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

Quote for today … “Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.” – Mother Teresa.

A second quote for today … “A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.” – Dalai Lama

Click here to download the Annual Financial Report – click here to see (or download) all the reports available at the School District Website.

• The Columbia Borough School District is transparent in showing financial information at its Website. Not so much though with other information!
  

• This LEGAL NOTICE is published again in today’s LNP – Always Lancaster; it was published last week as well as a legal requirement … AUDITOR’S REPORT COLUMBIA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2015 … Lancaster Online

• Two pages from the report appear below; read the entire report to get a better understanding of the District’s current situation.

• Note that M&M Realty is the fifth largest tax payer! The County’s property ownership Website shows several “look-alike” listings for M&M Realty. They include: M&M Realty – M&M Realty Co. – M&M Realty Co & – M&M Realty Co Inc – M&M Realty Company and M&M Realty Company Inc. At this time (0553) the click-through at the County Website is not working so no further information on each of the properties listed is available.

• The Commonwealth’s Department of State corporation’s list shows these listings though for M&M REALTY COMPANY and M&M REALTY CO.

• Confused, yet? Take a look at this site – CityData.com – which claims: “Our assessments index provides users with detailed valuation and description of properties around the United States. Records include property value, home value, type of building, year of construction and the assessment history for the property.”

• Here are the property values, home values, types of building, year of construction and the assessment history for Columbia properties.