All the current Columbia Borough Councilors were in attendance at the final scheduled council meeting held last evening in the Council chambers at the borough hall. Also attending included approximately a dozen citizens, the mayor, borough manager, borough financial officer, solicitor, four members of Columbia QRS and councilor-elect, Barry Ford.

Council President Mary Wickenheiser convened the meeting at 7:00 pm and Reverend Fred Thomas, pastor of Columbia Church of God, opened the meeting with a blessing.

During this final scheduled meeting of 2011, the atmosphere was collegial, holiday-like (a dozen poinsettias adorned the council tables) and largely non controversial. The above agenda topics were covered and several were expanded upon.

• Mayor Leo Lutz described recent meetings he’s attended with state and regional representatives. He said that Pennsylvania is “not doing a good job in the area of recycling” and that looming state funding cuts will loom in the next four years. He stated that there are only two large county road construction projects on the table – the Route 441 by-pass one and one in East Hempfield Township (See PennDot road projects graphic at the end of this article). He spoke about TIP (Pennsylvania’s Transportation Improvement Program – a result of President Obama’s 2009 $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [ARRA].
• Council President Wickenheiser presented a certificate of appreciation to councilor Sandy Duncan and extolled the contributions of councilor Sandra Duncan who was attending her last council meeting; she did not seek reelection. Councilor Duncan has served in a number of committee leadership roles and council president in her tenure beginning in 2004. The mayor, borough manager, solicitor and several other councilors also praised councilor Duncan’s diligence to serving. Councilor Duncan thanked the borough staff, the other elected public servants and the citizens for helping her in her assignments. She commented that she is an “activist and not a politician.”
• The council approved a 2012 budget that includes “no borough real estate tax increase.”
• There was discussion about agenda item II. 18 (a.). Several councilors, the borough financial officer and the solicitor affirmed that Columbia Borough has “no interest in assuming property ownership” when sewer liens are applied for non-payment of sewer charges. All commented that the Borough goes to great lengths to accommodate “payment plans” to avoid legal action.
• Columbia Quick Response Service (QRS) president Franklin Splain, Jr. used the “citizen comments” point to address a spate of issues concerning issues and topics that occurred at last month’s meeting. His discourse included comments about (1) IRS reinstatement of 501 c 3 status for the organization; (2) his disagreement with local media coverage; (3) enthusiastic praise for outgoing councilor Duncan; (4) challenges for increased “one-to-one communication” with several other councilors; (5) re-statement of the pledge that Columbia QRS will have improved financial records; (6) restatement of the “calls” and “runs” statistics and the services that his organization has provided to the community and his pledge to maintain an unimpassioned demeanor and speak with a “monotone” when addressing council.
• Borough Manager Norman B. Meiskey, III announced that state law requires the Borough Council Reorganizational Meeting on the first Monday of the new year. Since the New Years’ holiday will be observed on that day, the Reorganization meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 7:00 pm in the Borough Hall Council Chambers.
• Following several other citizen comments, the council president wished all in attendance a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and called for an adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:30 pm.