Model meeting | Transparent, collaborative, civil, open, focused … Columbia’s July 9 council meeting was that and more. The 20 or so persons who were the audience were part of a council meeting that attended to the agenda items in a way that is inviting and refreshing. Citizens, their elected public servants and borough staff directed their comments, ideas and thoughts to the issues of continuing to build a better place to live, work, play and visit.

The meeting at 7:01 pm and adjourned at 9:37 pm. Six of the councillors, (Pamela Williams was an unexplained absence), the mayor, the borough manager, the police chief and several other borough staffers attended. Live-streamed and archived at the borough’s facebook page,  the meeting has been  viewed by more than 660 persons.

Mayor Leo Lutz performed the “swearing in” for Paul Paulsen as the Columbia Borough Fire Inspector. The new assignment is an additional duty for Paulsen, who is listed at the Interim Code Compliance Manager at the Borough Website.

Key takeaways | Here are several points from last night’s meeting:

• Dining facility inspections will be posted | Councillor John Novak introduced a motion to have borough-conducted food serving facility inspections posted at the borough’s Website and included with future meeting packets. The motion was passed and citizens and visitors will soon have digital access to them.
• Surveillance Public Private Partnership | A citizen introduced an idea that would have all Columbia citizens install surveillance systems at their properties and share the recordings with law enforcement. The citizen said a model program exists in Mobile, Alabama.
• Coming: New, quick and responsive Website | Borough Manager Rebecca Denlinger reported that the borough’s contracted Website developer, Revize, has made significant improvements to the new Website for the borough and that a target date for the transition from the current Website is just eight weeks away. The new Website will migrate all current information to the new platform.
• Budget meeting: Thursday at 6:00 pm | All borough council candidates and interested members of the public are reminded they are warmly invited to attend the first budget meeting on Thursday evening.
• LGUDA? | At last night’s meeting, Donna Kreiser referred to LGUDA; here’s more about LGUDA.

The borough’s contracted engineering firm’s representative identified and explained the projected borough streets and physical projects for the balance of this year and next year.

POLICE LOG | “MANOR TWP.: Joseph Flinchbaugh, 39, of Columbia, was charged with trespassing June 29 in the 2100 block of Gamber Road, police said.” – Lancaster Online

The need for newspapers has never been greater | “Epstein story shows investigative journalism is thriving” – AP News

Letter-writer RWNJ rant | What’s with all these defenders of a judge’s irresponsible actions? – Lancaster Online

Come out, come out, whoever you are | “prosecutors warn his ‘Lolita Express’ pals to come forward” – Penn Live

From the past | “How Hopalong Cassidy Brought the Western to Television” – The Saturday Evening Post