I've been busy

\Someone commented on one of my earlier posts as to why there haven't been many posts in the last week and there was too much about Friday's big game.

Well, this anonymous person thought there is more than just a football game to talk about. Yes, there is, but don't tell those 20 plus football players and a multitude of coaches, who have been working hard since August, there are bigger events for them. Quite frankly there isn't. And I really don't care how one poster feels because I would be doing the same thing is I were writing for a local newspaper.

Yes Mr. Anonymous there was a council meeting last week and yes, it was great to see Sgt. Jack Brommer being promoted to police chief. What you didn't say that Columbia Borough passed a zero tax increase budget for the fourth straight year and that council moved forward to almost conclusion with the sale of the cottage area along the Susquehanna River, which was settled the next day.

The person didn't say anything about the two citizens, a pair of Franks, Doutrich and Splain, who addressed the council on a variety of topics (see lancasteronline.com/mycolumbianews) for details on that.

I didn't read the letters to the editors in the Lancaster Newspaper, sorry, just don't have the time.

What I have done in the last week or so is plan for the next four years when I am seated on Columbia Borough Council. The swearing in is Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.

So for those who apparently need to know my every move, I had four meetings last week, three of which were tied to my pending appointment to borough council. One got postponed to this week and I'm working to schedule a few more meetings with people and sending email questions out to others.

During my three meetings, I was given a lot of papers, regulations and other things I needed to be brought up to speed. Those involved in all three meetings were extremely helpful and the paperwork given to me is as well.

In those meetings, a number of things were discussed and I asked a lot of questions and still have some to get answered. Those will come. There were some things discussed, I liked and other things I wasn't too fond of. Those things I will detail over the next few weeks, but needless to say, I think they are important for our town.

I will detail just one and that are a large numbers of recent property purchases by BH1 Properties. The latest was a store front, owned by the Boys and Girls Club, next to the club in the 200 block of Locust Street. I asked if council could do something to slow this individual down and was basically told no. I am not buying this explanation as if we have someone coming into our town, working to cash in on our economic conditions, there has to be some that can be done. I will continue to pursue this.

Money-wise, repeat after me, the borough is in the black. I got the reports to prove it. The phrase “healthy not wealthy” was impressed on me several times during one of my meetings.

Other items discussed were parking issues, the placement of new light poles downtown, which folks will see over the next few weeks. The trees probably won't go in until the spring. One of the things I didn't like with that project is the placement of bricks along the curb like on Route 462. My main concern are the weeds that will grow up through the bricks as happened in many areas on 462. Was basically told that won't be an issue. Heck, I complained to the council last summer about the weeds on Locust Street when it wad concrete. It will happen with brick as well. Apparently, there was also no attempt to contact those along Locust Street to see what they wanted and not all of the council is in favor of the bricks too. Also addressed the pending change in the meter structure too, but the response was luke work.

I got a lot of reading to do yet and some things I'd like to see happen. As promised during the campaign, I am here to work for all 10,300 people. Anything of what I feel is a personal agenda will get a big no vote from me.

I'd like to see more people get involved in borough government as well. Attend the meetings, ask the questions and bring your ideas to the council – good, bad or indifferent. Look me up when I am out and about, send me an email. If I want to do this the right way, it is important to keep the line of communication open with everyone. Some things are going right in our town, other things either need a push in the right direction or something different tried.

Updates on things will follow and I will update more frequently with what's going on in our town.