https://www.columbiaspy.com/2023/05/whats-up-at-former-visitors-center.html
Council votes 5-2 to sell 400 Locust lot to Cimarron
In a 5-2 vote, Columbia Borough Council voted to sell a .12-acre vacant lot at 400 Locust Street to Cimarron Investments, even though it had offered the LOWER of two bids.
Realtor Jeff Seibert conveyed offers from Cimarron and Habitat for Humanity to council at Tuesday night’s borough council meeting, with Cimarron bidding $60,000, while Habitat offered $58,000 with an escalation clause that would allow them to outbid by $500 any counter offer – up to $75,000, so in this instance, their offer automatically became $60,500. Columbia Borough paid $75,000 for the property in 2017, so acceptance of the $60,000 offer represents a loss of $15,000 to the borough.
Cimarron’s stated goal is to build 4 to 6 rental units with a commercial space on the first floor, while Habitat had planned two condominium-style homes with a commercial space. Mayor Leo Lutz seemed to have difficulty understanding Habitat’s proposal, which had to be explained to him several times.
Councilors Todd Burgard and Peter Stahl said they believe Cimarron’s style of construction is more in line with the downtown.
Burgard passionately praised all of Cimarron’s local projects, even referencing Qwik-Med Pharmacy at 4th & Locust. Burgard was apparently unaware that the pharmacy has been closed for over seven months due to charges against the pharmacist, who is awaiting trial.
Columbia Borough’s Comprehensive Plan Ad Hoc Committee stated, during their May 18th meeting, that one of the goals in the comp plan is to “promote and encourage home ownership.” However, Councilwoman Barb Fisher, who chairs the committee, voted in favor of selling to Cimarron instead of Habitat. Don Murphy of Cimarron also sits with Fisher on the committee.
Council President Heather Zink noted that the borough had paid a lot for the comp plan that promotes home ownership over rentals. “If we’re not going to follow it, to me, we spent money for nothing,” Zink said.
Councilors Heather Zink and Sharon Lintner voted “no” on selling to Cimarron.
There’s more to this story. Details will follow.
Posted by Joe Lintner at 10:03 AM
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A comeback puts Columbia’s Quincy Stewart on fast track to gold
Audio: Columbia Borough Council Meeting – May 23, 2023
Dayspring students place flags at Mount Bethel
About a dozen 10th-grade students from Dayspring Christian Academy in Mountville replaced flags on veterans’ graves at Mount Bethel Cemetery today (Wednesday, May 24th) in preparation for Memorial Day. They were joined by Mount Bethel Superintendent Ryan Sexton and two instructors from the academy. Old and damaged flags were set aside for dignified retirement. Students also weeded around grave markers. This is the second year that Dayspring students participated in this activity.Sexton said 512 flags will be placed today on graves of veterans from all wars except Iraq and Afghanistan since there are currently no veterans from those conflicts buried at Mount Bethel.
Sexton also said 120 flags were placed a few weeks ago when volunteers cleaned veterans’ grave markers. He said there are 700 veterans buried at the cemetery but not all have markers.
DEEDS RECORDED – COLUMBIA BOROUGH – APRIL 5, 2021
Arthur Wilmot III and Tami L. Wilmot conveyed 1061 Cloverton Drive to Jonathon R. Lauten and Amy L. Lauten for $120,000.
Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Mary Henry and Douglas Henry conveyed 530 Manor St. to FHG 92 LLC for $126,000.
Amy C. Danz conveyed property on Manor Street to Almir Cokrlija for $100,000.
Jennifer L. Egge conveyed 229 S. Fourth St. to Awakened Properties LLC for $68,800.
Connie L. Vera and Connie L. Geltz conveyed 713 Walnut St. to Diana Jt Rebert for $66,500.
Celebrate National Library Week at the Library, April 5 through 10
About Town – April 4, 2021
This week’s photos of Columbia
(Click on photos to see larger, sharper images.)
Nest-building time
Saint Francis will look out for them.
Daffodils just in time for Easter
Tulip about to bloom
Small backhoe next to Shawnee Run
Here’s the tunnel that runs under South 4th.
Part of the Shawnee Run restoration project
Train near Florence & Mill
It will never pass inspection in this condition.
Ghost signs near the intersection of Barber, Florence, and Mill
Tracks on their way to somewhere
Fallen trees and branches about to clog Shawnee Run
Chassis on Manor
How many people know where this is?
(The answer’s at the end.)
Sign down!
Metal tubes hanging from a gutter in Avenue G
Why?
Roof work on Locust
Shadows on Second
Old-fashioned light globe at the Watch & Clock Museum
More globes there
A Canada goose looks inquisitively at the camera.
The other public boat ramp that almost no one uses, at the bottom of Union Street
” “th & WALNUT
Experience
On the lookout at River Park
Saint Peter’s Church
Buddha on Second
Here’s his story.
Here’s his friend.
And here’s her story.
Guardian of the temple
Here’s what he looks like from behind.
Two guardians
Meanwhile, at Mount Bethel
Above ground
Brit flag
“Come unto me.”
“Abide with me.”
In the grass
Broken up
“He loved his country.”
Rows
Cracks are forming.
Born September 7, 1802
Truck on Linden
Here’s the logo on the back of the truck.
“DEPT OF HEALTH & MENTAL HYGIENE MD.”
So, what’s in that truck?
It won’t work like that.
He’s back!
Sign down!
UGI guy at Route 462 & Cherry
Ominous cloud advancing
Wide cloud
Getting closer
Chinook flying over in the evening
Stag
An Iron Stag, at that
Coal car
A very long train consisting of coal cars passed through on Saturday morning.
Many coal cars were on the train.
Very many coal cars were on the train.
Happy Easter!
Abandoned bike at Second & Cherry
401-403 Locust Street
The St. John Neumann School is open.
The “C” on this medallion presumably stands for “Columbia.”
There are several on the base of this lamppost.
The post is located at 4th & Cherry, at the former Andy’s Market.
So, should the cloth be red . . .
(Holy Trinity)
. . . or purple?
(Victory Church)
Illegally parked on Bank Avenue
A flag that seems to support everything
Datestone at Manor School
At 10th & Manor
Training in progress
Coming soon on South 12th
Answer: The Strine Memorial is at the District Administration Center, 200 North 5th Street.
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Trial date set for historic Pa. school funding lawsuit; ‘It has been a long road to get here’
The long awaited trial date for a lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania’s school funding system has been tentatively set for Sept. 9 in Commonwealth Court.
Attorneys for the school districts, parents and organizations filed the lawsuit in 2014 in an effort to prove the General Assembly failed in its constitutional duty to provide a “thorough and efficient system of public education.”
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U.S. District Court Dismisses Excessive Force Case Against Columbia Borough and Borough Police
COLUMBIA, Pa., April 2, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Columbia Borough has received confirmation that Matthew Grab's complaint, filed in April 2020, alleging excessive force against the Borough, Chief Jack Brommer and Officers James Jacobs and Brett Keyser has been voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiff and that dismissal has been confirmed by the U.S. District Court. The voluntary withdrawal of all claims thoroughly vindicates the position of the Borough that its officers acted professionally and appropriately at all times.
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