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.

Market board is approved

At last night's special council meeting, the previously appointed board members of the Market House Trust were appointed to their terms:
Three Year: Ann Grubb, Nancy Jo Lutz and Don Haines.
Two Year: Ed Schopf and Rebecca Murphy.
One Year: David Rupp and Elaine Beckley.

Other council business

At its meeting on Monday night, borough council approved:
* Its fee schedule covering permits and licenses.
* Approved the placement of two new signs at the exit and entrance to the parking lot at Holy Trinity for new parking between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
* Denied a request for reserved parking space at 116 North Third Street.
* Amended borough code to allow for authorized organizations to spay and neuter feral cars and release them.
* Reduced the financial security for the townhouse project at Fifth and Poplar streets for landscaping improvements by $511.
* Approved allowing PA Registered Architects or Engineers to perform property inspections.
* Heard from Norm Meiskey, borough manager, the street lighting project downtown could begin in the third quarter of this year or late second quarter.
* Resident Shirley McBride asked council for help enforcing bike and skateboard ordinaces in the 200 block of Perry Street.
* Business owner Jesse Sweigart requested the borough's help improved a couple of properties in the downtown.

Special meeting

Columbia Borough Council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. tonight to address the 2011 budget.

Other council business

Here are some other things that happened at last night's meeting:
* Todd Kramer questioned the council when two fire damaged buildings on North Second Street at Poplar street might be demolished so he can rent out two buildings he owns near the fire scene.
Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said it won't be long before the buildings will be demolished legally.
* Heather McDonald thanked the council for changing the street sweeping in the 100 block of Locust Street.
She also asked how long vehicles can be parked on properties.
* Frank Doutrich asked why a dead end area of Seventh and Poplar streets was paved and also how many projects are on council's plate to be completed.
* Tabled a maintenance agreement between Columbia, West Hempfield and Wrightsville for the Route 462 Bridge lighting project.
* Approved hiring a part-time janitor for up to 19 hours a week, Anna Gerlitzki voted against the motion.
* Appointed Jonathan Lutz as an alternate member of the Zoning Board.
* Approved a request from the St. Paul's Missionary Baptist Church for the use of Makle Park this weekend for a basketball tournament and church service.
* Reappointed Mark Zeamer to the Tree Commission and noted there are vacant seats on the commission, the Planning Commission and the HARB Board for an architect.

Was it a better meeting?

Over the first five or six months of this year, there has been plenty of discussion at Columbia Borough Council meetings on how the meetings were being conducted by President Mary Wickenheiser.
Public comment was limited and there was to be no interaction like in the past between citizens, council members and staff. Questions would be answered at the end of a citizen's comment and if the citizen had a follow up question to a response, they would have to wait a month to answer the question.
It created a lot of tension and mistrust among members of council and those attending meetings.
Monday night, the tension was gone and the meeting went off without a hitch.
Council President Wickenheiser was on vacation and Mary Barninger, council's vice-president ran the meeting.
There was give and take between council and the citizens and a relaxed mood at the meeting.
"It is obvious you (Barninger) don't agree with the way the meetings were being run before and I applaud you for it," said Frank Doutrich to Barninger during the citizen's comment portion of the meeting.
After answering a multitude of questions from Doutrich, Barninger said she likes the format being used Monday night.
"I like to give the folks the benefit of doubt and as long as there is respect and the meetings are orderly that's how I'll run the meeting," Barninger said.
Mayor Leo Lutz said he has spoken to Wickenheiser about changing the way meetings are conducted.
"She was considering it as long as there were some guidelines and I thought we were going back to that," Lutz said.
"I guess the council president didn't discuss the changes with the rest of council," the mayor said.

Meter prices are being changed

Well, if you have been downtown recently and parked at the meters, you've probably noticed Columbia is enforcing the meter laws to a T. Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m.to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
You've probably been one of those ticketed.
Well, get ready for another change in the very near future.
Once the meters are cleaned, calibrated and signs changed, it will cost you more to park.
Now, with the exception of an area near the post office, it costs 25 cents to park for an hour. Once the above changes are made, it will cost 25 cents to park for 30 minutes.
Council members Mary Barninger and Anna Gerlitzki voted against the change.