Citizens meet to discuss community concerns

Columbia citizens met at the National Watch & Clock Museum on Sunday to discuss community concerns.
Columbia Concerned Citizens Association meeting was held yesterday March 3, 2019. Where dozens of local residents packed Columbia’s historic Watch and Clock Museum yesterday to talk about some things that are important to them in their community.
Front and center was a recent ordinance enacted by Borough Council to approve “a commercial revolving loan program” where borough money is loaned to private business owners.
This contentious policy, in conjunction with a $2.4 million shortfall in the borough budget, has residents worried.
MORE HERE:

http://farmfresh.media/breaking-news-columbia-pa/

About Town 3/3/19

This week’s photos from around Columbia
(Click/tap on photos for larger, clearer images.)
Yak yak yakkin’
Columbia’s Underground Railroad Heritage

Zion Hill Cemetery

Final resting place of many local African-Americans, 
some of whom fought for the Union in the Civil War.

Cryptic sign

This sign continues to rust into something interesting.

More of the unique statuary at Mount Bethel Cemetery . . .

Two of our former teachers . . .

John Houston Mifflin’s head upon a stand

Here’s a closeup of the old gent.

Looks like the guy in the back is holding a baseball bat to clobber any stray rebels coming across.

Giant angel out for a walk

Skyward!

Class of 1968
(Locust Street Park)

One of Columbia’s many pine cones

North 4th Street hill

The sidewalk ends here, and there are hedges where the sidewalk should be.

Web of shadows on Commerce Street

Lotsa barrels

Busted shutter on the steps

Tightening up

Where’s the rest of the sign?

Striped propellers for your striped airplane
Ghost sign, less ghostly than most

Radiometer

Santa Pig!

Out at the Visitors’ Center
Cardinal creeping around . . .

Here’s one at Our Lady of the Angels.

Sign under the overgrowth
Old “Old Glory”
Swans, lotsa swans

Cloudy day

Off to Middle Creek!
Time for a cleanup
Clever sign

Up on the rooftop, click, click, click
Go solar!
Surveillance video shows that this fence at the Turkey Hill Experience was damaged by high winds on February 24 at 10 p.m.
[Photos by Howard Stevens]

Turkey Hill might need to call in “The Fence Expert.”

The Home of the Keeley Stove Company, North 2nd & Maple. Several of the stoves still “reside” at the Columbia Market House.
[Submitted photo]


Veterans Memorial Plaza in the snow…

[Photos by Todd Stahl]

Bike Tour: Susquehanna River Towns Central to Industry & Underground RailroadRSVPA

Bicycle 22 miles, primarily on the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail, learning stories of African Americans and others active in thriving industry and the Underground Railroad during the 18th and 19th centuries. Fee charged, advance registration required.
MORE:

https://rsvpa.witf.org/event/bike-tour-susquehanna-river-towns-central-to-industry-underground-railroad/

Job fair welcomes both parents and students at Columbia High School | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Columbia Borough School District hosted a job fair, Thursday evening February 28, 2019. Over 150 people took advantage of the program and networked with over 30 different employers to learn about potential job oppritunities.
MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/job-fair-welcomes-both-parents-and-students-at-columbia-high/article_51d88d30-3bce-11e9-8cd4-7b9602c29918.html

ULI/TAP to evaluate parcels at Hotel Locust/Hotel Columbia and vacant lot

The area being evaluated is anchored by the vacant Hotel Locust and Hotel Columbia buildings, which includes two adjacent underutilized parcels and a vacant lot next to a thriving antiques market. Columbia Borough leaders believe that a redevelopment effort at this location would serve as a catalyst for other redevelopment in the commercial core of this community.

Questions to be addressed by the TAP Panel:

1. What is the potential for infill mixed-use development that would both fulfill an identified market need and establish an anchor for the downtown commercial district?

2. What parking solutions are possible for a significant redevelopment project at this location in the center of the commercial district?

3. What partners and resources can the Borough leverage to make something happen at this site that has sat vacant and deteriorating?

MORE:

https://philadelphia.uli.org/news/now-recruiting-members-for-columbia-borough-tap/

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Columbia News, Views & Reviews previously reported HERE that the Lancaster County Land Bank (of which Columbia Borough is a member) in conjunction with the Columbia Economic Development Corporation was looking to acquire Hotel Locust/Hotel Columbia.

In addition, the relevant section of the minutes of the April 24, 2018 Lancaster County Land Bank Authority read as follows:

1) The Board approved a Resolution authorizing acquisition of 309-315 Locust Street, Columbia, subject to the terms of the Agreement with the Borough of Columbia and Columbia School District. Mr. Sternberg reviewed photos and details of the two properties, Hotel Locust and Hotel Columbia, in an onscreen presentation. 

Columbia Economic Development Company (CEDC) has requested the Land Bank Authority take ownership of the properties from CEDC for redevelopment, as they have been unsuccessful in their marketing efforts over past few years. 

Mr. Jim Eby, Board Chair, provided more insights on the buildings’ condition and potential. He noted that behind the facades, there did not seem to be any historic fabric of interest. He provided insights on the buildings adjacent to the two hotels. 

Finally, he said that in his opinion, it would be an appropriate project to pull into the Land Bank. He answered a question from Mr. Robinson regarding the nearby location of the earlier-mentioned building with the missing façade. 

The motion to approve was made by Mr. Robinson, second by Ms. Lyon Slaymaker, and unanimously carried. (A copy of said Resolution [Apr 18 #3] is attached hereto, 
and made a part hereof). 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of the Lancaster County Land Bank Authority that:

1. The Land Bank is hereby authorized to acquire 309-315 Locust Street, Columbia, PA;
2. Acquisition of this property will be contingent on Land Bank funding, and approval by the Borough of Columbia and the Columbia School District;
3. The Executive Director of the Land Bank is hereby authorized and directed to execute all documents on behalf of the Land Bank which may be necessary or desirable to further the intent of this Resolution.

A few months later, Columbia Borough Council voted not to approve the Land Bank deal.
TO BE CONTINUED

Recording, Roadbotics, and Ruffled Feathers at the February 26 Borough Council Meeting

In another step towards livestreaming, Borough Council recorded Tuesday’s meeting via a cell phone mounted on a small tripod and operated by the borough manager from her seat at the conference table. The tripod proved to be a more stable option than the suction cup used at the previous meeting when the phone fell from its perch above a window ledge and crashed to the floor 15 minutes into the meeting.

Columbia Borough has enlisted the aid of Roadbotics , a company that assesses road conditions via cell phone and special software. Previously, the assessments were done manually. The borough will use Roadbotics in a one-time contract at a cost of $5,000. The data gathered will be loaded into a program of the borough’s called CSDatum. A previous study was done manually about five years ago, and the borough has since based its road program on this data. Borough Manager Rebecca Denlinger said, “Now it’s time for us to get a new set of data on how the streets are – the conditions of the roads – so that we can put in place a new road program.”
Breakdown in decorum? An exchange between Jim McGinness and Councilman Cleon Berntheizel became a bit heated:

TO BE CONTINUED