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.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Turkey Hill happy!
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Is Turkey Hill tea now the official drink of Columbia Borough!
Was it a better meeting?
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.
A question and some answers at the market
Two days later, Long was still in command at the market and issued a "no comment" about his future.
Monday night, resident Frank Doutrich asked about Long's status as Market Manager and what happened.
"Tell us what is going on?" Doutrich asked.
Kelly Murphy, who chairs council's market committee did in fact confirm Long resigned as of July 16 and an ad seeking Long's replacement appeared in the Lancaster Sunday News.
"He has agreed to stay on as acting manager," Murphy said of Long.
Murphy said council is trying to move forward with the market, but did not say what caused Long to resign.
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.
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.
More Code Enforcement concerns are expressed
It seems kike no matter the meeting, there are also concerns expressed about the borough's efforts in code enforcement. Monday night's borough council meeting was no exception.
Tim Swartz told members of the council he was talking with one of the borough's new code enforcement officers last Friday, who was answering a complaint. Swartz said the official told him, he was asked to "back off" on issuing citations because the staff in the office was low.
"We're only suppose to issue citations if we get phone calls," Swartz was told.
"This is very discouraging, We need to enforce these codes with zero tolerance. Why would this person tell me this?" Swartz asked.
"If we can't enforce our codes, having extra people doesn't mean a thing," Swartz said.
"If we are going to revitalize this town, this is not the way to do this and this is an issue that needs to be addressed," Swartz said.
Swartz also spoke of an apartment on Locust Street where 11 children and two adults were residing.
Mary Barninger, who served as acting council president for the meeting, was surprised to hear Swartz' information
"We need to immediately look into this," she said.
"This is ridiculous," said Borough Manager Norm Meiskey.
Mayor Leo Lutz said the borough has been working with the Columbia School District and others to get a handle on living problems. Lutz said 71 disruptive conduct reports have been written in the last year concerning tennant issues in Section 8 areas and four people have been taken off the Section 8 lists.
"We are cracking down on this," Lutz said.
Tim Swartz told members of the council he was talking with one of the borough's new code enforcement officers last Friday, who was answering a complaint. Swartz said the official told him, he was asked to "back off" on issuing citations because the staff in the office was low.
"We're only suppose to issue citations if we get phone calls," Swartz was told.
"This is very discouraging, We need to enforce these codes with zero tolerance. Why would this person tell me this?" Swartz asked.
"If we can't enforce our codes, having extra people doesn't mean a thing," Swartz said.
"If we are going to revitalize this town, this is not the way to do this and this is an issue that needs to be addressed," Swartz said.
Swartz also spoke of an apartment on Locust Street where 11 children and two adults were residing.
Mary Barninger, who served as acting council president for the meeting, was surprised to hear Swartz' information
"We need to immediately look into this," she said.
"This is ridiculous," said Borough Manager Norm Meiskey.
Mayor Leo Lutz said the borough has been working with the Columbia School District and others to get a handle on living problems. Lutz said 71 disruptive conduct reports have been written in the last year concerning tennant issues in Section 8 areas and four people have been taken off the Section 8 lists.
"We are cracking down on this," Lutz said.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Cabins are safe
For those who own cabins along the Susquehanna River, it has been a tense summer and it has nothing to do with the hot weather that has locked into the area.
For the last four months ever since Columbia Borough Council said it was considering a gift from the Safe Harbor Power Company for land the cottages sit on, the owners have been attending meetings in mass, trying to find out the fate of their properties.
Last week, the cabin owners attended council's property meeting and were told the "gifting" was still in the hands of the solicitor.
Monday night, the cabin owners and others again packed the monthly meeting of borough council and finally got a response on their questions.
The response came in a three-page written statement from Mayor Leo Lutz, who told the council to accept the gifting of the land from Safe Harbor and sell it to the River Cottage Owners Association through the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, similar to the way the Turkey Hill Experience project was completed
Lutz said (Food for Thought, posted elsewhere on COLUMBIA TALK) the sale would allow the borough to move forward with other projects.
Lutz' letter was greeted with a round of applause from the cottage owners, but there were no comments or a vote taken by the council on the mayor's request.
For the last four months ever since Columbia Borough Council said it was considering a gift from the Safe Harbor Power Company for land the cottages sit on, the owners have been attending meetings in mass, trying to find out the fate of their properties.
Last week, the cabin owners attended council's property meeting and were told the "gifting" was still in the hands of the solicitor.
Monday night, the cabin owners and others again packed the monthly meeting of borough council and finally got a response on their questions.
The response came in a three-page written statement from Mayor Leo Lutz, who told the council to accept the gifting of the land from Safe Harbor and sell it to the River Cottage Owners Association through the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, similar to the way the Turkey Hill Experience project was completed
Lutz said (Food for Thought, posted elsewhere on COLUMBIA TALK) the sale would allow the borough to move forward with other projects.
Lutz' letter was greeted with a round of applause from the cottage owners, but there were no comments or a vote taken by the council on the mayor's request.
Woman is struck
West Hempfield Towbship Police have investidated this accident: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/275179
Weekly Columbia Police reports
LEO NOBILE, AGE 58, OF YORK, WAS CITED FOR REGISTRATION & CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED, ON BRIDGE STREET, at 7:36 P.M., AUG. 2..
ANDREW J. MULHERIN, JR., AGE 49, OF YORK, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, AT 5:54 P.M., AUG. 2.
DIANA JOAN PALACIOS, AGE 31, OF MARIETTA, WAS CITED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, AT 5:12 P.M., AUG. 2..
WILLIAM R. LIPPLATT, AGE 58, OF FLORIDA, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AT THIRD. AND LINDEN STREETS, AT 6:03 P.M., AUG. 3..
JENNA L. ENTERLINE, AGE 23, OF CONESTOGA, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 5:28 P.M., AUG. 3.
BRIAN LEROY SHOFF, AGE 36, OF WASHINGTON BORO., WAS CITED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 4:30 P.M.; AUG. 3.
MARK DAVID OTT, AGE 42, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 4:58 P.M., AUG. 3..
RONALD PAUL SACKS, AGE 39, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS IN THE 400 BLOCK OF LOCUST STREET, 12:38 A.M., AUG. 5..
JOHN L. LOWE, AGE 43, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR REGISTRATION CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED, AT FOURTH AND LOCUST STREETS, 12:10 A.M., AUG. 5..
MICHAEL D. DISHONGH, AGE 54, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR REGISTRATION & CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED, IN THE 600 BLOCK OF LOCUST STREET, 4:50 P.M., AUG. 5.
BRADLEE ANTHONY REGA, AGE 25, OF LANCASTER, WAS CITED FOR OPERATION FOLLOWING SUSPENSION OF REGISTRATION, AT ROUTE 30 EAST, AT ROUTE 441, 9:33 P.M., AUG. 5.
KATHERINE CHRISTINE PIERRE, AGE 26, OF HARRISBURG, WAS CITED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS, ON ROUTE 30 EAST AND ROUTE 441, 8:54 A.M., AUG. 6.
JENEE SPRINGER, AGE 34, OF WASHINGTON BORO., WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES, AT ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 9:50 A.M., AUG. 8..
DAVID MICHAELBEAM, AGE 56, OF MILLERSVILLE, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AT ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 10:05 A.M., AUG. 8.
TRISHA MARIE HARTMAN, AGE 19, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNALS AT THIRD AND CHESTNUT STREETS, 12:05 A.M./, AUG. 9..
ANDREW J. MULHERIN, JR., AGE 49, OF YORK, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, AT 5:54 P.M., AUG. 2.
DIANA JOAN PALACIOS, AGE 31, OF MARIETTA, WAS CITED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, AT 5:12 P.M., AUG. 2..
WILLIAM R. LIPPLATT, AGE 58, OF FLORIDA, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AT THIRD. AND LINDEN STREETS, AT 6:03 P.M., AUG. 3..
JENNA L. ENTERLINE, AGE 23, OF CONESTOGA, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 5:28 P.M., AUG. 3.
BRIAN LEROY SHOFF, AGE 36, OF WASHINGTON BORO., WAS CITED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 4:30 P.M.; AUG. 3.
MARK DAVID OTT, AGE 42, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES ON ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 4:58 P.M., AUG. 3..
RONALD PAUL SACKS, AGE 39, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS IN THE 400 BLOCK OF LOCUST STREET, 12:38 A.M., AUG. 5..
JOHN L. LOWE, AGE 43, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR REGISTRATION CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED, AT FOURTH AND LOCUST STREETS, 12:10 A.M., AUG. 5..
MICHAEL D. DISHONGH, AGE 54, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR REGISTRATION & CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED, IN THE 600 BLOCK OF LOCUST STREET, 4:50 P.M., AUG. 5.
BRADLEE ANTHONY REGA, AGE 25, OF LANCASTER, WAS CITED FOR OPERATION FOLLOWING SUSPENSION OF REGISTRATION, AT ROUTE 30 EAST, AT ROUTE 441, 9:33 P.M., AUG. 5.
KATHERINE CHRISTINE PIERRE, AGE 26, OF HARRISBURG, WAS CITED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS, ON ROUTE 30 EAST AND ROUTE 441, 8:54 A.M., AUG. 6.
JENEE SPRINGER, AGE 34, OF WASHINGTON BORO., WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES, AT ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 9:50 A.M., AUG. 8..
DAVID MICHAELBEAM, AGE 56, OF MILLERSVILLE, WAS CITED FOR OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AT ROUTE 441 AND PERRY STREET, 10:05 A.M., AUG. 8.
TRISHA MARIE HARTMAN, AGE 19, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNALS AT THIRD AND CHESTNUT STREETS, 12:05 A.M./, AUG. 9..
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Any thoughts?
Here is a story from PennLive, about Middletown Borough Council not wanting to be contacted: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/08/middletown_council_members_kee.html
Baptism held at River Park
The Ashley Tabernacle Church of God in Christ and their associates held their annual baptism at River Park today
CHS administrator to leave
COLUMBIA TALK has learned that Nathan McGlynn, the assistant principal at Columbia High School, has submitted his resignation.
McGlynn will take an assistant principal's position at the Red Land High School in the West Shore School District.
McGlynn will take an assistant principal's position at the Red Land High School in the West Shore School District.
CBAA to hold yard sale
The Columbia Boys Athletic Association is holding its 1st Annual Fall Yard Sale and Flea Market, Saturday, Sept. 18. If you would like a 20x20 stand for $20, please contact Robin Ortman at 717-314-2714 by September 10. Spaces under the pavilion can be secured on a first come first serve basis. No food vendors please. The concession stand will be open and all proceeds will benefit the Columbia Boys Athletic Association. September 19 has been selected as a rain date.
This week's happenings and more
Here are a list of upcoming events:
Monday, Aug. 8, 7 p.m., Columbia Borough Council meeting, 308 Locust St.
Thursday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m., Columbia School Board Committee of the Whole meeting, 200 North Fifth St.
Saturday, Aug. 14, 9-11:30 a.m., town canvass for the Columbia High School football program.
Saturday, Aug. 14, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Holy Trinity Chicken Barbecue, picked up at the church or the Susquehanna Fire Company.
Saturday, Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m., SVCC Night at the Lancaster Barnstormers, for tickets call 684-5249.
Monday, Aug. 8, 7 p.m., Columbia Borough Council meeting, 308 Locust St.
Thursday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m., Columbia School Board Committee of the Whole meeting, 200 North Fifth St.
Saturday, Aug. 14, 9-11:30 a.m., town canvass for the Columbia High School football program.
Saturday, Aug. 14, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Holy Trinity Chicken Barbecue, picked up at the church or the Susquehanna Fire Company.
Saturday, Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m., SVCC Night at the Lancaster Barnstormers, for tickets call 684-5249.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Got some catching up to do
The good folks from Columbia, I have to apologize for not posting stories or comments over the last to days. Ended up n the ER at Lancaster General last night and just got home. Will be taking it easy today. Keep reading and keep on posting.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Columbia man one of six busted
The Lancaster County Drug Task Force was busy: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/273123
Last days of summer drills
There's music on the hill
Dead end paved
A weed problem that was reported
Sweeping up the leftovers
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
National Night Out, except here
Columbia? They haven't had a National Night Out celebration since John George served as police chief. As I remember it, there were a couple of block parties and a number of people sitting out on their front porches. It was a good public relations tool for our police department and something that was well received.
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