Columbia pays more than $2.4 million in salaries

NOTE: Salaries for management employees are listed. Its always been past practice not to list salaries of other employees, rather salary ranges. The salaries are final and does not list overtime pay.

When I came home the other day, there was this envelope in the old 644 mailbox. When I opened it, it wasn’t a bill, rather a list of what Columbia Borough employees made in 2009.


Don’t know who placed in the 644 box, so after some thought, I decided to place it on COLUMBIA TALK.

Unlike the Columbia School Board, who is either June or July (if they meet) approves all of its salaries from the superintendent right down to cafeteria workers and maintenance people, Columbia Borough does not.

If you want to find out say what Columbia Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barry Clippinger is making, its listed. If you want to find out what cafeteria workers and office employees make, its listed.

So, ever wonder what say Borough Manager Norm Meiskey makes or even Police Chief Joe Greenya makes, unless you file a Right to Know form, those salaries are never approved or announced at a meeting.

So on these forms I found in the 644 box, the salaries from 2009 W-2 forms, is $2,496,166.0 for the 63 employees from the seven members of council and mayor, who receive pay checks from the borough payroll.

Here are the salaries of management employees for the borough.

Municipal Authority Plant Manager Ken Berkheimer, $61,311.28

Municipal Authority Assistant Plant Manger Ted Castel, $48,816.90

Five authority employees, ranging from a low of $40,956.17 to a high of $46,041.23.

Eight crossing guards and parking enforcement officers, low of $2,324.15 to a high of $15,841.75.

Police Chief Joe Greenya, $89,171.33

Part-time police officers, three, $845.90

Full-time officers, $931,934.94. There are 17, ranging from a low of $44,574.69 to an officer who retired last year to a high of $80,520.90. There were five officers who made more than $70,000 in 2009.

Salaries for the dispatch center, $101,254.46 from a low of $61.56 to a high of $36,004.70 for four employees.

Borough Manager Norm Meiskey made $70,671.87 in 2009, while Georgianna Schreck, who is the finance manager made $40,29.12. Four other employees classified as office employees make just over $138,000.

Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Helm made $50,929 and four employees on that staff make a combined $112,410.32.

Salaries for the borough’s highway department of eight people range from a low of $8,791.06 for an employee who was just hired in 2009 to a high of $43,705.05. Highway Department Head Ron Miller made $58,799.93 in 2009. The total for the highway department was slightly more than $343,853.

The borough also paid $8,700 to members of the borough council and the mayor, plus salaries for the janitor, fire chief and tax collector.

Columbia's weekly police reports

Eric Reiser, 20, of Wrightsville, was charged with obedience to traffic control devices, as the result of an incident at Route 441 and Linden Street at 2:16 a.m., April 1.


Angel Robert Virola, 18, of Landisville, was charged with a violation of the child passenger law, as the result of an incident in the 200 block of South Fifth Street at 1:42 a.m., April 3.

Chasity Frey, 21, of Columbia, was charged with permitting an unauthorized person to drive, as the result of an incident in the 1100 block of Lancaster Avenue at 11:11 a.m., April 3.

Marcel Stephen Gordon, 26, of Columbia, was charged with driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked and required financial responsibility, as the result of an incident in the 1100 block of Lancaster Avenue at 10:12 a.m., April 3.

Hector Luis Santa, 42, of Columbia, was charged with obedience to traffic control devices, as the result of an incident at Third and Chestnut streets at 8:55 p.m., April 4.

Christopher J.M. Leonard, 57, of Columbia, was charged with operating a vehicle without official certificate of inspection, as the result of an incident on South Third Street at 4:11 p.m., April 3.

Wayne K. Walker, Sr., 52, of Columbia, was charged with driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked, as the result of an incident on Lancaster Avenue at 1 p.m., April 4.

Charles Webster Heath, 46, of Columbia, was charged with public drunkenness, as the result of an incident in the 200 block of Chestnut Street at 1:50 a.m., April 4.

Thomas Edward Martin, 44, of Wrightsville, was charged with criminal trespass and criminal mischief, as the result of an incident in the 600 block of Walnut Street at 8 a.m., April 6.

Akai Jesus Rosario, 24, and Sara Marie Bish, 22, both of Columbia, were charged witn robbery, simple assault and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery on April 1.
They were charged in connection with a n attempt to rob a male and a female in the Locust Street Park on March 31.
After arraignment, they were placed in Lancaster County Prison.

Kyjuan Shivers, 32, of Lancaster, was charged with resisting arrest, possession of marijuana, disorderly conduct and driving while license is suspended or revoked as the result of an incident in the 200 block of Walnut Street at 5:51 p.m., March 26.
After his arraignment, he was placed in Lancaster County Prison.

Darrel Lee McElderry, 41, of Mount Joy, was charged with fleeing and eluding police, possession of cocaine and multiple traffic offenses, as the result of an incident at 5:44 p.m., April 1.
He was placed in Lancaster County Prison.