Author: SPY

About Town 1/12/20

This week’s photos of Columbia
Yes, it snowed this week.
As attested to by this snowman at Janson’s Park.
But a few days earlier (or before) someone seemed to have predicted the snow with this window drawing at the Boys and Girls Club.
Something’s a bit out of kilter on this fence post on the 200 block of Locust.

Meanwhile, here are two more parking meters out of work until April. There are several marked like this around town.

Higher and higher at 401-403 Locust.

Missing persons

Right on track(s)

Have you seen the light?

Yes, have a happy one.

Elves at their post.

A storm sewer grate after recent rain

But in amongst the debris – this.
Open lock box on Walnut

These folks may have overstayed their welcome.

Offerings to the Buddha

Nice bench at the Presbyterian Church

Radiometer in the window

Christmas pig, still on the job

Plans for digging on the 400 block of Locust?

If you travel far enough down Manor Street, you’ll sometimes see a train.

Music lover on an outside piano on Chestnut

Well, at least that hole’s no longer there.
It’s been filled in.
Eberly Myers still owns this property at the bottom of Locust.

Our sidewalk is slowly beginning to come back.

There’s an ADA ramp under there somewhere.

Will things ever be the same?

At least the pipes are still OK.

Company acquires former Hotel Locust/Hotel Columbia buildings and former jewelry store for redevelopment project

The company, 315 Locust Street LLC, has acquired the historical buildings of 307, 309 and 315 Locust Street in Columbia, PA. Mr. Paul Guillaro, one of the members of the group, is a well respected developer in New York with over forty years experience. He was looking for a partner in a growing area like Columbia when he reached out to local real estate developer, Don Murphy. Together they will be working with a local architectural firm to create a mixed use commercial complex with market-rate living. The group has been working diligently to put together a great project for this site.

“These vacant buildings have been a real example of blight in the downtown. Our love for Columbia is well known, and this is an amazing opportunity to bring these significant buildings back to life by making the architecture sustainable, dynamic, and relevant for future uses” says Mr. Murphy. “Don has experience and a proven track record with a number of successful projects in this community, restoring some well-known historical buildings. It was important to have Don on board to make this another successful project in Columbia’s revitalization.”

Assisting in the transaction was Janice Nikoloff, Executive Director of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, who owned the two former hotels at 309 – 315 Locust Street and Justin Eby of the Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority.
[Source: Press release]

Council votes 5-2 not to reopen 2020 budget, but a councilman sounds an alarm

Several important budget items were addressed at this week’s two Columbia Borough Council meetings.

Reopening the 2020 budget
At Monday’s reorganization meeting, council voted 5-2 not to reopen the 2020 budget.

Council Vice President Sharon Lintner made the motion to reopen the budget to find cost savings, especially in the general fund expenditures. Councilman Howard Stevens seconded. Finance Manager Kyle Watts explained there is a deadline of February 15 to finalize changes, publish them for review, and then approve them. Council President Heather Zink then read a letter recommending that items should be examined and voted on as they come up throughout the year, instead of reopening the budget. In a roll call vote, council members Zink, Eric Kauffman, Pam Williams, Todd Burgard, and Fran FritzGerald voted against reopening the budget, with Lintner and Stevens voting for it.

Urgent action items
At Tuesday’s regular council meeting, Councilman Stevens referred to an email councillors received from Finance Manager Kyle Watts containing “urgent action” items printed in red. One such item recommended creating a general fund balance reserve to ensure an excess of revenue over expenditures in the general fund.

A second item recommended creating a debt service fund to handle the borough’s municipal bond. “We currently have no formal plan in place to handle our $12.9 million bond,” Stevens said. He noted that the finance manager recommended creating the fund to provide money for handling the bond. Stevens recommended canceling the Route 462 lighting project and taking the $500,000 slated for installation costs and moving the money into the debt service fund.

Stevens said that after studying the budget, he came up with almost $1.8 million in potential reductions in the capital fund. In addition to the Route 462 lighting project, he suggested examining the following items:

  • Columbia River Park Phase 3: $60,000.
  • Rotary Park: $124,000.
  • Parking Improvement Program: $700,000.
  • Streetscape Master Plan: $100,000.
  • Police cars: $80,000.
  • Highway Department: Tire machine, $6,800; Zero-turn mower, $8,800; Hooklift truck, $142,000; Pickup truck, $63,000.

Stevens said he believes we should not wait to look at expenses and noted that the debt service fund creation is the most urgent information he had gotten from the finance manager.

Watts said the borough definitely needs a debt services fund in 2020. He said that in order to move money into that fund he needs to know from council which projects are being entertained and the timing of those projects. The timing is very important, Watts emphasized.

Lintner said, “I feel that there’s been many items on this budget that have never been challenged and questioned as to exactly what goes into that figure.” She recommended that council take time to review the items.

Over the last month or so, citizens and officials have commented pro and con at council meetings on reopening the 2020 budget passed last December. If significant cost savings cannot be found and revenues increased this year, council will need to raise the millage rate for 2021 to make up for any shortfall in the general fund. Council narrowly avoided a millage increase for 2020 by borrowing from reserves.

Volunteers needed for collection of Wreaths across America wreaths Saturday, Jan. 11, at Mt. Bethel

Collection of the Wreaths Across America wreaths will take place in the cemetery at 9:00 am this Saturday morning Jan 11, 2020. We’ll need help gathering the wreaths and placing them next to the roads for pickup by volunteers with pick up trucks. The wreaths will then be placed in a hopper for disposal.

If you have time to volunteer, your help will be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Columbia Borough Council votes 5-2 to continue closed-door meetings, despite complaints

Heather Zink and Sharon Lintner voted against the measure.
Trust and transparency became big issues in Columbia where twice in the past 13 months citizens lodged complaints with the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, alleging violations of the state’s open meetings law. The DA’s office declined to prosecute but did issue a warning letter to the borough in response to a complaint filed by Sharon Lintner. The other allegation was lodged by Heather Zink. Lintner and Zink are now newly sworn-in members of the council, with Zink serving as the board’s new president and Lintner as vice president.
MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-to-continue-closed-door-meetings-despite-complaints/article_785d5b2c-32e8-11ea-b4cd-7f356d7e4cdd.html