Lancaster County DA’s Office and PA Office of State Inspector General File Charges Against 16 in Pandemic Rent Fund Scheme Totaling over $280K | Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office

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Council votes to spend $1.4 million to acquire property for public works department

An abandoned factory along Ridge Avenue that Columbia Borough plans to refurbish for its public works department. 

At its August 22, 2023 meeting, Columbia Borough Council voted to purchase three parcels of land at 1100, 1110, and 1120 Ridge Avenue at a price of $1,350,000, with the intent of moving its public works department there. Council also voted to purchase a .31-acre strip of land from a private owner at a price of $50,000, to access the property from the street. 

The purchase is necessary because a company, JG Environmental, wants to buy the borough’s wastewater treatment plant – and eventually the “borough sheds” next door to it, where the public works department is currently located. Moving public works and vacating the sheds will allow the company to complete the transaction and expand its operation. The company currently leases the wastewater plant from the borough.

Funding for the purchase of the 9.4 acres at Ridge Avenue will come from the borough’s investment account at Wells Fargo, according to Borough Manager Mark Stivers. Currently, there is $3,200,000 in the account, the majority of which is the “true reserve fund for the borough,” Stivers said. Selling off the borough’s assets, including the wastewater plant, will reimburse the account. The sale price of the plant is $565,000, which the borough will receive by the end of September, when the plant will have been sold, according to borough solicitor Evan Gabel.

According to Stivers, selling off assets will allow the borough to purchase the land, purchase the right of way, build a road, and restore an abandoned factory there without dipping into the general fund or capital fund. At a previous meeting, Stivers estimated the cost of relocating to Ridge Avenue and subsequent clean-up and renovation of the existing building will be about $2 million, in addition to the purchase price.

Other assets the borough hopes to sell are:

* 137 Front Street (the former Columbia #1 firehouse, currently leased by KT Graham)

* 26 acres of the borough’s Blue Lane property

* Residual Ridge Ave property (The borough will require only 3 and a half of the 9.4 acres and plans to sell off the remainder.)

At a previous council meeting, resident Frank Doutrich questioned officials’ assertion that the move wouldn’t entail any expense to taxpayers, since the assets the borough is hoping to sell were originally paid for with tax dollars.

At least part of the land is under Act 2 remediation, and there are test wells in place that are monitored by the DEP.

According to the Pennsylvania DEP website:
“The Land Recycling Program (Act 2) establishes environmental remediation standards for cleanups related to specific environmental laws. Remediation and the resulting liability relief provided by Act 2 is specific to the contamination identified at each specific site or sites.”

Public documents show that RBLD Properties LLC purchased the properties for $1,000,000 from the Columbia Reduction Company in 2019. An abandoned factory, which sustained a fire on April 5 of this year, sits on one of the properties.

Initially, the plan was to move public works to Blue Lane, but it was deemed too costly – at around $5 million. 

Deeds Recorded – Columbia Borough – September 4, 2023

Jared B. Helton conveyed 111 S. Eighth St. to Blake Stauffer for $178,500.

Noah A. Johnson and Whitney R. Johnson conveyed 443 Cherry St. to Tatiana Catala-Galino for $185,000.

Zachary S. Brubaker and Emily M. Duggan conveyed property on South Eighth Street to John F. Kennedy for $235,000.

The estate of George R. Brommer Sr. and The estate of George R. Brommer conveyed property on a public road to Ofelia A. Munoz-Castro and Juan C. Rosabal-Pena for $251,000.

Melissa Shiel and Cheryl A. Scott conveyed 257 N. Second St. to Bernadette C. Cullen for $146,150.

About Town – September 3, 2023

Balloons on the way

International Vulture Awareness Day at Columbia Crossing

WWII military ambulance

Moon on top

8:44 am

On Tuesday, Boat 801 and Blue Rock Regional Fire District assisted the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office with K9 training on the Susquehanna River. Here are some of the vehicles at Columbia River Park.

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Wagon at Tollbooth Antiques

An orca, a bit trashed at Columbia River Park

One of several “guard cats” at the Mifflin House near 2nd & Walnut

The ongoing water main replacement project on the 500 block of Chestnut

Cloudy sky

The community rock snake has a new head, after the previous one was taken.

The snake has been named “Flow.”

More of Columbia’s prime real estate

Columbia United Methodist Church

Walkway with commemorative bricks at Mount Bethel Cemetery

Habitat

Flag, in time for Labor Day

Stream Gaging Station at Columbia River Park

It links to this website.

Something’s lurking . . .

It’s the bell tower at  the former Manor Street School, now painted black.

Along with the molding . . .

. . . and entrance doors.

It looks like something Morlocks would have thought up.

Anyway, here’s another look at the datestone.

(Date plaque?)

Here are some “before” photos of the school . . .

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Here’s a mural that includes the river, and on the lower left is the valve to let out the water – maybe?

The Land Bank is undertaking two projects in Columbia: one at 612 Franklin Street and one at 154 and 156 South Fifth Street.

Located at 341 Chestnut St #102

Paving Lancaster Avenue

Hooray!

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What the . . . ?

On the job

Always keep at least one eye open

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hT9NM3AfLPMWhen you’re riding your e-bike, and you just don’t care to stop for those pesky stop signs.

Yet another bridge inspection

Tail-end of a warthog flying out of frame, too fast for the camera

More activity at Rail Mechanical, 4th & Manor (above and below)

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Draw your own conclusions.

Headin’ out

Short-handed Columbia records impressive win over Hanover | High School Football | lancasteronline.com

Columbia came into Friday night’s football game with 20 players listed on its roster — and less than that dressed for the game — while Hanover came in with more than double the number of players.

Hanover drove deep into Columbia territory on its first two drives while the Tide could barely move the ball.

Yet Columbia held strong, weathered the early storm and delivered a convincing 40-27 nonleague victory over the visiting Night Hawks.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/sports/highschool/football/short-handed-columbia-records-impressive-win-over-hanover/article_8ffe0168-493d-11ee-99a3-af514b547f0c.html