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.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Risk Watch Program to host bike event
Residents tell council they want to take back streets
Unless you just got back into town or have been living under a rock, there have been a number of problems recently in Columbia, culminating with the shooting death of a 20-year-old from Lancaster Friday night.
At Monday’s borough council meeting, a number of residents vented their frustrations about recent activity, most of which involving weapons, drugs and problem properties. While residents vented borough council said the solution is to keep calling police and the borough’s code enforcement office to report concerns and possibly reform neighborhood watch programs.
Don Gallagher, a resident of Plane Street and a business owner downtown was the first to address the issue. Last week, police were called to his neighborhood five times in two days.
“Same people and the same landlords are causing our problems. We do we have to put up with it. How can people live in this town with fights breaking out, but it is not the people in this room who are causing the fights,” Gallagher said.
“It makes our town look really bad” he continued.
“There are plenty of good people here in Columbia. It is the ones coming in who are bad people.” Gallagher said.
“How can we stop it?” Gallagher asked.
Council Vice-President Mary Barninger, who lives near Gallagher, said residents need to keep calling police.
“We discourage residents to take the law into their hands,” Barninger said.
She added, if there is landlord-tenant problem, call the code enforcement office.
“We (council) only has so much authority. We have to have residents who are willing to step up and make your comments known,” Barninger said.
Another member of council Sandy Duncan said our town has changed from where it use to be everyone knew everyone.
“We care about our community and who lives here. Let the proper people known and let them know we are not going to stand for this,” Duncan said.
Those involved in the problems in the 600 block of Plane Street have received eviction notices as the result of violating the borough’s three strike ordinance.
“Police can’t be everywhere. We have to rely on our citizens,” said Mary Wickenheiser, council president.
She suggested residents, if they are concerned form neighborhood watches.
“They have fallen by the wayside. Maybe it is time we bring them back,” Wickenheiser said.
Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said the borough’s code enforcement office receives between 1,400 and 1,700 reports a year. “We are in the process of revamping our codes office,” Meiskey said.
He also noted that sometime within the next 90 days video security cameras will be installed throughout the community.
“There are a number of proactive efforts that are being initiated so we can address these issues and take a bite out of crime,” Meiskey said.
Shirley McBride a former member of the Columbia Citizens Action Committee suggested a similar group be formed.
“People need to stand up and we need to take our community back,” the resident said.
“Our town will be taken over if we don’t stand up,” McBride said.
Another resident Robert Gainer suggested police have zero tolerance when it comes criminal activity.
“I do call police and I will not back down,” said Gainer.
Another resident Frank Doutrich said most of Columbia’s problems come from Lancaster.
“We are saying just come in, we got housing,” Doutrich said.
Former council member Vern Detz wanted to know how two “after hours” clubs were allowed to operate in Columbia.
“We need to prohibit them from operating,” he said.
“We need to take our streets back and take a stand,” Detz said.
Wickenheiser said the borough had no idea about Friday’s event at the former Keystone Fire Company.
“It was publicized outside of Columbia,” she saod.
Last month, police also broke up an “after hours” party at the Bricktown Skate Zone in the 200 block of Chestnut Street.
“There are two different renters involved, who had the parties, not the owner. I don’t know how we deal with events that are not known in town,” Wickenheiser said.
At Monday’s borough council meeting, a number of residents vented their frustrations about recent activity, most of which involving weapons, drugs and problem properties. While residents vented borough council said the solution is to keep calling police and the borough’s code enforcement office to report concerns and possibly reform neighborhood watch programs.
Don Gallagher, a resident of Plane Street and a business owner downtown was the first to address the issue. Last week, police were called to his neighborhood five times in two days.
“Same people and the same landlords are causing our problems. We do we have to put up with it. How can people live in this town with fights breaking out, but it is not the people in this room who are causing the fights,” Gallagher said.
“It makes our town look really bad” he continued.
“There are plenty of good people here in Columbia. It is the ones coming in who are bad people.” Gallagher said.
“How can we stop it?” Gallagher asked.
Council Vice-President Mary Barninger, who lives near Gallagher, said residents need to keep calling police.
“We discourage residents to take the law into their hands,” Barninger said.
She added, if there is landlord-tenant problem, call the code enforcement office.
“We (council) only has so much authority. We have to have residents who are willing to step up and make your comments known,” Barninger said.
Another member of council Sandy Duncan said our town has changed from where it use to be everyone knew everyone.
“We care about our community and who lives here. Let the proper people known and let them know we are not going to stand for this,” Duncan said.
Those involved in the problems in the 600 block of Plane Street have received eviction notices as the result of violating the borough’s three strike ordinance.
“Police can’t be everywhere. We have to rely on our citizens,” said Mary Wickenheiser, council president.
She suggested residents, if they are concerned form neighborhood watches.
“They have fallen by the wayside. Maybe it is time we bring them back,” Wickenheiser said.
Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said the borough’s code enforcement office receives between 1,400 and 1,700 reports a year. “We are in the process of revamping our codes office,” Meiskey said.
He also noted that sometime within the next 90 days video security cameras will be installed throughout the community.
“There are a number of proactive efforts that are being initiated so we can address these issues and take a bite out of crime,” Meiskey said.
Shirley McBride a former member of the Columbia Citizens Action Committee suggested a similar group be formed.
“People need to stand up and we need to take our community back,” the resident said.
“Our town will be taken over if we don’t stand up,” McBride said.
Another resident Robert Gainer suggested police have zero tolerance when it comes criminal activity.
“I do call police and I will not back down,” said Gainer.
Another resident Frank Doutrich said most of Columbia’s problems come from Lancaster.
“We are saying just come in, we got housing,” Doutrich said.
Former council member Vern Detz wanted to know how two “after hours” clubs were allowed to operate in Columbia.
“We need to prohibit them from operating,” he said.
“We need to take our streets back and take a stand,” Detz said.
Wickenheiser said the borough had no idea about Friday’s event at the former Keystone Fire Company.
“It was publicized outside of Columbia,” she saod.
Last month, police also broke up an “after hours” party at the Bricktown Skate Zone in the 200 block of Chestnut Street.
“There are two different renters involved, who had the parties, not the owner. I don’t know how we deal with events that are not known in town,” Wickenheiser said.
Road project is a concern
 |
| Workers install no parking signs at Third and Locust this afternoon./ |
Over the last month, if not longer, curbs and sidewalks along the Route 441 corridor have been dug up and repaired. Much of the construction has taken weeks and caused a number of headaches for businesses along the area.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation hired a sub contractor, McMinn’s Asphalt of Lancaster to replace curbs and sidewalks and repave the road.
The curbs and sidewalks were finally completed Friday.
Monday, traffic problems mounted when McMinn’s started milling the old asphalt in preparation for paving the road through Columbia south to Washington Boro at Route 999.
Heather McDonald, a resident of the 100 block of Locust Street, spoke to the borough council Monday night about traffic problems in her area, along with other issues.
First discussed with the council, were no parking signs placed along the Route 441 area in Columbia, which no one knew about, which wer eventually taken down.
“It has been totally disruptive. We taken a lot of complaints and I’ve discussed them with the project manager on a regular basis,” Meiskey said.
“They have been very difficult to deal with,” he said.
Settlement within days
By Friday, hopefully no later than next Wednesday, the Turkey Hill Experience will take its final step in becoming the biggest tourist attraction in western Lancaster County.At Monday’s borough council meeting, officials announced that the long planned sale of the property at Third and Linden streets, will happen by Friday or at the latest next Wednesday to the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, who will in turn sell the property to Museum Partners.
“Everyone is working toward that goal,” said Norm Meiskey, borough manager.
He explained the loan document between all parties needed to be redone and some changes in the terms and conditions were changed. Meiskey said the Susquehanna Bank is expected to approve the financial plan today or tomorrow.
Former council member Vern Detz said he was concerned those involved would ask for another extension of the agreement.
“The borough is the one taking all of the risks in this project. They (CEDC and Museum Partners) are just pushing paper. If they walk, the borough is still on the hook for this money. We are being strong armed,” Detz said.
Detz suggested that if there is another delay in the project, council should move on and find another developer.
“You have to have a different plan,” Detz said. “Enough is enough, let’s move on.”
Council President Mary Wickenheiser said this project would have been completed had a previous council not wanted to go with the local economic development group.
“The members at that time voted down an agreement with the Lancaster Economic Development Corporation.. We would not have been sitting here tonight without an agreement. The council at that time didn’t want someone to make money off this borough,” she said.
Market continues to move forward
The Columbia Market House has been without a manager since borough council fired Renae Sears late in 2009.While its possible, a new market manager might be hired in the near future, it hasn’t stopped residents questioning the market’s activities.
“I can’t believe when I go to the market how empty the stands are,” said Shirley McBride, resident.
She said she was surprised recently to see three stand holders advertising specials in a local publication.
“I was so upset with the empty stands,” she said. “I know there are three or four people out there qho want to see it close.”
“Market was a good place to go. The Amish people in there are just barely hanging on. We need to get people in there who know the market and get its going. Running a market is not a part-time job,” McBride said.
She would like to see more stands fill the market and “make it a nice place to go and sit and talk.”
“It’s terrible in there, something is not kosher. We need someone to take control of the market and get it back to where it was last year,” McBride said.
Councilmen Kelly Murphy, chairman of council’s market committee, said there are a lot of plans under way for the market, once renovations are complete.
“The Amish people tell me they are doing well and we should have a manager very shortly,” he said.
“We are in a transition and we have no intentions of letting it fail,” Murphy said.
Former manager Sears, who is now a member of the council said advertising was costly and there was very little money available to do that.
Murphy said the stand holders are raising money for advertising.
“If you want it to work, everyone needs to support it,” Murphy saiid.
Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said that until the renovations are complete, there’s no need to promote the market.
“We want to make sure people have a positive experience when they come here,” Meiskey said.
QRS request approved
They’ve already answered ore than 456 calls so far this year, purchased a new vehicle and moved into their own building in the 400 block of Locust Street.
At Monday’s borough council meeting, the QRS was asking council for some help. However, they almost got a cold shoulder from borough council.
QRS Executive Director Frank Splain was seeking help from the council by paying the service’s general vehicle liability insurance. Splain at presented the proposal to council’s finance committee last month.
Splain explained Monday night that since the inception of the QRS back in 2003, the organization has spent $23,996 in insurance fees. The QRS was asking council to pay six months of its current policy of $918. He also questioned if the borough could pay a year worth of the insurance costs.
“It is currently provided to the fire service,” Splain said.
“We are financially okay but a little stretched with the new building and new vehicle,” Splain said.
The executive director said with the borough helping out it would take some of the financial strain off the QRS.
But when it cane time for the council to vote on the proposal, they also explained money was tight for them as well. The expenditure was not budgeted, council said.
“We have a very tight budget this year,” said Kelly Murphy, chairman of the council’s finance committee.
The council was also concerned about two figures the QRS presented. One was for $1,315 and the second was for $918.
In the end, council by a 4-3 approved the QRS request.
Crime scene active today
Investigators were searching the area for more evidence in the case. Will post an update ehen available.
Weekly Columbia police reports
JOHATHON D. ANSELL, 23, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR ONE-WAY ROADWAYS, ON SOUTH SECOND. STREET, AT3:30 P.M., MAY 1.
JUSTIN E. ROBERTS, 22, OF LANCASTER, WAS CITED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS, AT ROUTE 30 EAST AND ROUTE 441, AT 1:12 P.M., APRIL 30.
ROMANY FAIEZ ATTA, 30, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY LAW RESTRAINT SYSTEMS AND FOR STOP SIGNS AND YIELD SIGNS, AT MARKET AVENUE AND SADIE LANE, AT 7:50 A.M., MAY 2.
PATRICIA CHERYL HARP, 50, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED, IN THE 400 BLOCK OF UNION STREET, AT 8:49 P.M., MAY 3.
GRETA NOELLE METZ, 27, OF MOUNTVILLE, WAS CITED FOR STOP SIGNS AND YIELD SIGNS, AT WALNUT AND NORTH THIRD. STREETS, AT 12:47 A.M., MAY 6.
Track swept at Mennonite
The Columbia track tea ms were swept this afternoon by Lancaster Mennonite.
Mennonite won the boys' meet, 122-28 and the girls' meet, 123-16.
In the boys' meet, Brandon Felus won the shot put and discus. In the girls' meet, Kelsey Ulrich won the discus and the 400-meter relay team also placed first.
Columbia finishes the year winless in Section 3 and will compete in the Lancaster-Lebanon League championships Friday and Saturday at Hempfield High School.
Mennonite won the boys' meet, 122-28 and the girls' meet, 123-16.
In the boys' meet, Brandon Felus won the shot put and discus. In the girls' meet, Kelsey Ulrich won the discus and the 400-meter relay team also placed first.
Columbia finishes the year winless in Section 3 and will compete in the Lancaster-Lebanon League championships Friday and Saturday at Hempfield High School.
Tide girls close regular season
The Columbia softball program has never had a winning season. That all changed this year and in the final game of the regular season, the Tide girls had some fin in winning their 13th game overall and 10th league game by a 13-0 score over Lancaster Mennonite.
The Tide finishes the regular season with a 13-7 record and they were 10-6 in Section 5.
Columbia has qualified foe the District 3 Class AA playoffs, which open Wednesday, Feb.19 at a site, time and opponent to be announced.
Monday, which was designated Senior Day, the Tide had no problem. All the team’s seniors – Sara Burke, Allison Michener, Victoria Kuhn and Kayla Ortman contributed to the win, especially in tje second inning when the Tide sent 16 girls to the dish and scored 12 runs.
In that inning, Burke, who started the inning with a neatly bunt single, also walked; Michener singled and circled the bases on two Mennonite errors; Kuhn drove in a run on a ground out, while Ortman reached on an error and scored.
In that second inning, Columbia ripped seven hits, had four girls walk and Mennonite had five errors in the inning. Ripping extra base hits were Ashlyn Phillips, Emily Detz and Vallesa Carollo. Burke, Emily Detz, Phillips, Nobile and Carollo each reach base twice in the inning.
All of this offense coming for the Tide after they left the bases juiced in the first.
Columbia added to their run total in the fourth when Nobile reached after striking out the Mennonite catcher misplayed the third strike, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on an error and scored on another wild pitch.
Detz was her usual steady stuff in the circle. She didn’t allowed Mennonite a hit until the fourth and that runner was erased trying to go to second. She also allowed the Lady Blazers a hit in the fifth. She struck out eight.
The Tide finishes the regular season with a 13-7 record and they were 10-6 in Section 5.
Columbia has qualified foe the District 3 Class AA playoffs, which open Wednesday, Feb.19 at a site, time and opponent to be announced.
Monday, which was designated Senior Day, the Tide had no problem. All the team’s seniors – Sara Burke, Allison Michener, Victoria Kuhn and Kayla Ortman contributed to the win, especially in tje second inning when the Tide sent 16 girls to the dish and scored 12 runs.
In that inning, Burke, who started the inning with a neatly bunt single, also walked; Michener singled and circled the bases on two Mennonite errors; Kuhn drove in a run on a ground out, while Ortman reached on an error and scored.
In that second inning, Columbia ripped seven hits, had four girls walk and Mennonite had five errors in the inning. Ripping extra base hits were Ashlyn Phillips, Emily Detz and Vallesa Carollo. Burke, Emily Detz, Phillips, Nobile and Carollo each reach base twice in the inning.
All of this offense coming for the Tide after they left the bases juiced in the first.
Columbia added to their run total in the fourth when Nobile reached after striking out the Mennonite catcher misplayed the third strike, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on an error and scored on another wild pitch.
Detz was her usual steady stuff in the circle. She didn’t allowed Mennonite a hit until the fourth and that runner was erased trying to go to second. She also allowed the Lady Blazers a hit in the fifth. She struck out eight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)