Jody L. Gable was interviewed and installed as Columbia’s seventh borough councilor at last night’s council “meeting-of-the-whole.” The council approved the motion installing Gable as the new councilor with a 5-1 vote; councilor Barry Ford voted “nay.”

Gable assumes the open position due to the recent resignation of a former councilor who has moved from the borough.

Councilor Jody L. Gable is sworn to accept the oath of office by Columbia’s mayor, Leo Lutz.

All of Columbia’s councilors, the mayor, the borough manager, the borough finance officer, a recorder and eight citizens were in attendance at last night’s council meeting in the borough hall when the council president, Michael Beury called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm. Included in the gallery, which increased to 10 persons just after 7:00 pm, were two of the five citizens who indicated their interest in becoming the new councilor.

At the onset of the meeting, Mayor Lutz presented a certificate of appreciation to John Hughes for his many years of service as the borough’s parking meter repair technician. The councilors and gallery applauded Hughes as he received the award.

John Hughes (right) receives award from Mayor Lutz.

The council addressed the agenda items (below); summarized highlights of the agenda items discussed are listed following the agenda. (below)

Meeting agenda, page one

Meeting agenda – page two

Fire department consolidation: Councilor Mary Barninger announced that the process of consolidating the three separate fired companies serving the borough is proceeding better than many expected. She listed the many procedural tasks of consolidation including the development of operating procedures, guidelines, staffing, training, etc. and assured the community that these volunteers were on a concerted path of collaboration as they work out the many details of consolidation.

She announced that the consolidation process has resulted in a new logo, patch and Website: www.cbfd80.com.

The council appointed Scott Ryno as the new borough fire chief. Currently, the borough appoints a borough fire chief to serve a two-year period; the borough fire chief position has rotated among the three fire companies – Susquehanna Fire & Rescue Company; Columbia Consolidated Fire Department and Columbia No. 1 Fire Department. Ryno is the fire chief of Columbia No. 1 Fire Department.

There was discussion about “regionalization” – the blending with neighboring jurisdictions’ fire departments into a single regional response agency. Following an observation from a citizen, Barninger stated that any discussion of regionalization could not progress without a consolidation of the three operating fire companies.

[NOTE: Read more about “regionalization” of emergency response resources in this 2005 PA Joint Legislative and Budget Committee report.]

Columbia news, views & reviews strongly encourages citizens to attend these important meetings because media reporting is not a full accounting of the actions, discussions and visual representations that occur during the meetings. What follows below is a sketchy assessment of some of the discussion items. Due to time constraints (we wanted to have this ready for today’s posting), some agenda topics will be reported on later this week – these discussion items include: school safety; stray animal (dog and cat) control; property value assessment; surveillance cameras in the park; tobacco use on borough property and more.

Councilor selection process: The council interviewed two of the five aspirants for the open council position. Letters were sent to each of the five, but only two people showed up when the councilor interview and selection process began. (At least one other candidate showed up at the meeting around 7:00 pm.) Following a few questions from several of the councilors, the council offered the vacant position to Gable.

Holiday lighting in Columbia: There is holiday lighting and garland on the newly installed street lights along Locust Street. There is a lighted Christmas tree in the gazebo in the Fifth street park. The mayor said that he’s been in contact with several organizations, including the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, to have increased lighting on North Third Street; he promised that Columbia Borough would be “lit up” for Christmas 2013. 

State funding delays: Councilor Mary Wickenheiser asked why there is a delay with the promised state funding for several projects in the borough – road projects and Rotary Park improvements. Councilor Jim Smith, too, asked why the funding is being “held up.” Borough manager, Norman B. Meiskey, III provided his insight; he has written to the state agency to request details about the delay.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 pm.