Columbia Borough Police Chief Jack Brommer[File photo]
JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY
Columbia Borough Council voted to appoint Jack Brommer as interim borough manager at Tuesday’s meeting. Brommer will continue as police chief while serving as interim manager until next April, when he retires as chief. He will then become full-time borough manager in May. In the meantime, he will receive $2,000 a month for the extra duties, in addition to his $118,000 annual police salary.
As interim, Brommer will receive assistance from Ron Youtz, whom council voted to approve as part-time assistant borough manager at $50 an hour, not to exceed 30 hours a week. Youtz, a former West Hempfield Township manager, previously worked in Columbia Borough’s public works department.
Council also voted to approve Brommer as full-time borough manager, commencing after retirement as chief of police at a starting rate of $110,000 per year contingent upon a signed employment contract.
Brommer has been Columbia’s police chief since 2011.
This map shows City of Lancaster’s proposed route for a 42-inch diameter pipeline to be run through Columbia Borough. The main would run from a pumping station along the Susquehanna River, underneath railroad tracks, up Mill Street, over South Fourth Street, then up Manor Street to South 15th Street before continuing to the water treatment plant.
JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY
Columbia Borough Council voted unanimously last Tuesday to support Lancaster City’s application for funding for a major water transmission line project that will impact several Columbia streets over a 13-month construction period.
Councilman Peter Stahl made the motion to provide a letter of support for Lancaster City’s PennVEST loan application, with Council President Heather Zink seconding. The decision comes after the borough previously sent a letter of non-support for the project.
“When we initially denied it, we got a seat at the table again, and Lancaster City’s listening,” Stahl explained. “I feel that we have a place now to discuss and get in writing the things that we need to be done and need to be considered.”
Borough Engineer Derek Rinaldo emphasized that the letter of support is specifically for Lancaster City’s loan application, not an endorsement of the project itself.
“This is basically supporting the city of Lancaster in getting financing at a good rate for this project,” Rinaldo said. “As municipalities in Lancaster County, we have no desire to stick it to the city of Lancaster. We want to make sure that their taxpayers and their ratepayers get the best deal on this project if they can.”
Funding
Lancaster City initially applied to the Commonwealth Finance Authority for ARPA funding in 2023 for the full cost of both Phase 2 and 3, but received only $3.132 million for Phase 2 of the project. The city has since applied for PENNVEST funding, which offers lower interest rates but comes with specific requirements.
As part of the PENNVEST application process, Lancaster City must demonstrate that the project aligns with local land planning efforts. The application requires letters of support from all affected municipalities, including Columbia Borough, West Hempfield Township, Mountville Borough, and East Hempfield Township.
The project
At Tuesday’s meeting, Rinaldo acknowledged significant concerns about the project’s impact on Columbia. “This is going to be a pretty large pipeline project right through the heart of a big section of the borough,” he said.
Rinaldo: “This is going to be a pretty large pipeline project right through the heart of a big section of the borough.” [File photo]
The pipeline will begin at Lancaster City’s pumping station at the river and run to South 15th Street. Lancaster City cannot use a route at Strickler Run due to an existing water line, forcing the project onto Manor Street. The new pipeline will provide needed redundancy, since the existing line is 70 years old and has experienced leaks, including an emergency repair in 2012. Construction is scheduled to begin February 2026 and run through March 2027. Columbia Spy previously reported on details of the project HERE.
Concerns and negotiations Most of the line will run through Manor Street, which is a main conduit that includes the fire station. At a previous meeting, Jared Barninger, president of the Columbia Borough Fire Department, was concerned about access to the fire station during construction.
Councilman Eric Kauffman expressed concern about timing, particularly with the Lancaster County Fireman Association parade scheduled for June. “Will we be able to negotiate time frames at all?” Kauffman asked.
Rinaldo said time frames would be negotiable when Lancaster City submits street cut permits, which the borough plans to review extensively. Key issues to be addressed include:
Street restoration requirements and timelines
Road closure durations and detour plans
Emergency vehicle access for the fire company
Business delivery impacts, particularly for truck traffic
Council President Zink wanted a condition that construction vehicles cannot be parked on Manor Street overnight to allow resident parking. She also defended the need to work with Lancaster. “You’ve got to give a little to get a little,” she said.
Underground utilities Councilman Kelly Murphy was concerned about existing underground utilities including UGI gas lines, water services, and other infrastructure already under the streets. Rinaldo explained that subsurface utility investigation would be conducted to prevent conflicts. Ground-penetrating radar could also be used.
Mayor Leo Lutz was concerned about risks with the new line, particularly water leaks that could erode the area’s limestone bedrock. “We have to be very diligent and work with Lancaster City if it’s going to happen as to what we want to see happen and what protections we have,” Lutz said.
Lutz later added, “I’m a little apprehensive about it.”
Rinaldo assured council that Columbia’s control over street cut permits would provide leverage with Lancaster City over terms and conditions.
Resident Sharon Lintner spoke about the issue from the residents’ point of view. “Council President, you just said ‘Give a little to get a little,’ but we’re getting nothing,” Lintner said. She noted that former borough manager Steve Kaufhold, who retired September 5th, had advised against a letter of support. Lintner also directed a comment to Rinaldo: “Derek, you said we don’t want to stick it to Lancaster, but are you okay sticking it to Columbia residents? Because they’re going to suffer for this.”
A Columbia man charged with shooting a man to death in Pittsburgh in 2022 will spend up to 35 years in prison for his role in a 2023 Columbia carjacking.
Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright sentenced Sammie Edward Lane Jr. to 15 to 35 years in state prison Wednesday in the carjacking case.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Assistant District Attorney Chris Miller argued that Lane, 37, who has 10 previous criminal convictions, keeps escalating his offenses. He has convictions on charges of burglary, drug possession, and escape going back to 2006 across five counties.
“His history shows you exactly what he’s going to do again, this crime or worse,” Miller said. “How long are you going to put him away so he just can’t do this again?”
Lane was convicted June 13 of robbery, simple assault and related charges in the carjacking case. Lane, Destiny Delgado-Diaz, and Alexander Ethan Delgado-Diaz, lured a man to Columbia on Dec. 31, 2023, strangled him, threatened him with a handgun and stole his Dodge Durango SUV and items he had in the vehicle.
Police in Lebanon County on Tuesday cracked open a safe containing more than a dozen homemade explosive devices, including one rigged for remote detonation, according to the county district attorney.
The Tuesday incident started after a woman went to a Berks County police station regarding a violation of a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order against Timothy Shaeffer Jr., of Columbia.
The woman told investigators Shaeffer had a safe in Newmanstown, Lebanon County containing several explosive devices. An unknown number of children live in the home, the DA said.
The woman also showed police a remote firing system she said was hooked up to the explosives.
After Berks County police notified Pennsylvania State Police, troopers were sent to the home at 11 Central Drive, where residents within a quarter-mile were evacuated.
A resident of the Newmanstown home told police Shaeffer previously said the safe contained explosives.
Investigators eventually x-rayed and opened the safe, finding 14 explosive devices “of varying capabilities” and personal belongings of Shaeffer, the district attorney said.
One of the explosives had an advanced wiring system that appeared to be connected to the remote detonator the woman showed police.
During questioning, police say Shaeffer admitted to them that he owned the safe.
Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf consulted with state police and the FBI before charging Shaeffer with weapons of mass destruction, risking catastrophe and recklessly endangering another person.
Federal, State, and local emergency responder agencies held a train derailment exercise at Columbia River Park on Saturday. Many more photos of the event are shown later in this post.
Jess & Kyle (and friend) provided music on Locust Street again on Saturday.
Bob Smith supervised another banner hanging. This one was at 4th & Union.
Land Studies sprayed the banks of Shawnee Run again.
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This is some sort of delivery inlet on the sidewalk on South 2nd.
The Turkey Hill Experience
Several units responded to a medical emergency Thursday afternoon North 2nd.
You’d probably have to be a crow to understand this behavior.
Sunrise
Respect the zone.
Web coverage
A big head emerging from a vehicle
This car with whatever that is on top was on Locust Street the other day.
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Traffic stop
A traffic incident involving two vehicles occurred Friday morning on South 8th.
One of the vehicles hit a porch.
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This message should’ve been removed on Tuesday.
Here’s why.
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This is Lancaster’s treatment plant on South 15th Street. “Raw” water will be pumped there from the Susquehanna through a water pipeline to be installed under borough streets. Council will vote to send a letter of support for funding for the project at Tuesday’s meeting.
Progress at the Linden Street Build
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Meanwhile, at the innovation park project or whatever it is now
Rick Breneman was on site. Columbia Borough hired him to oversee the project.
Excavators dug up whatever this is.
Workers also extended a road from 11th Street into the property.
At 9th & Manor
It’s not a great idea to leave this like this.
Not to mention leaving this cap lying around.
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Columbia Curiosities held an event on Saturday.
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Several agencies, including the U.S. EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, Norfolk Southern, area fire departments, and others held a train derailment drill from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at River Park.
Brad Chambers spoke with personnel at the event. He’s opposing Brett Miller for a seat in the PA State House.
Miller didn’t attend the event. According to LNP, he voted against a bill that proposed the creation of a database of hazardous material being transported through the state on railways; that database would be accessible to emergency management agencies. His office is less than a block away from the rail lines.
Lewis Environmental showed off their airboat…
Sergeant Brent Keyser launched the police drone and sent it on a flight downriver.
Food trucks were set up for a different event.
That event was International Vulture Awareness Day at Columbia Crossing.
The star of the show was Barron Von Vulture.
There’s Barron (an appropriate name for a vulture.)
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Columbia Spy 