Catching up

I know it has been a while since I have updated COLUMBIA TALK, so here is about a week's worth of updates.
PARKING: Parking downtown is something that I have touched on a number of times and will continue to do so. We need to have people come downtown and we don't need to drive them away. By that I mean, Columbia Borough doesn't need to write tickets for eight hours. Sure, if we didn't have the parking meters downtown, all the renters, who mostly can park for free on side streets or behind their rental units, would abuse Locust Street.
Perhaps there could be some type of permit parking for those businesses we have downtown or stop checking meters at four o'clock instead of six o'clock, or give free parking downtown for events such as Fourth Friday.
Or stop Saturday meter checking all together. Recently, I know of several cars that were ticketed downtown shortly after 9 a.m. and were all cars with Pennsylvania license plates. Another car with a Delaware tag was not ticketed.
LIGHT SHOW: Please try to patronize the holiday light show, sponsored by the Columbia Boy's Athletic Association, being held nightly at Glatfelter Field. The proceeds go to the young people of our town.
OFFICIAL'S BANQUET: Got invited to the Lancaster County Chapter of PIAA Football Officials Banquet last week at the Revere Tavern in Paradise. Honored at the banquet as a retiring official was Columbia native Denny Bachman, who is retiring this season after 35 years as one of the top officials in the L-L League.
The L-L League will hold its annual football banquet at the Timber's Lodge in Mount Gretna on Wednesday night. All-star teams will be announced and Coach of the Year awards given out. The officials will present their annual Lamar Weaver Sportsmanship Award.
The high school football banquet is next Tuesday.
KUTZTOWN BOWS OUT: Kutztown University bowed out of the first round of the Division II playoffs on Saturday. Columbia grad Colby Tuell led KU in receiving yards with six catches for 119 yards in the game.
OPEN HOUSE: Again, don't forget the open house for the "new" Columbia High School on Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. I got to see the "new" gym on Saturday. Looks kind of big without the bleachers at the south end of the gym, but otherwise is better.
I will be posting winter sports schedules later in the week.

Monday musings

So, just what exactly are the future plans for the River Park?


What's in Phase II? Phase III? How far along are the plans? Where is the money coming from?

Well today in town, a local businessman, who could benefit from the park’s expansion was running at the mouth, so to speak, about the future park and how is “ramping” up for the future.

This person was spouting off there are plans for an amphitheater, kiosks selling bait, coffee, food, etc.

I had heard this when plans for the park were first revealed, but since Phase I of the project isn’t completely done, how far along is Phase II and III?

The way this person was talking, he’s all but been guaranteed space for his business at the park and it seems the park has become the focus of this town.

But where is the money coming from? Grants? Loans or private financing?

This is something to keep an eye on, especially in light of the cottage owners, who are aware of borough plans to possibly take over the area.

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I have written a lot and there have been plenty of comments about three huge issues in our town – borough council, code enforcement and police. Over the last few days, I’ve gotten a chance to speak with a member of the council and some officers.

First council, not all of the seven member governing body likes how meetings are run and what is being spent and other issues. But this council member I spoke with, wants to see changes and understands there has to be changes, but this person is in the minority, when it comes to being able to make those changes.

I’m just throwing this out there, if Columbia Borough has some council members who aren’t doing the job or employees, who aren’t performing up to par, why are they still there.

Also, last week when I posted the picture on road construction being done by the highway department in our town, I asked how many streets have been done this summer. The answer was there is a plan to do a number of streets, but the cost of asphalt is high right now, which might limit the number of streets.

So, not all of council is in agreement about how things are being run, but until others get on the bandwagon, changes might be tough.

As for code enforcement issues, I know the “powers to be” are checking this site for the latest problem areas. All well and good, but unless the four people now working in the code enforcement area get out of the office, drive/walk the community, there will be no changes. With the new employees, let’s wait and see if there is any difference. Until then, keep calling and posting the problem areas until there are results.

The same goes for police. Apparently the drug trade is or has been heating up in our town. Police can’t react to anything if you don’t call them. We were sharing with them a couple of recent stories and they want to know of the problems so they can react to them. The guys on the street want to make this town better and if they are not, it’s not because they aren’t trying, it’s because people aren’t calling or they are being held up by the “higher ups” in the borough.

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Finally today, I can remember when each summer when the yellow curbs were painted and the white lines on the streets and cross walks were painted as well. I know this is something minor, but it would go a long way toward cleaning up our town.