Author: SPY

Mayor Leo Lutz swears in new councillor Fran FitzGerald at Monday’s meeting.

Columbia Borough Council voted Monday night to appoint John Novak and Fran FitzGerald to council to fill seats recently vacated by Barry Ford and Mary Barninger. Other candidates who applied for the position were Frank Doutrich, Jeanne M. Cooper, Joseph H. Nikolaus, and Alan Barninger. Candidate Michelle McFarland was not present. John Novak was unable to attend the meeting and was interviewed via phone after listening to the interviews. He was sworn in by Mayor Leo Lutz via phone.

Ford resigned due to health issues. His resignation was effective May 31, 2016. Barninger resigned due to employment obligations. Her resignation was effective June 30, 2016.

Unanswered questions have been swirling around town since the June 16 Columbia Borough School Board meeting. Changes, resignations, and appointments are making the actions of the board look like a veritable chess game.

Board President Tom Strickler resigned after announcing his intention to apply for an administrative position with ELANCO.
Strickler’s resignation is effective July 18 at 11:59 p.m.

In a unanimous vote, the board appointed board member Cole Knighton as president, despite his less than desirable attendance record over the past four years, specifically:

In 2013: Twelve regular board meetings: He attended seven. (58%)

In 2014: Eleven regular board meetings with recorded attendance: He attended four. (36%)

In 2015:. Twelve regular board meetings: He attended seven. (58%)

In 2016: Six regular board meetings to date: He has so far attended all six. (100%)

In 2015, board members Alysa Poindexter and Cole Knighton both missed the first three consecutive meetings of the year. By the March 2015 meeting, both Knighton and Poindexter had reached a point in which their attendance was an issue, according to bylaws. They both remained on the board, but Poindexter eventually resigned in June, having missed a total of six consecutive meetings. Knighton kept his seat.

According to Section 319 of 1949 Act 14, adopted by the Pennsylvania General Assembly:

“If any person having qualified as school director and any qualified school director who is a member of a joint board or who is selected as a member of a joint school committee or who is a member of a joint school committee by virtue of the provisions of a joint board agreement shall neglect or refuse to attend two successive regular meetings of the school board, joint board or joint school committee, unless detained by sickness, or prevented by necessary absence from the district, or if in attendance at any meetings shall neglect or refuse to act in his official capacity as a school director, the remaining members of the board may declare his office as director vacant. His office shall be filled from the qualified electors of the district.”

No other candidates – including Board Vice President Kathleen Hohenadel – were considered for the position vacated by Strickler. (According to our records, Hohenadel has had 100% attendance at meetings.)

A vacant position will be created when Strickler’s resignation becomes effective and Knighton steps in as president. The position was advertised in the June 29 edition of the Merchandiser:

The deadline to apply for the position is August 1, 2016.

On a related note, board member Fran Resch resigned effective May 31, and the board appointed Keith Combs to fill the vacancy.

Strickler recused himself from part of the regular board meeting of May 12 due to his intention to apply for a Director of District Operations position, the posting for which is shown here:

Part of Strickler’s resume publicly available on the internet, shows the following:

As Columbia Spy reported HERE, former Columbia School Board member Francis Resch resigned from the board effective May 31, 2016. According to LNP, Resch resigned for health reasons. His resignation letter to the board, however, alludes to additional reasons. The letter is published here with permission of the author.

Hilde Kate Lysiak, who reports from Selinsgrove, PA, recently signed a book deal with Scholastic. She reports on news in her hometown at her site The Orange Street News.

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According to West Hempfield Township Police:

Christopher Picard, 26, was arrested and charged by West Hempfield Township Police for Aggravated Assault (Felony) and Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Misdemeanor). Charges stem from an incident that occurred on Monday, July 4 at approx. 8:50 am in the area of the 100 block of Stonehouse Lane. He was allegedly involved in a child custody dispute when the mother of their 3-year-old child attempted to remove the child from its car seat. As the she was doing so, Picard started to drive away, and the mother’s arm became stuck in the seatbelt, causing her to be dragged by Picard’s pick-up truck.

Despite the victim and numerous witnesses shouting at Picard to stop, he continued to drive away until the victim fell from the moving truck. Picard allegedly stopped a short distance away but only to shut the door that the victim had been hanging from.

The victim was transported to Lancaster General Hospital by Susquehanna Valley EMS for injuries to her knees, head, neck and hips.

 MORE: HERE