During last night’s four-hour and 14 minute council meeting-of-the-whole” attended by the entire Columbia Borough Council, the mayor, the borough manager, the borough finance manager, a recorder, a Lancaster Newspapers Inc. correspondent, this writer and over 40 residents and non-residents, the Council dismissed the current Columbia Market House Trust in a five-two vote.

The counselors considered for lengthy discussion and debate a non-agenda item: Council entertained the comments from many in the room who had come to voice their displeasure with the Columbia Historic Market House Trust’s management of the market house. Following the debate, councilor Barry Ford introduced a motion to discontinue the borough’s relationship with the Trust. The room exploded with applause.

Following the vote, over half of those in attendance left the meeting. On the way out of the room, a man from the crowd walked to the councilors’ table to shake the hands of several of the councilors who voted for the action.

An article at MyColumbiaNews, “Columbia council disbands market panel” describes the meeting here.

Local blog sites (here and here) posted the events last night

As the evening ground on, the gallery exodus continued to lessen until, at the final gavel, only one citizen remained in the room to witness the full meeting. The council president adjourned the meeting at 10:16 pm.

Agenda, page one

Agenda, page two