LASA - Yes or No?

By -

At recent public meetings and in the local media, much has been discussed about the pros and cons of Columbia Borough selling the assets of its current sewer system to the Lancaster Area Sewer Authority.  At the May 27 Columbia Borough Council meeting, the matter was again discussed, and the final report of the borough's ad hoc wastewater management committee was presented. 
In summary, the committee recommended "moving forward with an asset purchase by LASA."

(From the committee's report)

The committee's final report can be found HERE.

This blog will present further information (and opinion) on this matter over the next few days.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Those residents wanting to talk about LASA at the borough meeting waited patiently for that opportunity on Monday evening. After 2 hours they had a chance to voice their opinions, unfortunately the gavel dropped to cut off comments. At other meetings, residents have been permitted to ramble on and on about various topics. Council simply does not want to hear the truth. One member of council could not control her eye rolling and body language during public comments. She appeared to be annoyed. They are seated in that position to treat all citizens equally and with respect. Not every person is able to attend every meeting, so this could well be their only opportunity to be heard. I personally wish that I could get several people to attend and comment. Let council sit through 50 public comments. Several years ago ( I will look up the date and comment later) George McGinness was escorted out of a meeting because he refused to yield the floor, even though those in attendance pleaded with council to let him continue to speak. He was talking about the tax increase. Again, council did not want to hear it. I have the news article written by Tom Knapp about this particular meeting.
June 11, 2014 at 7:49 PM
Anonymous said…
According to my records, I believe the meeting where Mr. McGinness was escorted out by the police, was on December 9, 2002.
June 11, 2014 at 8:03 PM
Joe Lintner said…
Thanks for that info.
June 11, 2014 at 8:25 PM
Anonymous said…
If you pay a sewer bill in Columbia, the outcome of the LASA offer will directly effect you. It's time to educate yourself about this situation and let your opinion be heard. Talk to your neighbors about it and encourage them to attend upcoming meetings during this crucial time.
June 12, 2014 at 6:13 AM
Anonymous said…
Not only did the ad hoc commitee reccomend LASA , but so did several consultants who the council hired to advise them which option to choose. Now its just a matter of will council listen to these experts & do what's right for the customers of Cola sewer, or will they throw away common sense ,& make a decision that further sinks this town into despair.
June 12, 2014 at 7:12 AM
Anonymous said…
I'm approaching retirement age and if the decision is made to keep the current sewer operation in place, I will put my property on the market. Someone can buy it and rent it. I will look to live in West Hempfield. The taxes and sewer bills will simply be too high for someone on social security. Soon thereafter Columbia will be a borough of rental properties. Many good projects are finally unfolding here, it will be sad if the ship sinks now.
June 16, 2014 at 5:53 AM
Anonymous said…
Where the hell are you at. The borough has so many section 8"s its been over! So, why not keep the sewer plant, it still makes money!
June 16, 2014 at 7:47 PM
Anonymous said…
If it makes money, why are we borrowing $12m to upgrade it. And if it is making money, why are my rates so high
June 16, 2014 at 8:28 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Columbia's decision to ban former employee from its property may be 'unconstitutional' [Lancaster Watchdog]

By Columbia Spy -
Image
Chris Vera [Columbia Spy file photo] The following information is excerpted from a December 6, 2025 LNP Watchdog article by LNP | LancasterOnline reporter Jade Campos. Still reeling from an abrupt firing from his role as head of the Columbia Market House in March, Chris Vera was surprised to get a letter in the mail from a Columbia Borough attorney two weeks later telling him he was banned indefinitely from borough property. The letter gave no reason for the ban. Nine months later, Vera, who has served as president of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society for more than a decade and has helped with the borough’s comprehensive plan, is still banned from borough property. He believes the ban includes borough parks, which is part of the reason he moved his annual Albatwitch Day festival, which celebrates the myth of a local cryptid, to Wrightsville. Vera said he’s not sure why the borough went to such lengths to keep him away from public spaces given his termination from the borough s...
Read more

East Donegal man charged in Columbia hit & run

By Columbia Spy -
Image
NATHAN WILLISON | LNP Staff Writer An East Donegal Township man is facing criminal charges after police say he struck a 13-year-old with his truck and fled the scene last month.  Derek Scott Mohr, 28, is charged with causing an accident involving death or injury without a license, failing to stop to render aid, driving at an unsafe speed and related charges.  Mohr had been driving a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado through Chestnut Street in Columbia around 8 p.m. March 20 when he struck a 13-year-old boy riding a motorized scooter and continued driving, according to charging documents filed by police.  When police arrived, they found the boy with a broken leg and a cut to his forehead. His scooter was lying nearby, its handlebars completely snapped off.  Another teenager who witnessed what happened described the truck to police and said that the driver made no attempt to stop after striking the boy. Surveillance footage collected from the area shows the truck striking the b...
Read more

Mayor Lutz must accept responsibility

By Columbia Spy -
Image
  GUEST COMMENTARY [Name withheld by request out of fear of retaliation] For two decades, Leo Lutz has occupied the mayor's office in Columbia, and his supporters are quick to credit him with every positive development in our borough, but leadership is a two-way street. If Mayor Lutz is going to accept praise for Columbia's successes, many of which, frankly, he had little direct involvement in, then he must also be held accountable for our failures. The facts paint a troubling picture. Despite the mayor's repeated assurances that our streets are safe, we've witnessed a disturbing rise in assaults, shootings, and vandalism. His promises have fallen by the wayside: the foot patrol we were promised never materialized, nor did the bike patrol that was supposed to increase our sense of security. Fiscally, the situation is equally dire. Taxes have increased at least twice during Mayor Lutz's tenure, yet the borough now finds itself millions of dollars in debt. This isn...
Read more