“Forget diets | it’s financial belt-tightening time. “Oh, yes, it is that time again for making resolutions. Your financial goals, whether they are to pay down student loans, save more money or create a budget, should be specific and tangible. You should also put it in writing, literally. If you don’t write them down or type them up … then it’s just a wish.” – MarketPlace

From the County’s Treasurers office | December 2019 Delinquent Tax Report: (Amounts are NOT certified. Total due is subject to change. Interest accrues monthly on the first day of a new month.)

Want better sleep? | Walk one more mile each week. – Futurity

Different strokes | When comparing staff structures between Columbia and Elizabethtown, though the larger has fewer full and part-time people, Elizabethtown has deployed its positions differently. When incoming borough manager, Rebecca Denlinger will be supported with an administrative team that consists of a assistant borough manager, an executive assistant and a receptionist. Denlinger will be filling the borough manager role currently held by Roni Ryan who is leaving for a position .

Apples to apples | Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development has the comparative information for citizens to draw comparisons in government metrics. “The Municipal Statistics Office collects data from municipalities through required e-Filing forms and publishes the information in a series of online databases and reports which are accessible through the links below.” Citizens can get metrics and information about Pennsylvania’s municipal entities and see how their municipality stacks up against others. Citizens can see, for example, that Columbia  reported having 45 full time employees and 21 part-time employees in 2018 and Elizabethtown reported having 41 full time employees and 11 part-time employees. Columbia’s population is reported as 10,400; Elizabethtown’s, 11,545. – (SOURCE: Columbia news, views & reviews, December 22, 2019)

She’ll also inherit an improved Website. | Columbia has been waiting for a new and improved Website since borough council approved a motion to contract with Revize, Inc. in May of 2018.

Elizabethtown’s Website is robust and fully functioning; its website designer is CivicPlus. Elizabethtown’s 2020 summary budget is shown at the Website; Columbia’s is not yet posted.

But … | Columbia has a trolley; Elizabethtown does not. 

Both have newsletters | Columbia’s are posted here; Elizabethtown’s, here. Elizabethtown’s Borough Bulletin is produced by two of the borough’s administration team.

Both have or have had | … “Proposed Re-Zoning Ordinance Amendments” – Elizabethtown’s less complex one is scheduled for January 16, 2020.

Regional concept | Elizabethtown: “In April, 2010, the Borough and its neighboring municipalities adopted the Regional Strategic Plan for Elizabethtown Borough, Conoy Township, Mount Joy Township, and West Donegal Township.  The plan included corresponding official maps for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic.”

Facebook, yes! | Each borough has a facebook presence; Elizabethtown incorporates its police department into its borough facebook page. Columbia maintains separate facebook pages for the borough and for its police department.

Part of the plan | “The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for Lancaster County – connects2040 – is being developed in coordination with the County’s comprehensive plan, places 2040: thinking beyond boundaries. The MTP will become the transportation element of the comprehensive plan. Click here to take the online survey.

In case you give a hoot. | “ANNOUNCING THE PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR 2020: PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue – Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”

Big 10 stomped again | Let’s see, after yesterday’s dismal showing with more Big 10 (there are 14 universities in the Big 10) teams losing, almost every Big 10 team went to a bowl game and half of the teams lost. A bit different with the SEC teams.

Charged | Columbia man charged in Manheim Township. – Manheim Township Police Department CrimeWatch