JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY
Problem #1: Mosquitoes at the quarry
A borough resident is raising concerns about standing water at the former McGinness property, warning that the site's quarry may be breeding mosquitoes that are affecting nearby homes and businesses.
Tom Steiner brought the issue before Columbia Borough Council on Tuesday, saying he had spoken beforehand with Derek Rinaldo, borough engineer, and Heather Zink, council vice president. Steiner said that over the past three to four years he has seen a noticeable increase in mosquitoes near his home, despite having no standing water on his property. He noted that he hired a pest control service to spray his yard and has resorted to running fans on his deck and front porch to keep the insects away.
Steiner, who said he has years of firsthand experience with the quarry from swimming there, pointed out the west end of the quarry as a potential problem area. He described that section as largely untouched, overgrown with trees and vines and filled with debris — conditions he said make it a prime breeding are for mosquitoes. He noted that mosquitoes are capable of traveling one to four miles in search of food and pose a health risk to people as well as pets. He also pointed out that the local fire company has a deck just 300 to 400 yards from the quarry.
Steiner asked council to arrange for someone to inspect and analyze the quarry to determine whether it is a breeding ground. He added that certain government agencies and the board of health may be able to conduct such an assessment at no cost to the borough.
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Problem #2: The 60-day rule
The borough's attempt to sell the property is facing challenges, because a provision in the borough code requiring the sale to close within 60 days of the bid award is raising concerns that it could cool buyer enthusiasm and drive down the final sale price.“This whole 60 days to close from the bid award is killing us,” Zink said. She added that the 60-day requirement is "ironclad in the borough code." Under the rule, a buyer must submit full payment within 60 days of the bid being awarded. Zink said that timeline is discouraging potential buyers and could adversely affect the price.
According to Zink, if the first round of bidding fails, the borough still has options. After the property is bid twice without success, council is permitted to work outside the bidding process, directly with a realtor or a buyer.
Bids for the property are due on Friday, May 15 by 4:30 p.m. Bid openings are scheduled for Monday, May 18 at 10 a.m. Resident Frank Doutrich noted that only one potential buyer attended the recent pre-bid meeting, meaning just one person is currently eligible to submit a bid.
