Columbia Spy endorses Mary Auker-Endres for State Representative

It’s fall 2018, the leaves are falling, and it’s time for Columbians to choose a candidate who will best represent them in Pennsylvania’s 98th legislative district, of which we are a part. Right at the outset, we at Columbia Spy are announcing our support for candidate Mary Auker-Endres, and here’s why:

The 98th is currently represented by 8-term Republican Dave Hickernell. Or at least that’s the rumor. Hickernell has been keeping a notoriously low profile. Very low. Virtually non-existent, in fact. If he is trying to be conspicuous by his absence he has succeeded. He has all but abandoned his Locust Street office and has not maintained a public presence in Columbia for quite some time.

In addition, Hickernell has routinely refused to inform voters of his positions on the issues. According to the non-partisan site VoteSmart.org, he has failed the Political Courage Test. The site states: “David Hickernell has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2018 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.”

In 2014, Columbia Spy noted that Hickernell refused to state whether or not he supports a natural gas extraction tax. And either by ignorance or inaction, he allowed Columbia to miss out on a portion of an extra $30.3 million in state funding. When questioned on the oversight, he replied, “Most representatives were unaware of the ‘carve out.'” He added that it was clear “most of us were in the dark.”

In a recent letter sent to Columbia residents, Mayor Leo Lutz touts Hickernell’s purported achievements, claiming he has added money for projects in Columbia that would create jobs and add parking for our downtown. Note the use of the subjunctive; no jobs have appeared and no parking has appeared due to Hickernell’s initiatives. The mayor also claims, “Representative Hickernell doesn’t just say he will do something, he does it.” Well, mayor… NO, that’s not the case, as we noted above.

Hickernell has kept his seat for 16 years, largely because he has rarely been challenged since taking office. 16 years – twice the duration for a two-term United States president – is enough for any legislator. And we believe it’s time for Hickernell to go.

Mary Auker-Endres at Columbia’s 2018 Mardi Gras Parade
In contrast, Democratic candidate Mary Auker-Endres, has been quite visible in Columbia over the last few months, talking with residents, stating her positions, and explaining how she will work for them in Harrisburg. We believe she will focus more on the needs of working people and small business owners rather than large capital projects that continue to drain their tax money and provide them little benefit.

Auker-Endres, an Elizabethtown resident, promises to support initiatives that help working families such as increasing the minimum wage, ensuring healthcare coverage, and providing for quality education. In addition, Auker-Endres says she will turn down perks and will refuse a government pension until every Pennsylvanian’s retirement is secure. She also won’t take a paycheck if the budget isn’t done on time.

“Harrisburg isn’t listening, but I am. And I’m ready to act,” she said in a statement.

Columbia Spy believes Columbia needs more than a representative who is only rumored to be representing us. We need more than a representative who takes Columbia for granted to the degree that he doesn’t even bother campaigning here. We need a candidate with our shared values who will work for us in Harrisburg.

Therefore, Columbia Spy unreservedly endorses Mary Auker-Endres for State Representative in Pennsylvania’s 98th District.

Here are a few links for additional information:

About Town – 10/28/18

This week’s photos from around Columbia…
(Tap/click on photos for larger, sharper images.)

Town crier, right on time
 Speaking of time, here’s the clock at the small plaza at 5th and Chestnut under an autumn sky.

 A close-up of the same

 Here’s the old clock tower at NAWCC.

And yet another timepiece – at NAWCC.

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This dragon landed on the 400 block of Poplar.

Here are a few nightlights that popped up on Chestnut Street recently…


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These lions (?) watch from the doorway at 401 Walnut.
They should be rehabilitated and repainted.
Looks like there are several layers of old paint on the wood surfaces.

 Here’s the one on the right.

 And the one on the left.

 There’s also some ornate filigree on the arch above the door.

 Here ‘s a longer view of the door and doorway – looking quite historic.
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 The Easter Bunny is late – or early – but definitely out of season.

 Another of Columbia’s majestic old mansions
(South 2nd)

 Here’s the datestone.

Considering the next move at the Art Printing building
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Looks like the railroad artist is at it again down at the tracks…


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 Norfolk Southern’s open door policy

 Public housing

 Filling in at River Park

 Not everyone’s will fit.

 At one time, this may have said, “ZAPPA IS . . . “(?)

 What’s that scrawled on the garage door on Bridge Street?

 Could this be the day the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper?

 Apparently, yellow is the new orange – which by extension is the new black.

 Here’s another way to recycle your old bottles.

 Church window at 6th and Chestnut

 This was.
(Burning Bridge Antiques)

 Tis the season.

 In amongst the autumn leaves
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 Lying down on the job?

 No, taking out the dock railings at Columbia River Park

 Here’s one getting carried away.

 An observer contemplating the railing-less dock

 And here’s the dock, being pulled upstream.

 The dock was tethered to this rescue boat.

 It was then pulled to shore by a worker at the boat ramp.

 This huge log (utility pole?) was found caught underneath.

 The log was removed using the backhoe.

 The backhoe’s front forks were then placed under a section of the dock.

 Like so.

The section, weighted down for stability, was taken away.
The remaining section was then prepared for the same maneuver.

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 Star spangled shirt – and a LEFT TURN sign.
An omen?

Over across the river, someone was stirring up the dust.

 This truck’s “track wheels” were in the “down” position at the River Park railroad crossing. It had been riding the rails.

 They were adjusted to the “up” position to allow the truck to travel on paved surfaces.

 The truck even has adjustable steps on the back that descend as needed.

 A boatload of branches and leaves crossed at the crossing.

 Here’s another of those architectural features – not aging well.
(2nd & Walnut)
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 Crews were out again painting traffic lines this week.

 They drove along North 5th.

 This truck uses the Stripe Hog Waterblasting System with 40,000 psi.

 And there it goes.

 Here’s a line painting truck -with reverse lettering.

 Despite the new lines, tractor-trailers still can’t successfully negotiate this turn at 5th and Chestnut without entering the opposing lane. Sometimes, the back wheels run over the curb.

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 Self-guided tour of Columbia Crossing

 Troweling at 6th and Walnut

 “If you meet the Buddha among the leaves…”

 The back deck at the American Legion is coming along nicely.

 All things come to those who wait.
(320-322 South 2nd)

 Ambivalence?

 Progress at the animal shelter-to-be

 Group shot of a mixed bag
(North 2nd)

 Chipping the stump next to Mount Bethel

 Possibly a miracle has occurred.

 The “Have a Nice Day’ guy isn’t having such a nice day.

The lady on the mural is waving “Hi” with her stovepipe arm.
 A reader sent this old photo of the historic Wright Mansion on South 2nd.

And another person submitted this great photo of the old tunnel under the railroad tracks at Shawnee Run (near Front and Mill).

ASSAULT at Halloween parade – Man knocked down, baby knocked from stroller

On 10/25/18 at approximately 7:39pm the Columbia Borough Police Department was dispatched to the 400 Block of Locust Street for an assault.  Upon arrival the Officer spoke with one of the victims who stated that he was struck and knocked down by two males that came running through the crown during the parade.  Another victim stated that her baby was knocked from her stroller by one of the suspects.  The suspects were described as black males in their 20's.  One was wearing a cammo sweatshirt and dreads and the other was wearing a red baseball hat with a white sweatshirt.  One of the suspects lost his green Nike sneaker at the scene.  Anyone with information regarding this assault should contact the Columbia Borough Police Department at 717-684-7735 or text LANCS to 847411.

Date: 

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Case Status:

Case Type:

Case Region:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/assault

Borough mulls funding $4 million parking garage related to hotel project

The proposed parking garage will be built separately from the planned “chip factory hotel” at 12 North Second Street and will require an updated design for the hotel.

Attendees at this week’s finance committee meeting received a last-minute revised agenda that packed a surprise: The borough is looking at funding a $4 million parking garage in downtown Columbia related to, but not dependent on, a hotel project already in the works. (Columbia Spy posted a press release about the hotel project HERE.) The proposal was presented as an attached one-page (plus two-line) “Project Description,” which is a summary of the planned project, as shown below. [Editor’s note: Some of the information contained in the summary differs from that which was discussed at the meeting.]

“Project Description
Columbia PA Hotel/ Public Parking Garage Project”
Under the proposal, the borough would plan and construct a four-story parking garage behind the former Becker Potato Chip factory at 12 North Second Street that Cimarron Investments LLC is redeveloping into a 60-room hotel/restaurant. The garage will contain 100 paid parking spaces, 60 of which would be reserved for hotel patrons, i.e., one per room. The remainder will be available for public use. The hotel building would contain elevator access to the garage, and parking would be overseen by some sort of management entity, such as a parking authority.

At the meeting, Cimarron CEO Don Murphy presented a tax map overlay and updated design for the project, showing how the garage would be built on a parcel behind the hotel. (The original plan was for hotel rooms to be built over a parking area.) The parcel, which is currently owned by Cimarron, would be conveyed to the borough.

Garage construction would be funded through a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program 1:1 matching grant. According to pa.gov: “The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.” If a $4 million RACP grant is approved by the state, the borough will pay half the cost of the garage: $2 million. [Editor’s note: The $4 million figure was quoted by borough manager Rebecca Denlinger at the meeting and differs from the $3.5 million presented in the summary. Denlinger told the committee that she uses a $25,000 to $30,000 per parking space to estimate the cost of a parking structure. Using those factors, however, the product does not equal $4 million.]

Murphy said the borough’s funding of the garage would make the hotel project more feasible for Cimarron, because the company would not be required to abide by prevailing wage laws (and would obviously be spared from funding, maintaining, and managing the garage). If the RACP application is denied, a combined hotel and garage project could still be completed but on a smaller scale, with parking available for hotel patrons only, according to Murphy.

Denlinger noted two other mechanisms available to bring funding to the project: a Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) designation and a Qualified Opportunity Zone designation. According to Denlinger, the KOZ issue is currently before the state legislature, and the borough should know by year’s end whether it will be approved. According to pa.gov: “Keystone Opportunity Zones eliminate specific state and local taxes within specific underdeveloped and underutilized areas.” A Qualified Opportunity Zone designation has already been approved, however. Denlinger said that quite a large area of Columbia has already received this federal designation, including the block where the hotel site is located. irs.gov states: “An Opportunity Zone is an economically-distressed community where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment.”

The finance committee voted to move forward with the next step of the RACP process to fund not only the hotel project but also a semi-defined project for the market house. If this second step is approved, the state will invite Columbia Borough to make a final, more detailed, application, at which time, the borough will be required to commit taxpayer funds.

Last spring, the borough briefly considered granting Cimarron $650,000 to help fund the hotel project until it was found that doing so would be unfeasible and illegal. Former borough manager Norm Meiskey and several citizens spoke out against the intended grant at the June Columbia Borough Council meeting. Columbia Spy posted related articles HERE and HERE.