Month: July 2015

An extension of occupancy for a condemned building?

The notice shown above was seen this morning posted on the property at 421 Walnut Street rear, which borders Avenue G. Basically, it is a notification forbidding occupancy of the building beyond a specific date.  But what is that date? The first date written on the notice is June 29 of this year, which obviously has come and gone.  The date was apparently then revised by JMH to August 2. However, at Columbia Borough Council’s June 22 meeting of the whole, the original date of condemnation was announced to be June 26.  So, why does the date keep changing?

Is this building safe for occupancy or not?  If it is, why has this notice been posted? If it’s not safe, then it should be condemned immediately and the tenants moved to another property at the expense of the landlord. An unsafe structure won’t necessarily abide by arbitrary dates.

Part 2 – Resident alleges selective enforcement by codes department

(For Part 1 of this story, go HERE.)

At last Monday night’s Columbia Borough Council meeting, Gerald Maurer of 518 North Third Street read to council from a prepared statement outlining his complaints regarding the Columbia Codes Department.  Maurer stated that he was cited for violations even though he was not told by code officials what codes he was violating. He further asserted that code officials had not inspected the projects supposedly in violation – a kitchen addition and a deck atop it.

“To this day, nobody has shown me any codified documenting of written code that I am violating,” he told council. He added that he was initially informed in a telephone conversation with the codes office that no permit was needed for the project.

The deck as seen from the rear of 518 North Third Street.

Maurer said code officials told him the deck is not strong structurally and does not meet code, even though they did not specifically cite which code.  Maurer also alleged that code officials refused his repeated invitations to inspect his property. He further claimed that the codes department often does not conduct its own inspections, despite its $300,000 a year budget (according to Maurer), but instead sends work to another agency, Commonwealth Code Inspection Services in Manheim.

518 North Third Street

Maurer said a search warrant was issued for his property after he had appealed the violation. When he questioned why the citation was not held in abeyance until after his appeal was completed, he said he was told by a borough official it was because he had not paid a $600 fee to file the appeal.  Maurer said he had received no notification of such a fee.

This is page one of an enforcement notice Mr. Maurer received recently which he says does not include notification of a $600 fee.

Maurer also accused one code official of stating “an outright lie” on the affidavit of probable cause. He also said he observed the official trying to break into the rear of 516 North Third Street.

Maurer informed Columbia Spy that he has recently received an email from Andy Nelson, of Commonwealth Code Inspection Services, informing him that he has until July 27 to pay any fees associated with the permit before any action is taken up with the borough attorney “to compel compliance.” If payment is not made by then, the borough could fine Maurer $500 a day, every day, since each subsequent day of non-payment would be considered a separate violation.

MORE TO FOLLOW ON THIS STORY

Here's an interesting read: City Must Pay Blogger $200,000 For Illegally Banning Her From Filming

The City of Cumming, Georgia must pay out $200,000 in a settlement with citizen journalist Nydia Tisdale, who operates the website aboutforsyth.com. This comes after the blogger filed a federal lawsuit when the city illegally banned her from filming a Cumming City Council meeting.

“This settlement sends a powerful message that government officials cannot shroud their operations in secrecy by barring truth-telling video,” said Gerry Weber, lawyer for Tisdale, on aboutforsyth.com. “But more, the lawsuit has unveiled decades-old practices of an entrenched City government that has left its citizens in the dark. The Mayor’s actions were a blatant violation of citizens’ constitutional rights to record public meetings.”

GO HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY.

Into The Woods: Be Careful What You Wish For

Grand Summer Theater returns to Marietta when Susquehanna Stage Company presents Steven Sondheim and James Lapine’s complex fairytale musical Into the Woods, opening July 16.
(L to R in above photo: Little Red, Wolf, Baker’s Wife, Jack, Baker)
The movie Shrek took well-known fairy tales and twisted them for comic and original results, but the Brothers Grimm would never have envisioned the spin that Sondheim and Lapine put on their beloved creations. The main characters come from the classic fairytales Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood, and are tied together by a unique overarching story involving a baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family. Into the Woods explores these stories on a new level, uncovering the consequences of the characters’ wishes and dreams. As in life, not everyone has the chance to live “happily ever after.”
Into the Woods debuted on Broadway in 1987 and ran for 764 performances and garnered many Tony Awards including Best Actress in a Musical (Bernadette Peters) and Best Original Book and Score. Theater geeks and aficionados call this show Into the WORDS due to the dense lyrics and complex story details. Director Jim Johnson said, “The musical is a daunting project for stage voices, but Into the Woods is a tour de force that captures the wit and intricacy of Sondheim’s work.”
The cast for Into the Woods is Asher Johnson (Baker), Jordyn McCrady (Baker’s Wife), Stacia Smith (The Witch), Kayla Azaroff (Little Red), John Fleming (Jack), Eileen Cushey (Jack’s Mother), Ali Fleming (Rapunzel), Jon Mortensen (Rapunzel’s Prince), Kat Prickett (Cinderella), Nick Smith (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), Tara Beitzel (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Lydia Jones (Lucinda), Lauren Lanas (Florinda), Sharon Boyer (Cinderella’s Mother/Granny), Robert Hein (Cinderella’s father), Linda Boozer (Giant), Morgan Rose (Snow White), Aiden Thomas (Sleeping Beauty), and Keiffer Kemmerly (Steward).
Musical direction is by Steve Hassinger, costume designer is Jacquee Johnson, set artist is Bob Brinser and stage manager is Scott Mackison.

The production runs July 16-26 For more information or to order tickets, visit susquehannastageco.com or call 426-1277. Box office hours are Monday and Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and one hour before show times. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for those under age 18.

Susquehanna Stage Company is located in historic Marietta directly behind the Community House on West Market Street.


Specific show times are:
Thursday, July 16 8 p.m.
Friday, July 17 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 18 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 19 2 p.m.
Wednesday, July 22 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 23 8 p.m.
Friday, July 24 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 25 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 26 2 p.m.

Or, to summarize:
Wednesday – Saturday evening performances at 8 p.m.

Sunday and 2nd Saturday matinee performances at 2 p.m.

Light post damaged at 5th and Locust

This light post at North Fifth and Locust Streets was damaged by a vehicle earlier this week, possibly due to distracted driving. According to a witness, the driver was heading west on Lancaster Avenue and failed to negotiate a turn southwest onto Locust Street before striking the post. Currently, the base of the post is broken, and the traffic light control button is dangling by its wires. The witness also said someone recently removed one of the shards of metal from the base.