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The entire council was present at last night’s council meeting of the whole; others in attendance included the borough manager, the mayor, the finance director, the recorder and five to seven citizens throughout the course of the meeting. Columbia news, views & views arrived 15 minutes late to the meeting, but was the only media representative in attendance. The meeting was adjourned at 8:23 pm.
- “Pawn-Broker” ordinance. Councillor Barry Ford said it’s time to introduce legislation that covers the pawn brokers, second-hand dealers and antique dealers in Columbia. The council voted 6-1 to approve the ordinance in II, 11, a above.
- Cost-sharing. Councillor Jim Smith claimed consistency by declaring that there should be cost-sharing among the municipalities involved with the Northwest Lancaster County Trail. He injected that the municipalities all should share in the cost of the maintenance of the River Trail Services Building that is to be erected at Columbia’s River Park. The photo below is an enlarged portion of the River Park plan at the Borough Website. Item 7 is the “Education Center with restrooms.” Item 16 is the “Marina Building / Viewing Platform / Restrooms. Item 20 is the “River Viewing Area and Stabilized Shoreline.”
- Councillor Ford introduced the item of to “amend the definition of disruptive conduct. A search of the phrase “disruptive conduct” in the ordinances at the Borough Website revealed only this one. The amendment would codify the existing ordnance and the mayor added, “We (the police) have been operating this way.” Council voted unanimously to authorize the solicitor to advertise the amendment.
Disruptive conduct in Pennsylvania is defined as: “§ 5503. Disorderly conduct.(a) Offense defined.–A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he: (1) engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior; (2) makes unreasonable noise; (3) uses obscene language, or makes an obscene gesture; or (4) creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose of the actor. (b) Grading.–An offense under this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree if the intent of the actor is to cause substantial harm or serious inconvenience, or if he persists in disorderly conduct after reasonable warning or request to desist. Otherwise disorderly conduct is a summary offense. (c) Definition.–As used in this section the word ‘public’ means affecting or likely to affect persons in a place to which the public or a substantial group has access; among the places included are highways, transport facilities, schools, prisons, apartment houses, places of business or amusement, any neighborhood, or any premises which are open to the public.”
- McGinness Airport for sale. Jeff Seibert, member of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation and real estate agent, reported that McGinness Airport is for sale. According to this Website , “McGinness Airport property is the LAST largest tract of land available in Columbia Borough, Columbia, PA. The site offers +/- 60 acres of land made up of 10 lots, offering both public water and public sewer.” The property is listed for $57,500 per acre.
Seibert thought it “would be a benefit to the Borough” if the borough would purchase the property in a manner “similar to the Turkey Hill Experience” property. The borough could decommission the airport and build windmills that would provide an “income stream” (selling electricity) for the borough. Council president Michael Beury, countered with another “crazy idea”; he offered that the Borough could acquire the property and move the “borough farm” down here and erect windmills on the current borough farm site. He also said the borough could sell the borough farm property for housing; housing “up there” would have a view of the river. Beury said, “Already, we’re spending too much for school taxes.”
Councillor Mary Wickenheiser said she was really upset with the “time and money the borough put into the Airport Overlay for the Official Map. She said she asked the owner whether he was going to sell the airport and he repeated said no. The mayor chimed in, “Amen.”
Seibert iterated by saying, “I would act quickly on this,” by suggesting the borough tendering a due diligence offer. He cautioned, that “access to the property is somewhat difficult.” The council made no decision on the matter.
- Revised parking fees for CenturyLink Parking Lot. Councillor Smith presented a revised plan to reduce the charges initially approved for permit parking at the borough acquired parking lot. Smith learned that the borough was “grossly overcharging for monthly parking.” He suggested reducing the pricing from $70 a month to $30 a month with a discount for prepayment. He suggested the installation of 15 parking meters. There was a bit of lively discussion about the installation of a surveillance camera too. Installing a camera, they learned, would cost around $7,000. Council agreed to look at a revised resolution at the next meeting.
There were other topics discussed, including a “disgusting” situation involving an owner-occupied house at 530 Walnut Street (and the $5,900 borough clean-up agreement with Belfor Property Restorations, Inc.), the possible leasing of 1020 Blunston Street for a cell tower contractor; peeling paint at the Market House; “clarification” of the “spraying for weeds” on the brick sidewalks around town and more. To get a complete picture of the actions and discussions of local government, citizens and property owners are reminded that they must attend council and school board meetings. Any media reporting, by design, is compressed due to time and/or space constraints. Columbia news, views & reviews does audio record the open meetings; citizens wanting a digital file of the recording of this meeting may send an email to 17512@mail.com.
There will be more on these items in future issues of Columbia news, views & reviews.
Columbia news, views & reviews 
I find it disgusting that so few citizens and no other press covered last night’s Columbia Borough Council meeting. So many citizens complain about government, but what else can they expect if they refuse to participate in it? I live in York, and find it to be no different. In fact, I am certain one could do a survey across the third largest country in the world in population, the United States of America, and one would find the same thing happening in boroughs, towns, hamlets, cities, states, etc.
Unfortunately, you know and I know what I am writing here won’t be read by very many people.
“Large streams from little fountains flow, Tall oaks from little acorns grow.” And movements in Egypt, Syria and, once, in this great nation, began as “not very many people started the conversation.”
While online readership of any publication tends to be smaller than traditional media; digital readership is increasing while traditional media use continues to slip, Sad.
Did you see the recent Business Week article that said, “New York Times Co. (NYT:US), which is accepting bids for the Boston Globe today, is likely to fetch a price that’s about a 10th of what it paid in 1993, a sign of the industry’s deterioration over the past two decades?”
What matters is that Columbia news, views & views is read by the right people.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Richard.
The biggest reason people don’t attend meetings is that the people on Council as well as the professional staff that are employed by the people of the town do not listen to anything that an individual has to say. If the speaker doesn’t agree with Council, Council becomes argumentative or just tunes out the person addressing them.
On another note, it doesn’t surprise me that Mr. Seibert wants Council to go the same route with the airport land as the Turkey Hill Experience, because he and his corporation are the only people who made money on the deal. A LOT of taxpayer money was wasted on this project and Mr. Seibert sees another project to fill his pockets.
As for Mr. Beury’s assinine comment that the Borough buy the airport land and move the Borough farm here, I think this show’s why he’s known as the village idiot! Besides, if the Borough has $3.5 million dollars laying around, maybe they could do something to benefit the whole Borough and not just the select few!
AMEN Vern!!!
why Vernon, you speak some truth but why the venom?
Is this Mr. Seibert of who you speak the same person referred to as “empty pockets?”
What money did “empty pockets” make on the Turkey Hill Experience?
Watching from the outside.
I think it is obvious that in this case, the truth Vern spoke IS venom. The transfer of ownership of the 3rd and Linden property could have been handled by the Municipal Authority, as well as the transfer for the river front properties, also known as the cabins/cottages. The borough owes money back to the municipal authority because they borrowed without permission, which is a nice way to say they stole. That money is still being paid back and instead of paying the CEDC to handle those two transfers, we could have instead paid the municipal authority.
Remember the golden rule, they who have the gold makes the RULE! On the FLIP side of this, how did they get the GOLD in the first place! Just food for thought!
Tiny…I have no idea about the empty pockets comment you speak of, but if you know anything about what transpired back during the handling of the 3rd & Linden fiasco, which I suspect you do, you would know that I speak the truth and there is no venom being spewed. You know the old adage, “Truth hurts”.
I lived the fiasco and know 1st hand of the “handouts” given by the Borough to make that project come to fruition. Of course, when I got off Council and ask for the numbers, as things were still going on with this project when my time on Council was up, I was assured by then Council President Wickenheiser I would get a final figure once the project was completed, but to this day I have never received the final figure. I have had to listen to former Borough Manager dance around the issue and tell me how much work would be involved to get me a total. BULLSHIT! He and Council knew all too well the total but didn’t want the public to know what was the taxpayer cost was to make that project a go.
I have a question for you Tiny, Why hide behind the moniker Tiny, WHY not sign your real name? One thing I’ve always done is sign my name to things I post as I have no problem with people knowing my opinion. Thanks for the feedback.
Vern, why people use a “moniker” is a parallel to why people run for office get elected, resign from that office only to reapply later to “run” yet again for an office they resigned from. You see this world is made up of people who have different views, ideas, opinions, so signing your name is usually done for convenience not necessarily for ” people knowing my opinion.”
There are worthwhile opinions expressed ask Mr. Big and Watching from the outside why they don’t sign their real name.
Life is interesting, have a great day.
Tiny
Obviously I’m wasting my time with you Tiny as you’ll hide behind a computer screen and sling mud and spew venom without knowing the facts! Typical of someone who has all the answers but isn’t willing to do anything to faciliate changes!
Anytime your man enough to chat face to face, I’ve been at 315 Union Street for 26 years and am not going anywhere, I’m not hard to find.
I’m sure Mr. Big and Watching from the Outside have some of the same reasons as you for using a moniker. By the way, I see you use Watching from the outside in your posts, maybe that’s just another of your many monikers Tim!
I am all for low income housing at the air port. lets face it , its not going to get any better in this town. I some day will be there in the low income land!! Taxes, food, gas, no pay raise, I am on my way!! :O(
Vernon r detz, jr. Now let’s test your logic. Your view is a chat face to face will do you better than “hide behind a computer screen and sling mud and spew venom without knowing the facts!” Do you feel a need to defend your position on given issues and doing so face to face will accomplish more than chat on line for all to see and judge? Is your past history one of negativity, example Turkey Hill Experience. What was your view and debate about it,was it one of doubt and negativity or was it positive support?. A debate could begin by asking you how many worth while and successful projects in the past have your finger print on them versus those you didn’t agree with but couldn’t get enough support to have it changed?
Is it fair to say you don’t like any views that are different then your beliefs. Rather than debate or compromise was resigning an answer?, ie: borough council, Columbia school board..
Talk about not doing anything to facilitate change, does resigning and name calling facilitate change?
Tiny…your ignorance on the subject of my resigning is not something I wish to discuss on a public forum and that’s what the face to face invite was for. As I stated previously, you know where to find me as you’ve picked me up at my house more than once. As far as debating any other issues affecting Columbia and getting conversation going about them, I have no problem doing that as evidenced by this thread. Have a great day!
Just got back from a much needed vacation and am catching up on the happenings in Columbia and since Tiny decided to bring me up, I figured I’d jump in.
Tiny, why do you keep bringing up Mr. Detz’ past resignations? He certainly isn’t the only one who has resigned from Council or the School Board. If memory serves me correctly, you also resigned briefly because something didn’t go your way, an appointment was made to Council that you didn’t like, you said, “I resign” and stormed out of Council chambers, only to cool down and come back like it never happened. Do you have a personal vendetta against Mr. Detz? Is his resigning the only negative you can dig up on him? Leave the past in the past and focus on the future.