved submission of a USDA 35 percent rural development community facilities gran to purchase a GMAC Sierra One-Ton dump truck with snow plow and salt spreader attachments.
* Hired Remi Briand as a part-time code enforcement officer, effective May 24.
* Awarded a contract to Burkholder Paving for Phase II of the North Second Street project in the amount of $277,137.86.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

One note/correction to your report. The council did not approve the QRS request for $3428 to pay the entire cost of their insurances for 2010. The council DID however approve a revised payment of $918 to cover the costs of their general liability, as was recommended out of their finance committee meeting.

Anonymous said...

The Borough recieved a very good report from the Auditor. What about the outstanding 5 million dollar debt that still is held over the taxpayers head. This isn't just going away. Sheriff Lutz says there will be 200-300,000 people coming into Columbia once the Turkey Hill experience is completed. They better get the hotel built at 4th and Locust street to hold all these visitors. I can't wait until the extended river front plans come to light. I'm not talking about extending it north towards Marietta. The southern plan.

Vernon R. Detz, JR said...

The southern expansion is falling right into place for Wickenheiser, Lutz & their "puppets", Duncan, Sears & Gerlitzki as all of a sudden, Safe Harbor wants to give the Borough a "GIFT!" What a joke! The real estate business(3rd & Linden) wasn't enough of a burden to the taxpayers of Columbia Borough, now the Borough is going to be a landlord to a variety of property owners? Watch what this "gift" cost taxpayers!

Anonymous said...

Oh Vernon, you are so negative, do you ever see anything in a positive view? I belive you are on the Columbia School Board, are you "upping" our taxes again? Why not cut spending, are you going to propose eliminating some extra curricular activities at CHS, you may want to champion this begin with football and basketball.

Barry Ford said...

As I posted before, the Columbia School District has spent considerable money redoing the football stadium and the Elmer Kreiser Gym, plus hired a new football coach. Those two sports are bringing oney into the school district, along with wrestling.
Most others are costing the school district money in terms of official fees, coaching salaries and transportation.
Education is a very important part of the growing up process and without sports and other extra curricular activities, such as band, drama and chorus, the kids would have nothing to do. Perhaps, as stated earlier, the dropping of the two sports seems like a "super market bench rumor" from someone who is clueless.