Columbia Borough Council Meeting, August 11, 2014

The Columbia Borough Council held its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on August 11, 2014, at Borough Hall, 308 Locust Street. Highlights of the meeting are as follows:

Parking Issues at Park Elementary School:  Columbia Borough School District Superintendent Carol Powell and Park Elementary Principal Brett Esbenshade discussed parking issues at Park Elementary School. Esbenshade said that the district had recently added seven new teachers at Park Elementary, and more parking is needed. Teachers will park by permit, according to Esbenshade's plan. He said substitute teachers don't want to work at Park School due to the lack of parking. Borough Manager Sam Sulkosky said the permit system will prevent non-teachers from parking there. Councillor Jim Smith responded, “You mean the taxpayers.” 

Smith said that Sixth Street between Cherry Street and Lancaster Avenue already has bumper-to-bumper parking. Councillor Mary Barninger said that the “long block” on Cherry between Sixth and Bethel Streets seems to have ample parking. Esbenshade said he would like parents to pick up students at the car rider area, or park somewhere and pick up students at the playground. Barninger stressed that the district's request is not due to any safety factor, but is instead an employer convenience.

Powell said she doesn't want teachers to take residents' parking but wants to avoid congestion in front of the school. She asked if this could be done on a trial basis. Mayor Leo Lutz said it could. Lutz added that the schools weren't built with consideration for parking, since in previous years, students walked to school. Barninger said she found it surprising that substitutes won't come due to parking. Council President Mike Beury asked how far teachers are willing to walk and suggested a deal could possibly be made with CVS, since, according to him, "their parking lot is never full." 

Powell said they want to accommodate parking for teachers and not infringe on residents' parking. Councillor Kelly Murphy wants the opinion of the residents along Sixth Street and said that should have been done prior to the request being presented to council. Barninger asked if council needed to do anything if ample parking is available. 

Council voted to allow a bus loading zone on Cherry Street between Sixth Street and Lancaster Avenue, 7:30 to 8:30 and 2:30 to 3:30, with notices to match existing signage.  The existing signs cannot be enforced without an ordinance.  Esbenshade said neighbors are invited to attend two upcoming traffic control meetings: Thursday, August 14, and Tuesday, August 19, both at 6:30 p.m. to discuss a proposal to allow parking on Cherry Street between Sixth and Bethel Streets, where there are few residents.

Budget Gap Pending:  Resident Mary Wickenheiser told council there will be a budget gap pending with the upcoming sale to LASA that would include salaries for the borough manager, finance manager, and others. She said earmarking money for roads is not the way to go.  

Mayor Lutz:  Mayor Lutz said Columbia's recent National Night Out was a success for the third year. He commended Chiques Rock Outfitters for staying late and accommodating children waiting in line to get into their kayaks. He said the Fourth Annual Chiques Challenge at River Park went well on Saturday, as did Sunday's baptism ceremony there. Councillor Barry Ford asked how often the porta-potties at River Park were cleaned, since they appeared to be dirty. Lutz said people coming off the river use the restrooms, but this won't be a problem [for next year's summer events] due to the opening of the visitors center.

Lutz said police have been called nine times for disruptive conduct at 119 North Sixth Street for one individual at a rental property. He said that is more times than at 920 Plane Street (The Wagon Werks Apartments). He also mentioned that the 400 block of Union Street contains a lot of trash and that this block overshadows every other block in Columbia in this regard. Councillor Ford suggested using a quick ticket for the trash. It was suggested that a camera be placed in that area.  A representative of the local Boys and Girls Club, who identified himself as Darrell, stated his group collects trash once a month on a route that includes the 400 block of Union.   Lutz said drowning is the number two cause of death in children.  He expressed concern that since the local pool has closed, the children might swim in the river.  He said that every child should learn how to swim and questioned where they could learn. He said the borough should study the feasibility of a community pool. He also suggested the borough strike a deal with the Mountville or the local YMCA to bus children at a reduced rate for swimming lessons. He stressed that Columbia is a river town and emphasized the importance of knowing how to swim. Councillor Jody Gable interjected that there is a lack of recreation for kids in the community, with not a lot for them to do.   Lutz said that the DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) is requesting to use River Park for a Susquehanna seminar on Tuesday, October 14, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  He added that since the DNCR will be there, the new building could be dedicated the same day.  Barninger stated that the agency will need a "facilities use request.” Lutz said he wanted this approved immediately, since the DCNR has done a lot for River Park.  At this point, resident Frank Doutrich interrupted by stating that some items must be open for public comment before council acts on them.  He said, “You missed it twice tonight.”

River Park:  Councillor Steph Weisser made a motion to consider approval to remove all trash receptacles at the River Park, which Councillor Ford seconded. Borough Manager Sulkosky suggested doing a test run. Mayor Lutz said that if trash cans are removed and someone leaves trash, it will be considered littering. Council also voted to allow the DCNR to use the River Park Visitors Center on October 14th from 10 a.m. to noon, upon receipt of facilities use request form and insurance and added that there might be building dedication ceremony the same day.

Fire Police Agreement:  Council discussed an agreement between West Hempfield Fire Police and Columbia Borough Fire Police to conduct traffic control in West Hempfield Township for non-emergency events such as the Bridge Bust, car show, etc., to solicit help from other communities. The borough solicitor said doing so would require an inter-municipal government agreement and ordinance. He added that each municipality will need to have an ordinance which can be advertised simultaneously and the cost shared. Council suggested that Borough Manager Sulkosky contact West Hempfield Township Manager Ron Youtz and the Mountville Borough secretary.

Fund Revenues for Road Improvements:  Item 11a [See agenda, posted previously] was tabled until the next meeting of the whole.   Councillor Smith remarked, “It's called, 'Kicking the can down the road.'” Manager Sulkosky stated that earmarking funds for roads is not necessary and could cause problems with an audit next year as "inappropriate accounting." Council approved payment to Little Caesars for public improvements. Councillor Kelly Murphy said all projects have been completed adequately.

Ordinance 854, Etc:  Mayor Lutz said fire companies and police recently responded to a call on Cloverton Drive and found a"campfire" where a man was burning construction debris without a receptacle and in violation of the open burning ordinance. 

After discussion with Melissa Kelly of the Lancaster County Planning Commission a Senior Planner regarding SALDO (Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance), council approved a motion to forward SALDO to the Lancaster County Planning Commission. Kelly suggested holding off on the official map at this time.  SALDO, zoning, and map issues all require public hearings.  

Council President Beury said he had received a letter from Claire Storm suggesting naming the Route 441 bypass for General Edward C. Shannon. He said the matter will be discussed at the next meeting of the whole.

Quick Ticket:  Councillor Smith said Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Helm is grateful the council passed “Quick Ticket.” He said Elizabethtown Borough heard about it and wants a copy. Beury said he recently received a letter dated April 16th regarding handicapped parking. He said the matter will be discussed at the next meeting of the whole.

Part II - Citizen Comments - to follow