Month: May 2017

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The Columbia School Board is weighing a potential offer from Columbia Borough to have the borough offices and the Columbia Police Department join them at the District Administration Center at 200 North Fifth Street. Currently, only the district offices and the board room are located there. Borough offices and Columbia Police are located in the Municipal Building at 308 Locust Street.

According to two board directors, Kathleen Hohenadel and Charles Leader, the idea of a move was suggested at this month’s Columbia Borough Community Development meeting. Hohenadel said the issue was announced at the meeting as if it was a “done deal.” She said Borough Manager Greg Sahd stated that Tom Strickler, the district’s director of operations, told him that the school board is in favor of the move. Strickler refuted that notion, however, and told the board that he never said that. He said he told Sahd that he needs to contact the school district and that the board may be open to have the discussion. He added that he told Sahd to email the school board president.

A joint feasibility study might be undertaken to determine pros and cons of the move.  Hohenadel said the borough has put out a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) for borough properties including the Municipal Building (Borough Hall), the Market House, and the former Columbia No. 1 Fire Company building on Front Street. If all aspects of the plan fall into place – among them, the Municipal Building finding another use – borough offices theoretically could then move into the DAC. The borough would pay for use of the center, thereby helping the district, and in the process helping the borough and helping the downtown.

Hohenadel brought up several concerns about the plan, including accommodations for Luthercare and adequate square footage for additional offices. A Luthercare child care facility is currently housed at the DAC. Adequate parking for additional personnel is another issue of concern, according to Director Barry Ford. Ford also said the move would lose the “walk-in” aspect of keeping offices downtown. Both Leader and Ford asked who will pay for the study.

The idea of such a move is not completely new. Mayor Leo Lutz floated the idea at a previous school board meeting.

At discussion’s end, Board President Keith Combs said he will contact Sahd to set up a meeting. He said he wants information from Luthercare and borough council before considering a feasibility study.

At Thursday’s Columbia Borough School Board meeting, the board voted to collect a portion of the real estate transfer tax in the borough. According to Superintendent Robert Hollister, the district had not been collecting its half of the one percent tax levied on sales of real estate. The discovery was made by Acting Business Manager Keith Ramsey during an audit of the books. 

Volunteers will be canvassing Columbia neighborhoods this morning (Friday, May 19) to distribute free smoke alarms to residents. The American Red Cross and local emergency services are taking part in the effort. The alarms feature a 10-year lithium battery. Any resident may request a smoke alarm.