Year: 2018

Borough reports that 75% of its streets are excellent to good, a 12% increase from 2014

The following information is reprinted from the Columbia Borough website.

2014 Map

2018 Map

Above are links to street mapping that compare how far the Borough has come with the maintenance of streets within the last few years. The 2014 map contains the rating assigned to each street when a conditions assessment was completed in October 2014. The 2018 map captures all of the projects completed within the Borough between 2015 and 2017 and those projects scheduled to be completed in 2018.

The Borough is happy to report that 75% of Borough streets are currently rated in Excellent or Good categories. That is an increase of 12% since the initial assessment in 2014. Another impressive stat is the mileage of streets categorized as poor fell from 8% to 3%. Poor streets are the most expensive to repair considering they typically require extensive base work.

The Borough is also happy to report by the end of 2018 12% of all streets will have been paved with 62% being the worst streets in the Borough.

(note: a visual re-assessment of streets was not completed for this mapping. Any street that may have deteriorated (dropped a category) since 2014 was not factored. )

APPREHENDED! RANDY HOWARD | Columbia Borough Police Department

On March 15, 2018 at approximately 1900 hours, members of the Columbia Borough Police Department along with West Hempfield Township Police Department arrested Randy C Howard a 22 year old Columbia resident for an outstanding felony warrant.  Howard was wanted for a aggravated assault and conspiracy charge which occurred on September 03, 2017 in the 600 Blk of Walnut Street.  Howard attempted to flee by jumping out a second floor rear window and was quickly apprehended in an adjoining rear yard.  His co-conspirator Shakim McIwain was convicted of the same crime by a jury in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas last month and is awaiting sentencing.  Howard was taken to Lancaster County Central Booking awaiting arraignment.  Parties are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  
Incident Date: 

Thursday, March 15, 2018 – 7:10pm

Incident Type:

Case Number: 

2471-09-03-17

Offenders: 

Location: 

146 Locust Street
Columbia, PA 17512

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/incidents/warrant-service

Man beats quick ticket, charges dropped due to errors

A Summary Trial Notice shows an incorrect name for the defendant.  The mistake was initially made on the quick ticket that was issued.

A Columbia man successfully beat a quick ticket charge due to mistakes by the officer who wrote the ticket. At a March 13 hearing before District Justice Miles Bixler, the defendant, Angel Rodriquez, said the name on the ticket – “Angela” Rodriguez – was incorrect. Rodriguez also said he does not own or rent property at the Union Street address listed on the ticket. According to Rodriguez, he entered a plea of “Not Guilty,” and charges were dismissed based on the errors. The quick ticket was issued for a small TV placed on the sidewalk outside the address.

The mystery of the wrecked police car SOLVED (Sort of)

A Columbia Borough police cruiser has been sitting at the Midway Collision Shop since last month.

During the citizens’ comment section of Monday’s Columbia Borough Council meeting, former councilman Frank Doutrich asked council for information about a wrecked police cruiser (currently sitting at the Midway Collision Shop on Lancaster Avenue, where it’s been since last month). Mayor Leo Lutz responded in the following exchange:

Doutrich: ” I understand there’s a wrecked police car. What can you tell me about it?”

Lutz: “The officer was involved in an accident. It’s being repaired.”

Doutrich: “What happened? Anybody know how it was involved? Somebody hit it? It hit somebody?”

Lutz: “The officer hit somebody, going out of the alley, responding to a call.”

(Columbia Spy spotted the cruiser sitting at Midway Collision yesterday.  It had been moved from its previous position.)

The cruiser sustained front-end damage in a traffic accident.

Borough hires Susquehanna Heritage to run the trolley

Columbia Trolley Works trolley
[Columbia Spy file photo]

At Monday’s meeting, Columbia Borough Council unanimously approved an “Addendum to Professional Services Agreement Between The Borough of Columbia AND The Susquehanna Heritage Corporation…” for management and marketing of the borough-owned Columbia Trolley Works trolley.

As part of the agreement, the borough will provide $11,000 annually to Susquehanna Heritage “for costs associated with management of the Trolley.” The breakdown of anticipated annual costs is as follows:

  • Trolley Management: $4,000
  • On-Board Interpretation – (Trolley Guides-formerly known as volunteers), two part-time positions: $4,000.
  • Support costs: (Equipment, signs, brochures, insurance, miscellaneous): $2,000.
  • SHC Administrative Support: (Accounting, Personnel Management, etc.):  $1,000

Excerpts from the agreement:

  • Trolley Maintenance: The borough shall ensure that the trolley is maintained and operated in a manner that complies with local, state, and federal laws and regulations relating to its operation, including licenses and other requirements of the public utility commission and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Costs associated with maintaining and fueling the Trolley are the sole responsibility of the borough. The Borough shall maintain and fuel the Trolley so that it is readily available for use year-round, including maintaining a fully functional heat and air conditioning system. The Borough shall immediately inform Susquehanna Heritage of any mechanical or other issues that prevent the Trolley from operating. The Trolley shall be housed and maintained by the Borough at a location to be determined by the Borough.
  • Scheduling and staffing: The Borough shall be responsible for recruiting, selecting, training, supervising, and compensating employees assigned to drive and maintain the Trolley. All such employees shall be employees of the Borough and not employees of Susquehanna Heritage… It shall be the responsibility of the Borough Manager to handle any personnel issues relating to Borough employees and the Trolley operation.
The complete document can be found HERE.

Former Columbia police officer charged with harassment

A former Columbia Borough police officer is charged with harassment by the West Hempfield Police Department. Dale Niles Wiley, 52, of Mount Joy was charged after an alleged victim said he had forced her to the ground and grabbed the sides of her neck during an argument that occurred at their home on Sunday, February 25, 2018. Officers reported that the victim had red marks on her cheek and neck. The defendant denied any physical contact with the victim during the argument.

On Friday, March 2, 2018, West Hempfield Police filed a charge of One count of Harassment Section 2709 A 1 (S) against Miley at MDJ Miles Bixler’s Office in Columbia.

Charges were also filed against Miley in December 1994 for holding a gun to his girlfriend’s head and threatening to kill her, according the March 2, 1995 edition of the Lancaster New Era. The victim, Rhonda Diehl, said she “was afraid for her life.” After a preliminary hearing Miley, then 29, was ordered to stand trial on charges of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, and simple assault. According to court records, Miley pled nolo contendre in March 1996 in that case.

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 16.0px; font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 14.0px Times; color: #000000; min-height: 18.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 16.0px; font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; background-color: #ffffff} p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 14.0px Times; color: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none}

Will a residence near a junkyard become a religious retreat?

1029 Lancaster Avenue
[Google Maps]
Fralu Realty LP is requesting special exceptions and/or variances to convert a residential use property at 1029 Lancaster Avenue into a religious counseling retreat, according to a legal notice published in Lancaster Newspapers today.
The notice (shown below) indicates the issue will be brought before the Zoning Hearing Board of Columbia Borough on March 28.  
Records from the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds show that the property is one of three transferred in 2011 from members of the Sahd family to Fralu Realty, whose address is 1045 Lancaster Avenue. The address is also that of Sahd Metal Recycling. Total assessment for the entire tract (land and building) at 1029 Lancaster Avenue is listed as $552,200. The 16.5 acre tract includes a residence and a junkyard.
Fralu Realty LP and Sahd Metal recycling share the same address.
The property is assessed at $552,200.

The 16.5 acre tract, outlined in blue, includes a residence and a junkyard. 

Sunshine is Always Right

March 11-17, 2018


By Jim ZacharyCNHI Deputy National Editor
Editor, The Valdosta Daily Times
Open government is not a political platform.
It is a basic American right.
The political landscape is more polarized than ever and there seems to be little common ground for conservatives and progressives.
Transparency — keeping the light on the people’s business — ought to be something everyone can agree on.
Instead, conservatives want to reveal the secrets of liberals and liberals want to expose the actions of conservatives.
Openness in government is not a liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat, independent, Libertarian or freedom caucus issue.
It often appears that whatever party is in the minority becomes the champion of transparency right up until the time it is in the majority.
Politicians stump on transparency and are all about open access, until they have something they want to keep secret.
The need for transparency in local, state and federal government transcends parties and political ideologies.
Checks and balances provide few checks and little balance when officials broker deals behind closed doors and conceal documents that contain important information that the public has the right, and often the need, to know.
Local government has the biggest impact in the lives of people on a day-to-day basis.
Whether it is in the form of property taxes, sales taxes, business taxes, state-shared dollars or federal grants, loans and funding, local government is 100 percent taxpayer-funded.
The public has the right to know how its money is being spent.
The decisions being made, the dollars being doled out and the records being kept by city hall, the county commission, the board of education or the utility district all belong to liberals, conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, independents, Libertarians and even politically disinterested individuals.
All stakeholders have a stake in open meetings and public records and should care about transparency issues.
The lack of and need for true government transparency should be about the most bipartisan cause that exists.
Any elected official who truly cares about public service in a real and meaningful way and fully understands what a representative form of government is all about, should not only champion openness in government, but should be the most effective watchdogs, looking out for the public trust.
Sadly, those kinds of elected officials are hard to find.
The press tries to keep an eye on government and expose clandestine actions and in response journalists are often ridiculed, belittled and even threatened for just doing their jobs, as they work to keep government honest by making use of access laws.
But, the public needs to understand that access to government documents and actions is not just a media right.
It is your right.
—
Jim Zachary is the deputy national editor of CNHI, editor of the Valdosta (Georgia) Daily Times, president and chairman of the Red & Black Publishing Company serving the University of Georgia, vice-president of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, director of the Transparency Project of Georgia and a member of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications Board of Trust. He can be reached at jzachary@cnhi.com.