2018 – Page 69 – Columbia Spy

COLUMBIA BURROW!

Tom Strickler officially becomes Columbia superintendent with 7-1 school board vote

Tom Strickler

[Columbia Spy file photo]

The school board on Thursday ratified and approved a three-year contract with new Superintendent Tom Strickler at a salary of $102,100.

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/tom-strickler-officially-becomes-columbia-superintendent-with—school/article_a7d6e3c0-fd55-11e7-9b98-63b9d5fbc95d.html#tncms-source=article-nav-next

Friday Afternoon at River Park: Girls, Gulls, and Lots of Ice

No explanation needed. The pictures tell the tale:

2017 Year End Stats | Columbia Borough Police Department

Below are some of the statistics for the Columbia Borough Police Department for 2017.

– The Columbia Borough Police Department handled 13,717 (4% increase over 2016) calls through Lancaster County Wide Communications (Columbia Borough is the 7th busiest police department in Lancaster County)

– Out of the top 50 police units in the county dispatched for calls, Columbia Borough had three units in this group. They were ranked 9th, 13th and 45th.

– There were 5,605 calls directly into the Columbia Borough Police Station during hours a dispatcher was on duty to answer calls.

– 10,206 parking tickets issued

– 597 traffic citations issued or filed

– 198 non-traffic citations issued or filed

– 207 criminal complaints completed (this number does not reflect PFA violations filed or juvenile allegations completed)

– 209 accident reports completed

Officers also assisted with many public safety and awareness events, volunteered in town, read books to children in the schools and at the public library, assisted with the Marine Corps League Toys for Tots program and also participated in other events in and out of town.

The employees of the Columbia Borough Police Department would like to thank the citizens, businesses, as well as the visitors of Columbia Borough for their continued support of their police department.

Additional statistics for the county can be found at the following link.

http://www.lcwc911.us/lcwc/AboutLCWC/AnnualReports/Year2017Report.aspx

Source:

Columbia Borough Police Department

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/2017-year-end-stats

There's still ice, but the river's flowing again

These photos were taken Thursday afternoon. Temperatures were finally above freezing, causing river ice to thaw and the river to flow. Warmer temps are predicted to prevail over the next few days. The ice left damage in its wake but also created some natural beauty, as shown here.

Communities on Susquehanna River see some damage from ice jams

“We get into situations like this with the ice,” said Jeff Helm, emergency management coordinator for Columbia borough. “Then we run into the submarine and buildup along the dam wall and that then creates a catastrophic backup.”

http://fox43.com/2018/01/16/communities-on-susquehanna-river-see-some-damage-from-ice-jams/

Parks & Rec seeks advisory board members

The Borough of Columbia’s new Parks and Recreation Committee is seeking residents to serve on its Advisory Board. Members will serve three year terms and will be appointed by Borough Council. The purpose of the Advisory Board is to assist the Committee in identifying opportunities for recreational activities in the Borough and to make recommendations for improvements to our parks. Advisory Board members should commit to attending Committee meetings on the second Thursday of each month and be invested in providing safe parks and healthy and fun recreation for our residents. Please send a letter of interest to Greg Sahd, Borough Manager (gsahd@columbiapa.net)“. Please respond before February 7, 2018 at 4:00 PM.

Borough Offices: 308 Locust Street, Columbia PA 17512 | Phone: 717-684-2467

River Park: IT'S WORSE

The water level – or rather, ice level – at Columbia River Park is a foot above where it was yesterday, now at 236 feet, nine above normal. Much of the ice is covered with this morning’s snow. About half the park is off-limits; sawhorses and police tape have been set up to limit travel.

Codes Department unveils new ticket for violations

The Columbia Borough Codes Department has unveiled a new ticket with updated fee schedule. As shown above, most violations are set at $25.

If a resident receives a ticket, he/she can appeal it in writing to the borough manager, accompanied by a $100 check payable to the borough for associated administrative costs.

If no appeal is made and the ticket is not paid within 30 days of the ticket date, the violation will become a citation/summons for “Failure to Pay,” in which case, the district justice will charge the initial ticket fee and all associated court costs.

The ticket also has provisions for no-compliant/unregistered rentals and for a landlord’s failure to report a change of occupancy.

FLOODED: Columbia River Park!

Ice jams, high water levels, and the sheer volume of ice floating down the Susquehanna have caused Columbia River Park to become flooded this morning (1/16/18). The painted scale on one of the piers of the Veterans Memorial Bridge shows the water level at 235 – eight feet above normal.