Money for school agreement is so far a no-show

State funding for Columbia’s shared services agreement with ELANCO has apparently fallen through. Dr. Robert Hollister, superintendent of Columbia Borough School District, made the announcement at January’s Committee of the Whole meeting. The statement was in response to Board Director Kathleen Hohenadel’s question regarding the status of the grant. The anticipated funding is for an amount up to $250,000 for up to three years to pilot the program and was to have come from the PA Department of Education.

Hollister said he has not gotten a response from Senator Ryan Aument’s office, despite several inquiries. ”I’ve not heard a thing. That’s not good news,” he said.

Hollister asked residents to contact legislators, but was not overly optimistic. “Phone calls always help, but the other side of that story is this state is in dire financial consequences. I’m operating as if that money is not going to show up,” he said.

The grant was previously discussed by former Superintendent Ken Klawitter at Columbia’s August 2016 Committee of the Whole meeting. Klawitter said the bill authorizing the grant was the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. “They wrote it specifically for us, because we were the first ones legally to do this,” he said. He added that he had received an autographed copy of the bill and a signature pen indicating funding would be made available to pilot the program.

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About town on a good day

Temperatures soared to an unseasonable high of 64 today.
 It was a good day to sit on the hood of a car.

 Slabs of ice from a previously frozen river collected on the shore line at Columbia River Park.

 “Down by the riverside, it’s bound to be a better ride than what you’ve got planned.” – “Hazy Shade of Winter,” Simon & Garfunkel

 And down by the riverside, it was a good day to read a book.

 And to look at the ice.

 And to look at the bridge.

 And to jog over the tracks.

And to let flags fly.
All in all, a very good day!

The forecast is for snowflakes – $15,000 worth

The sample snowflake light shown above is currently on display in front of the borough offices at 308 Locust Street. The sample is a “cool” light, but the plan is to go with “warm” lights.

Council approved the purchase of 37 snowflake lights for Locust, Third and Fourth Streets, another five for Locust Street Park and 12 for Columbia River Park, at Monday night’s meeting. The total cost will run close to $15,000. Councillor Cleon Berntheizel explained that this is a sale price through “Rileighs Outdoor Decor” and is good only until the end of February.

The old snowflake lights are in storage, because the current lamp posts that line the streets cannot support the size and weight of those older lights. Berntheizel has discussed other ways to make use of the old lights rather than keeping them in storage.

There are four designs of LED snowflake lights that will alternate on the poles.

* * * *

In other business, resident Frank Doutrich questioned why council tabled Councillor Stephanie Weisser’s resignation in December. President Kelly Murphy said it was due to the Christmas season coming up. Later in the meeting, Mary Wickenheiser also questioned this move by council.

Wickenheiser said that the interviews for vacancies were being done at regular council meetings. She questioned why there was a separate special meeting scheduled for this on February 6. Wickenheiser also announced that she would have to withdraw her letter of intent because she would not be available to interview on that date.

She also questioned why filling this vacancy was delayed. President Kelly Murphy said it was due to the holiday season. Wickenheiser said it made no sense to her.

There was a brief discussion of having her interview via telephone, but she did not feel as if this was an option for her.

Council voted to change the meeting date from February 2 to February 6 at 6 p.m. All letters of intent must be received by February 2, 2017 at close of business that day.

Addressing council, Frank Doutrich said “With all due respect to Mary, would you do the same for me?”

Fire on South Fourth

Several units responded to a fire call at 234 South Fourth Street shortly before 5 o’clock this afternoon to find smoke seeping from a roof at the rear of the house. Personnel quickly extinguished the fire which was believed to have started on the second floor. Columbia, Blue Rock, Wrightsville, and Mount Joy responded.