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.
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