Year: 2017

Two new Columbia Borough police officers introduced

Columbia Police Chief Jack Brommer introduced two new Columbia Borough police officers at Monday’s borough council meeting. Pictured above, they are Justin Barrell (left) and Andrew Snyder. They are flanked by Brommer and Mayor Leo Lutz.
Barrell grew up in Berks County and graduated from the Reading Police Academy with an associate degree in Criminal Justice. He is also a Marine Corps veteran, having served six years and attaining the rank of sergeant.
Snyder is a Lancaster County native. He graduated from Manheim Township High School and received an associate degree in Criminal Justice from York Technical Institute. He also attended HACC Police Academy and has training in martial arts and firearms.

The addition of the two new officers brings the total to 18 full- and part-timers on the force.

Citizens meet to voice concerns about borough issues

Meeting organizer Rick Fisher and Officer Amy Dittman discuss citizens’ concerns.

Over two dozen concerned citizens met at the gazebo in Locust Street Park Monday to voice concerns about crime and violence in the borough. Columbia resident Rick Fisher set up the meeting and was joined by Officer Amy Dittman of the Columbia Borough Police Department.

Fisher said last week’s wolfpack beating of a Columbia man was the tipping point for him to get involved. He stressed, however, that the meeting was not about vigilantism but rather a means to seek solutions. 

Several citizens talked about drug dealing in the borough and told Officer Dittmann that the intersection of 6th & Walnut Streets is a hub of such activity. Citizens also discussed last week’s melee involving about 40 middle and high school students at 7th & Walnut, among other issues.

Officer Dittmann advised calling 911 County Dispatch to report an incident and said officers are often en route as soon as calls are received. She noted that Columbia will not have its own dispatcher in the near future due to the position being eliminated. Part of the local dispatcher’s duties involved watching borough camera feed.

Many in the group said they want the meetings to continue. Fisher said he would like to invite Police Chief Jack Brommer to a future meeting. Citizens also suggested taking concerns to borough council.

Afterward, at Monday night’s borough council meeting, Mayor Leo Lutz said he would have met with the group if he had not been at another meeting. He said he is willing to meet with them in the future.

Over two dozen residents met at the Locust Street Park gazebo.

UPDATED: Council OKs demo to make way for construction of new apartment building on Locust Street

Columbia might be getting a new 33-unit apartment building in the downtown. Way downtown – at the corner of Locust Street and Bank Avenue.
Borough Council approved an application from Brian & Benjamin Myers Monday night for demolition at 128-132 Locust Street and 45 Bank Avenue to allow for new construction of a new four-story mixed-use apartment building at the site. The Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) initially green-lighted the project at its August 16 meeting by approving “Certificates of Appropriateness” for demolition and new construction. 
The building will include ground-level retail spaces, enclosed parking, brick veneer and metal siding wall treatment, and storefront awnings and upper-level balconies, according to the submitted architectural plans and materials.
The issue must now go before the planning commission at its meeting next Monday.

This existing building at Locust Street and Bank Avenue is slated for demolition.

The building contains several units, at least one of which is currently occupied.

Mobile home on Bank Avenue to be moved, currently occupied
Aerial view of 128-132 Locust Street and 45 Bank Avenue

Old design and revised design

Bank Avenue

Locust Street side

 Corner of Locust Street and Bank Avenue

Bank Avenue and rear of building

Hollister to quit Columbia, leaving board grasping for options

Dr. Robert Hollister will be leaving Columbia School District early next year as superintendent. But questions remain, and Thursday’s committee of the whole meeting yielded a bit of confusion on the matter in that the board offered no official announcement of Hollister’s exit – only two subtle clues.

First, renewal of services was a listed item on the agenda, prompting a resident to ask the board if it had explored hiring a superintendent instead of continuing to share services with Elanco. Board President Keith Combs replied that although technology and business services will be extended for three years, the executive services portion of the contract with Elanco will continue only until January 31, 2018, after which other options will need to be explored – with no further explanation given. The relevant agenda item stated the following:

7. Action Item for tonight
a. A motion is requested to approve Technology Service, Business Service and Executive Service extension agreements with ELANCO

Secondly, the board president did not delineate the differences in term lengths for the various services when the vote was taken, but simply read the motion as shown above. The board voted unanimously to pass the motion.

A source tells Columbia Spy that discussions involving Hollister’s contract are not yet final on the Columbia side of the equation. In addition, Elanco’s board has not yet voted on the issue but is scheduled to do so at its September 11 meeting. The relevant item (5b) on Elanco’s website states the following:

Action Item – Approval of the Service Agreements with Columbia Borough SD for Executive, Business & Human Resources, and Technology Services


Expanding the agenda item reveals the following:

 The Columbia Borough SD approved the agreements at their September 7, 2017 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

The term of the Agreements are as follows:
Executive Services – 4 months (October 1, 2017 thru January 31, 2018)
Business and Human Resources Services – 3 years (October 1, 2017 thru June 30, 2020)
Technology Services – 3 years (October 1, 2017 thru June 30, 2020)

Clearly, the Elanco website is specific regarding the term length of Hollister’s contract, whereas Columbia’s is not. However, a recent LNP article implies that the Elanco vote is a fait accompli, i.e., a done deal.
Two officials affiliated with the district and three residents in the audience agree that the Columbia board did not announce that Hollister would be leaving Columbia or returning to Elanco. (Our recording bears this out). 
In addition, the future of the director of operations position will be uncertain if Hollister quits Columbia.

Regarding other options, Combs said that attorney Mike Grab had prepared a 60-page white paper exploring the feasibility of merging with another district. Director of Operations Tom Strickler asked that a link to the paper be attached to the district’s website to avoid being bombarded with right-to-know requests. (As of the time of this posting, we are unable to find the link.)p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 36.0px Helvetica} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 36.0px Helvetica; min-height: 43.0px}


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Trial scheduled to begin Monday for teenager accused of shooting at Columbia police

                   Marquell Robert Rentas
The trial of a teenager accused of trying to kill Columbia police officers with a rifle last summer is scheduled to begin Monday with jury selection at Lancaster County Courthouse.
Marquell Robert Rentas, 18, of 244 Walnut Street, Columbia, faces 37 charges in the case including three counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and one count of conspiracy to murder a law enforcement officer.
His alleged accomplice, Trenton Nace, 19, of 116 Lancaster Ave., Columbia, will be tried separately in October.
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