Category: Uncategorized

Ford and Garrido join school board

 Ford and Garrido take the oath of office, which was administered by District Magisterial Judge Miles Bixler.

Barry Ford and Iris Rachael Garrido were sworn in as school board directors by District Magistrate Miles Bixler at Thursday’s Columbia Borough School Board meeting. Ford and Garrido filled two board vacancies, one of which was created when Cole Knighton assumed the presidency after Tom Strickler’s resignation, and the other by Tammy Mattern’s resignation, effective September 9, 2016. The board previously appointed former board member Keith Combs to fill a vacancy created when Fran Resch resigned in May.

Ford resigned from borough council in May, citing health concerns. This was Garrido’s third try for a seat on the board. 
Leo Lutz Jr. was absent from Thursday’s meeting, but those present voted unanimously for the appointments. Vicki Anspach voted also, despite her absence at last week’s committee of the whole meeting when candidate interviews were held. When questioned at last week’s meeting if absent members would vote, Superintendent Dr. Robert Hollister said, “We’d have abstentions from the other board members.” The vacancy created by Mattern’s resignation was not advertised. (Lutz and Mattern were also absent from last week’s meeting.)

The board also accepted the resignation of high school principal Maura Hobson, effective September 14, 2016. Hobson will remain in the position for up to 60 days, pending a replacement.

 New board director Barry Ford

 New board director Iris Garrido

Garrido: “I’m here to be part of the solution.” 

Why Is Penn State Celebrating Joe Paterno?

 

Lauren Davis, a junior from Lancaster, Pa., received hundreds of emails and online reader comments — most of them negative, after penning an editorial for the student newspaper.
“This is our Penn State. It is a Penn State without Joe Paterno,” she wrote, adding, “Those of us here now are beyond ready to move on.”

Former board member alleges political scheming on school board

 
Former board member Fran Resch
About 100 citizens convened at the district administration building for Thursday’s Columbia Borough School Board meeting, largely in response to a recently released video of a classroom assault at the high school.
Bullying among students was not the only topic discussed, however. Bullying is alleged to have occurred among board members themselves. At Thursday’s meeting as at previous meetings, allegations surfaced regarding political scheming by some on the board.
Fran Resch, a former board member, brought to light incidents he says occurred during his tenure:

“These comments are long overdue, but I had to get them off my chest.

Number one: Back in May, when I was still on the school board, I was approached at home by a current board member and in the course of the conversation I was told we must do what Ken and Tom want. I said I would do what I thought those who voted me into office wanted. No one was going to tell me what to do. I was not doing anything wrong. I could not believe that I was actually approached in this manner, and I ask the board members before me, were any of them approached by anybody on the board?”

“Part two: When I gave my resignation letter to Thomas Stickler – my resignation – he asked me if Kathy [Hohenadel] had got to me. I was shocked, I said, no, absolutely not. Tom then asked me if I knew anybody that I thought might be a good replacement for me on the board, and I suggested Iris Garrido since she had received the second highest number of votes in the November election. At this time Tom looked at me – and this is the truth, I’m not a liar – and said, ‘No, I don’t want her.’ And these are the things that have been eating at me for the longest time. I plead for Dr. Hollister to make sure these things are straightened out. Please give some thought to what I just said. I’m not looking for anybody to lose a job. But I’m finding out now that I’m off the board, I have a better chance to express my views and express them the way I want, because when I was on the board I really did not have a chance to say what I wanted to say.”

Director of Operations Tom Strickler

UPDATE: CHS THREAT SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

GAME RESCHEDULED: 2 PM SATURDAY AT YORK SUBURBAN
UPDATE: CHS THREAT SUSPECT IN CUSTODY
GAME RESCHEDULED: 2 PM SATURDAY AT YORK SUBURBAN
According to Mayor Lutz, a suspect has been apprehended related to tonight’s public safety threat during the Columbia-York Suburban game.
“Everyone left the stadium in an orderly fashion. No one panicked,” former Councilman Jim Smith said. Smith is a member of the Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee and was a presenter at tonight’s ceremony.

From school district website

WGAL interviews a Columbia player Friday night about his reaction to the threat.