Grant discussion dominates council meeting



If a grant application is successful, Rotary Park could see improvements.

 Monday's Columbia Borough Council meeting lasted a tad more than three hours, however, 78 minutes of that was spent sometimes heatedly discussing a grant proposal that could leave to physical at both River Park and Rotary Park.

After the lengthy discussion, a 5-2 vote passed to take $75,000 from the borough's Capital Fund Balance as a local match to a $1.28 million DCNR grant application for those projects. Voting against the proposal were councilmen Jim Smith and Mike Beury. During the discussion, all but two members of the council, Mayor Leo Lutz and Norm Meiskey, borough manager, chimed in.

It was the second time in two weeks, the application was discussed. Two weeks ago at a special meeting, the council discussed filing the application. Monday's discussion centered on the matching funds.

Meiskey explained the need to add the local match for the grant, saying it will help complete Phase I and II at River Park. Those phases, Meiskey said, are to construct a marina building and make the Walnut Street crossing ADA accessible and also add a pavilion, benches and restroom facilities and create a link to the Northwest Trail.

“We need to maximize the points for the grants,” Meiskey said.

At Rotary Park, the plans call for a new basketball court, pavilion, improved parking area and playground equipment. The Columbia Rotary Club will lend a hand with a financial contribution for that part of the project.

Mary Barninger, council vice-president, was the first to speak out. She was concerned about taking money out of the capital budget for this.

“This will complete all three projects,” Mayor Lutz said.

:”If we don't get this, River Park will not be completed, the Northwest Trail will be in limbo and Rotary Park won't get done,” he said.

Kelly Murphy, another member of council said, the lack of the grant could cause some red flags to be thrown up.

Said Beury, “I don't see the need for the marina building and the trail. I want to see Rotary Park.”

Smith said he talked with officials in Marietta about the trail's impact and it was minimal at best.

The pros and cons of the discussion centered on the needs and wants of the boorough and other entities involved.

Article on River Park

Found this article on DCNR webpage: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/newsletter-10/9/10-09-ColumbiaBorough.aspx

Other business

Mayoral proclamations

Leo Lutz signed two proclamations – one for National Police Week and the other for Emergency Services Week, both May 15-21.
Lutz also said he received a thank you letter from the Northeast Region of the Department of Interior, who recently toured the River Park area, along with other state government agencies.
He also reported during a recent survey of handicap parking in the borough that there were no problems as reported at a recent committee meeting. He said this year so far, police have cited 22 people for illegal parking in handicap spaces.

Good news from Philadelphia
The borough said it received $32,000 from a grant, which will place traffic control devices such as rumble strips around town. The money comes via Philadelphia, who collected fines for people running red lights that were caught on video.

Loan paid off
It was announced the borough paid off a $865,894.30 loan/grant to De Lage Landen Public Finance, which was used in connection with the Turkey Hill Experience project.

Vehicle purchased
The purchase of a Chevrolet 3500 one-ton dump truck was approved at a cost of $47,000.

Resident questions
Frank Doutrich and Vern Detz were the only two residents to address the council at the end of the three hour meeting.
Doutrich questioned the upcoming retirement of Police Chief Joe Greenya among other things, while Detz had finance and code issues.

Borough receives clean audit

Columbia Borough received a clean opinion from its auditors Monday night.

Mike Reiner of the firm of Sager, Swisher and Company presented the 29-page document to the full council, which was approved later in the meeting. Reiner had made a detailed report at council's April finance committee meeting.
Reiner said the borough's economic condition has improved and actually ended 2010 with a small surplus.
Reiner said over the last five years, the borough has been able to build up their low fund balances.
The auditor recommended that municipalities keep three months of operating money in reserve.
“But there is no rule of thumb,” Reiner said.
Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said the borough hasn't raised taxes in three years and has been operating in the black the last two years.

Update on Turkey Hill Experience

At last night's council meeting, it was announced the public opening for the Turkey Hill Experience will be June 4. Here is the Turkey Hill Experience website: http://www.turkeyhillexperience.com/default.asp

Official release on car break-ins

On 5-9-11, the Columbia Police Department received numerous calls from residents regarding their vehicles being entered and items being taken.
A number of different items were taken from the vehicles, including but not limited to a GPS unit, bookbags, and a Beretta .32 caliber pistol. Many of the vehicles that were entered were unlocked, however, at least one vehicle was locked, and the perpetrators forcibly entered the locked vehicle by breaking a window. These thefts occurred during the overnight hours, and were not limited to a specific area of Columbia.


The Columbia Police are actively investigating these thefts and are speaking to potential witnesses.
The Columbia Police wish to remind its residents that it is of paramount importance to ensure that all unattended vehicles are locked, even if the vehicles are parked in a private driveway. The Columbia Police also recommend removing valuables from vehicles when they are parked. However, if valuables are left in vehicles, it is wise to secure the items and keep them from plain view.

Anyone with information about these thefts is to contact Sgt. Marc Tremblay or Officer Troy Engle at 717-684-7735.
Also, the Columbia Police wish to encourage its residents to contact the Police immediately if they notice suspicious vehicles or persons around their vehicles or property.

Sports Hall of Fame honors two

In addition to honoring six former athletes and coaches at its banquet on Saturday night, the Susquehanna Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame honored two others.
Rich Gerfin, a longtime member of the Hall received the Jimmy Sheckard Award for community serivce.
Gerfin, the hall's treasurer is also a member of the Sunsnappers and Lions Club, the Columbia Education Foundaation and the Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame, among his many civic minded activities.
Former Solanco football player Matt Gibson, who was presented the William Mable Courageous Athlete Award.
Gibson is battling Asperger's Syndrome.
Inductees were:
* Jerry Brooks, former administrator in the Penn Manor School District and coach and longtime official and former District 3 committee chairman.

* Robert Derr, current field hockey coach at Warwick High School and top high school and college wrestling official.
* Jim Dougherty, former Columbia Raider and cable television personality.
* Scott Martin, football and wrestling standout at Lancaster Catholic and current Lancaster County Commissioner.
* Bernie Santaniello, former football player at Lancaster Catholic and longtime coach at McCaskey.
* Carmine Taglieri, former athletic director at Lancaster Catholic and longtime PIAA official.

Detz crowned May Queen

Emily Detz was crowned May Queen at Columbia High School on Saturday night. Other members of the court were:  Kerri Sawyer escorted by Cain Warfel, Jenna Geesey escorted by Byron Germer, Karley Simms escorted by Cody Danks, Kalyna Rodriquez escorted by Nicky Dietz, KaBrinna Splain escorted by Jed Steele, Erin Laird escorted by John Markley, Katie Will escorted by Dominique Johnson  and Rachael Bowers escorted by Chris Detz. The 2011 May Day Princess was Brittany Leese escorted by Oulijahwan Michael. Miss Detz was escorted by Daniel Kilp.

Pool for sale

Noticed this "For Sale" sign this morning on a trip downtown at the former CA Herr Annex, also known as the downtown swimming pool. Another realtor is attempting to sell the eyesore.

Taking a swim

Today at the River Park, this furry critter took a dip in the calm Susquehanna.

Council gets tough

At Fourth and Locust streets, where a former restaurant/apartment building once stood, the area has become a parking lot.

Shortly after the building was torn down several years ago by its owner David Doolittle, a curb was cut out and parking meter removed as an access area for the parking. At a council meeting, again a few years back, the meter was ordered replaced.
At Monday's council meeting, the borough took a major step that will return the area to a vacant lot. Council approved a motion to stop the lot from being used as a parking lot and also instructed its highway department to repair the curb on the Fourth Street side and lien the property for the cost of the repair.

Makle Park gets "makeover"

During council's property committee report, Jim Smith reported that recently about 100 people, most not from Columbiaa held a work detail to spruce up Makle Park for the summer.
Councilman Smith said 75 emloyees from Comcst and 25 volunteers from SACA in Lancaster, spent a Saturday cleaning up debris, mulching and making other repairs to the park.
"The park now looks like something out of Home and Garden," Smith said.
Others assisting were McCarty's Seal Coatinbg and Kreider's Mulch, Smith said.

River Park gets rental area

At its meeting Monday night, borough council approved a six-month seasonal lease with Chiques Rock Outfitters, Front and Locust streets, to place a canoe and kayak rental facilty at River Park.
The rental fee will be $100, $40, of which will go to the Old Columbia Puiblic Grounds Company and thr remainder to the borough.
"This will be a welcome addition and will generate significant business," Mayor Leo Lutz said.
The mayor also noted that by having a building at the park, it would deter vandalism such as the bridge pier painting and the breaking of the light fixtures.

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.

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.

EMS Week is proclaimed

Council Vice-President Mary Barninger presented Frank Splain and John Murphy and the crew from the Columbia Quick Response Service a proclamation proclaiming May 16-22 as Emergency Medical Services Week in Columbia at Monday's borough council meeting. Also read was a proclamation proclaiming May 9-15 as National Police Week.

Arrest made in shooting

Here are two links to the arest in Friday's shooting in the first block of South Fourth Street in Columbia. One from WGAL and the other from the Lancaster  Newspapers.
\http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/254479
http://www.wgal.com/news/23494817/detail.html

Coming attractions

Coming up tonight and tomorrow -- updates on the shooting arrest, Columbaia softball and coverage of tonight's Columbia Borough Council meeting.

Press Conference on shooting

The Lancaster County District Attorney's office will hold a news conference at 3 p.m. today to discuss Friday's shooting in Columbia.
Stayed tuned for updates.

Breaking news

The Columbia Police Department has just announced the Lancaster County's District Attorney will hold a news conference at 3 p.m. at the court house to discuss Friday's shooting.