In you had a vote

If you had a say on what your community would look like and be involved in the planning process for that future, what would you want your town to look at and if involved in the planning process, would you look at the entire picture as to what is good for the town and not good for you as an individual? Or, would you look at it from the point, this is good for me and I don’t care about what others think?


It is a discussion I was recently involved in and my answer might differ from others. I know there are a lot of projects under way or being planned for in our great town. They all sound good on paper or in black and white and if they ever get completed, I am sure they will have a positive impact on our town.

Unlike those in power, who have a full plate of projects, decisions and meetings to attend, I would prefer to take a simple approach. That would be to take one project, get it off the “wish list” and get it done. One thing it will do is show the citizens of our town that there is progress a nd something is happening.

I don’t want to spend too much time rehashing what has or hasn’t been done in Columbia, but it is safe to say that not only from the municipal leaders but private developers, the number of projects that have been done might only fill up a couple of pages in a three-ring binder, but the projects that have been planned, spoken about or studied to death, will fill up more than a few three-ring binders.

I know progress takes time, but how much money has Columbia spent in planning projects such as parking lots downtown, new lights and trees for the downtown, the Route 441 relocation project, plans to turn the borough owned property at Third and Linden streets into the Turkey Hill Experience or previously a hotel or some other entity. Oh yeah, let’s not forget the River Park Expansion project. The list could go on and on and on.

What about weighing trucks that come through our town? The equipment lays idle at the borough highway department. We keep hearing officers are waiting to be trained or officers haven’t been picked yet. Why not? I understand we’ve had offers from other areas to share or use the equipment, but have been stone walled. Heck, pull a couple of trucks over in a day or a week and it could be an easy $100,000 in the borough’s financial pockets.

It seems like we study, study and study some more the various projects. Despite the studies, citizens see very little action. Does anyone think that each time Columbia complains about the lack of approvals for the Route 441 relocation, those in power tell Columbia to relax, things are moving forward and you’ll get your relocation project? I know I am not the only one who feels that way.

I understand, believe me, with what I’ve been through since my accident, dealing with many government entities takes time. It has been frustrating for me because I am not one that likes to see things moving slowly. I like to get things done and move on.

Perhaps that is the attitude our borough should take. Let’s get things moving, get something done and move on.

I believe in our town and always will. Sure, I’d like to be involved in moving things forward and in the planning, but sooner or later one of these projects needs to get started or completed, so we have some hope.

Right now all I see is borrowing an expression from former CHS football coach Mike Burke, who use to tell his players “don’t wake up wishing.” Right now, that’s what Columbia is dong, “waking up each morning wishing” instead of forcing things to get done.