17512 Columbia

today’s news … Friday, January 30, 2015

today’s news and information gleanings from here and there!

Quote for today … “Freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment of our Bill of Rights. And Pennsylvania’s Shield Law is meant to protect the public’s interest when powerful – and sometimes secretive – people are working against that interest.” – Extract from the editorial in today’s LNP – Always Lancaster.

tree falls

  • There was a council of the whole meeting on Monday evening. Unless you attended the meeting, you’re apt to not learn what transpired during the meeting. Columbia news, views & views was not able to attend the meeting; consequently we did not post the agenda nor any reports about the meeting. We have found no online record of the meeting at any of the other news resources. The minutes from that meeting will not be posted at the borough Website until approved at a future council meeting. The most current minutes posted at this time: 12-8-14 Signed Borough Council Minutes and Agenda
  • Columbia news, views & reviews frequently adds this REMINDER to its coverage of council meetings: “For those who were not at the meeting, the transmission of “who said what” and “what happened” is left to those who came to the meeting to document the night’s activities. Others in the borough will get verbal reports from those who attended or written interpretations from others. The only way to get a full report is to attend meetings.”

true-falseSince there’s been no documentation about what’s happened during Monday’s meeting, we wonder whether these street rumblings are true or false.

  • Only five councillors attended the meeting
  • One councillor reverted to some of the usual theatrics
  • Double-digit layoffs hit one of the town’s larger employers
  • “Interested” investor in B&B property deterred by borough employee
  • Selective enforcement of the “snow and ice removal” ordinance
  • “A car-door-into-the-curb” gives reason to ask whether there’s a consistent curb height in Columbia. Looking at the new curbing on the “completed for the winter” Ironville Pike project, there appears to be a broad range of curb heights. Here’s the ordinance on “Curbing specifications.”
  • Former President Reagan said, “Trust, but verify.” Years ago, in the military, we had a phrase that put it this way: “I trust thee and me, and I’m not sure about thee!”
  • Really! Wonder what the penalty is for property owners who fail to follow this “back of the sewer bill” blurb?
    News from the Office of Code Enforcement – Did you know that per our ordinance every building in the borough shall have approved address numbers placed in a position to be plainly legible and visible from the street or road fronting the property? These numbers shall contrast with their background. Address numbers shall be Arabic numerals or alphabet letters. Numbers shall be a minimum of 4 inches (102mm) high with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inch (12.7mm). This will help identify your property in emergency situations to get help sooner.
  • The Penalty! “Any person who shall fail or refuse to properly number any building or to maintain the said number or numbers as herein provided shall, after 30 days’ written notice from the Committee on Highways to do so, upon conviction thereof before any District Justice, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $600, plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, be subject to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days; provided, each week’s continuance of a violation of any of the provisions of this section, after notice, shall constitute a separate offense.”

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