Council votes to support Market House Trust

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At its September 8th meeting, Columbia Borough Council unanimously approved a motion to support the Market House Trust moving forward to apply for grants for design and construction for Phase 2 of the Market House study of 2005.

Details to follow

Comments

Anonymous said…
Its all about who you are! These people need to go and I mean the trust and council.
September 8, 2014 at 9:50 PM
Anonymous said…
what year will Phase 3 start ?
September 8, 2014 at 10:56 PM
Ed Jones said…
With TJ's leaving on November 1st, he'll probably be taking the little Amish girl with him that makes the pretzel sandwiches, and then that could be the beginning of the end of the Market, I fear!!! I sure hope I'm wrong. It might be hard to get grant money to renovate an empty Market House! :(
September 8, 2014 at 11:21 PM
Ed Jones said…
Is it possible to get grant money for renovations to a Market House that has no vendors?
September 9, 2014 at 12:25 AM
Anonymous said…
The trust has good ideas, but why has it taken so long to put them into action? Why meet at member's homes? This makes their meetings appear private and maybe there is more socializing than meeting going on, hence no progress. If they get the grant money, the market should be closed during all renovations and a grand opening should be held when everything is complete.
September 9, 2014 at 5:46 AM
Anonymous said…
Is there anywhere, other than the market, where the older folks could gather for coffee and conversation?
September 9, 2014 at 5:48 AM
Anonymous said…
Don't blame council the trust has a contract till sometime in 2015
.all you people who think council should go if you feel you can do a better why don't you run for council?
September 9, 2014 at 5:53 AM
Anonymous said…
Those interested in giving private donations may be skeptical due to the market history. How can they be sure that their funds will be put to good use and will they see progress?
September 9, 2014 at 6:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Columbia needs to thank previous council from 2012 consisting of the following people: Kelly Murphy, Mary Wickenheiser, Mary Barninger, Mike Beury, Barry Ford, Jim Smith and Renee Sears. This was the council that voted to establish the trust. Now Columbia is stuck with the trust until December 2015.
September 9, 2014 at 7:15 AM
Anonymous said…
The taxpayers can't afford a huge legal battle to get rid of the trust.
September 9, 2014 at 7:45 AM
Pam Barto said…
Yes, Hinkles. The market is not a restaurant. You need to remember that!
September 9, 2014 at 8:22 AM
Anonymous said…
what does the trust stand to gain with keeping this building in there control?what does the boro coulcil gain by allowing them to do so?
September 9, 2014 at 9:09 AM
Anonymous said…
don't blame the council! why not?the council is who gave the power to the trust?the council let the trust run stand holders and market manager's out of market and did nothing.the trust has a member of council in there back pocket.he let's them know what council's plans are and keeps them informed..the trust has more power then the council.trust all but ran everyone out of the market and they still vote to keep them in..here is the big ?,what is in it for the trust to maintain control of this building at all cost?is it for a future wine n art center?dance hall for the elites?what is it?why does the council let them do and get away with whatever they want?
September 9, 2014 at 9:19 AM
Anonymous said…
don't assume the trust is out in 2015.they could get them out right now for mismanagement.i'm pretty sure they will get a new contract from this group.there is areason why the trust wants to maintain control and a reason why the council allows them to.what are the real reasons?
September 9, 2014 at 9:46 AM
Anonymous said…
Correct.

The market is an empty brick building that nobody goes to.

--fmb
September 9, 2014 at 11:27 AM
Garth said…
I am a stand holder and unlike many many of you on here complaining, I sat and listened not only what was said in the borough meeting, I was invited to go along to Union Station around the corner. I wasn't planning on eating anything, or drinking anything stronger than water (I had a 4 year old cousin die on Christmas Day back in 96 due to a drunk driver). Most of the members of the trust were there, and I got to listen along with asking questions. They even offered me food. Some of the things being circulated by some people just aren't true I learn after asking about it. One of those things was that any vendor may give tours of the Dungeon in the basement. They just have to get the keys to do it with. So I will be doing tours for people as I volunteered to do just that. I also learned the real story behind, or underneath in this case, about the table cloths, and the tables too. After listening, it all made sense. I learned about the parking too, which has been a contentious issue (look it the word). Found out the real story behind that too. The parking lot that the borough employees use, all 12 of them, was originally for market house stand holders, and customers. That is until borough employees complained about parking on the street so they were given the parking lot. Yes, the members of the trust are doing their best given what they have to deal with in regards to the council and stand holders. From what I got out of all of it, there is a council member, not sure who, that isn't able to separate their personal feelings and vendetta against certain trust members, in making things work for the betterment of the market house and the rest of Columbia. When market houses flourished, transportation was limited so you didn't go far to get everything. Now, with public an private transportation, you can go almost anywhere to get what you need. What frustrations some vendors is a lack of sales. Even though my sales aren't as good as I'd like, I still smile and am pleasant to everyone that passes by my stand. Customer service, if improved on, would go a long way to keeping people coming back. Yes, there needs to be more of a variety of things that you can take home and not just eat. Like the guy said, people don't go to the mall because there's a food court, they go to buy other things to take home. Personally, before proceeding with phase 2, someone needs to reexamine the original study to make sure it's still a valid one as things have changed. This will make sure that phase 2 is still on track. I'm looking forward to all of the changes as I'm not going anywhere as my goal is to improve the lives of all those that come through by improving their health. What good is wealth without good health? See you on Thursday
September 9, 2014 at 12:08 PM
Anonymous said…
I will and i will and i will.......:O)
September 9, 2014 at 3:38 PM
Anonymous said…
The trust and everything about it should go! BUT,, if we are stuck with them until 2015 then nothing should be said and i mean said about this group of people! We need to go forward and talk about bankruptcy in this town!!!
September 9, 2014 at 3:44 PM
Anonymous said…
what a J O K E !!!!!!! they need to go now.
the Market HOuse Trust mtgs SHOULD BE PUBLIC and if they aren't I'd think they ar breaking some kind of sunshine law or something.
The AMrket is ALREADY DEAD thanks again to this Trust.
September 9, 2014 at 4:35 PM
Anonymous said…
I too was at the meeting listening with an open mind. I didn't know you had to go to Union Station to get the so called real story. The real story should have came out long ago.
September 9, 2014 at 5:44 PM
Anonymous said…
If the Trust is finished in 2015, that only gives them about one year to secure the grant money and accomplish this project. What have they been doing since established in 2011?
September 9, 2014 at 5:49 PM
Anonymous said…
Another win for the Trust. Protected from any questions or negativity. They spoke their piece and before any citizen comments were permitted they all ran for the exit door.
September 9, 2014 at 5:54 PM
Anonymous said…
I've been studying the three page ordinance No. 811 of February 2011 regarding the establishment of the Trust. It clearly states the the Trust must respond to standholders, consumer, and ommunity input on matters related to market operations. No where does it say they can choose to address only positive matters. At a recent council meeting it was announced that the Trust doesn't want to come to meetings because of all the negativity. It's part of their position to address ALL matters, so they have broken the deal.
September 9, 2014 at 6:08 PM
Anonymous said…
If I heard correctly the Trust spent 7,500.00 dollars last year on advertising. Where is it? The visitors center spent significantly less and got a lot more. Why advertise anyway if it is failing. Spend that money someplace else.
September 9, 2014 at 6:41 PM
Anonymous said…
so you went to union station and got the real story.lol,all you got was their story.they are good at going to certain places and tell their side of it.so your a stand holder,good for you.lots of the folks who complain were stand holders to and were there longer then you will be.keep listening to their crap,obviously your not listening to the former and present stand holders side.your good luck to you.
September 9, 2014 at 8:06 PM
Anonymous said…
You are soon going to be alone. You will have a lot of space to branch out! Good luck at what ever you do.
September 9, 2014 at 8:17 PM
Anonymous said…
So let's get it straight:
The "Trust" showed up at a public borough council meeting where citizen comments are last and then the Trust left immediately after their own segment was presented, to go to a bar and tell the "real story".
September 9, 2014 at 8:19 PM
Anonymous said…
It gets better, the council voted to keep them. This town is going to be bankrupt soon!! You can bet your bottom tax dollar on that!!
September 9, 2014 at 8:57 PM
Anonymous said…
WOW!!!
Mind blowing how some are so doom & gloom here, put so much energy into stalling and want things to fail. Everyone should be trying to help in making the Columbia Market House and Columbia as a whole better place and restore them to the grand gem they are/where and not to be left to some run down, left to crumble, non-supported building that needs to be torn down. Be more concerned of the downtown and how to fix that mess.
As in the the world we live in we don't need to have our say or know everything that goes on. Just ask the Federal government.
If anythings going to bankrupts Columbia is the crazy school taxes that property owning citizens have to pay and the outlandish taxes one has to pay towards public safety/borough budget or how there isn't much taxable income coming into the town or all the empty store fronts down Locust Street.
Shame on you all. The problem isn't the Trust or the Borough Council it's the attitudes like those on this page who can't except that there are people out there who see a better things for Columbia, it's citizens, it's landmarks and it's history (not just the bad stuff). Remember Council was voted in by "WE" the people and the Trust was appointed by who "WE" voted in...
Don't be part of the problem be part of the solution! Support Columbia with an open mind, positive thoughts and a better outlook for the future of Columbia and it's citizens!
September 10, 2014 at 1:10 PM
Anonymous said…
How much tax payer money does it take and time wasted to go backwards with the market hose?? Alot, and its just a damn shame about this!!!!!!!!!
September 10, 2014 at 4:05 PM
Anonymous said…
Leadership reflects ATTITUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 10, 2014 at 7:17 PM
Anonymous said…
Well said, AMEN!!
September 10, 2014 at 7:50 PM
Anonymous said…
The Market House does not cost the taxpayers any money to operate.
September 10, 2014 at 7:53 PM
Anonymous said…
If the market house is not making any money, who pays up for the loss?
September 10, 2014 at 8:47 PM
Anonymous said…
only 1 million every few years in grant money funded by other tax payers
September 10, 2014 at 10:58 PM
Anonymous said…
Yes it seems most of the readers on here are gloom and doom, I couldn't agree more. It is sad that the rest of the county just sits back and sees Columbia overlooked time and time again for opportunities of betterment. Why? Because nobody has to fight them, they do enough in fighting to ruin most chances of positive advances offered by the outside world. Just like the stubbornness of having to maintain your identity 40 some years ago and not merge school districts and now we all pay dearly in school taxes.
Keep fighting on social media and you'll see Columbia overlooked yet again for a possible Grant to overhaul the inside of the market house.
Really sad that I live here and have to be a part of this. Even sadder that I can't get a fair price for my house in order to move out of this awful place.
September 10, 2014 at 11:25 PM
Anonymous said…
Oh the market house please come back to life. We need you bad. Tired of the council doing nothing in the past about this!
September 11, 2014 at 8:54 PM
Anonymous said…
There should not be any losses. If there are losses, they obviously need to raise the rents.
September 12, 2014 at 12:10 PM
Anonymous said…
sure it does,who opays utilities.not enough stands to opay them
September 12, 2014 at 2:44 PM
Anonymous said…
you should of told that to the trust when they took over.
September 12, 2014 at 2:47 PM
Anonymous said…
No taxpayers dollars are diverted to the market house from Columbia Borough. All utility and operating expenses are paid by the trust.
September 12, 2014 at 4:34 PM
Anonymous said…
Then the trust should own it outright. The borough makes these rules up and eats the rules later!
September 12, 2014 at 10:49 PM
Anonymous said…
That is not a utility expense, it was Capital Improvement. Read the Management Agreement, the borough pays for all Capital Improvements over $2,000 since THEY own thr building. Thanks for bringing this to light so it could be factually answered.
September 13, 2014 at 10:00 AM
Anonymous said…
On the down side once again, we as columbia should have not lost our sewer plant to lasa. 400 hundred thousand dollars a year in profits down the tubes!! WHY didnt they take that money and put it back in the sewer plant!!!!!!!!!!
September 13, 2014 at 10:21 AM
Anonymous said…
AMEN ON THAT!!!!
September 13, 2014 at 10:22 AM
Anonymous said…
Someone is confusing doom and gloom with keeping an eye on our elected officials. This is not only wise, it is absolutely necessary. Going forward blindly and trusting those we elected is the real recipe for doom and gloom.
September 13, 2014 at 3:21 PM
Anonymous said…
Your job as a citizen does not end after you cast your ballot. Those with hats in the political arena will do and say anything to get elected. When my taxes to live here are zero, that's when I lose my right to speak up.
September 13, 2014 at 3:27 PM
Anonymous said…
Don't we have bigger issues in this town to worry about than the market house? Has anybody really looked at where your money is going and what you get for it? The poor services we get, the slumlord properties, the less then desirable renters, the obvious drug deals, the recent break ins, the crime in general and our overall quality of life issues I see that drag this town down everyday. The complaints are on Facebook everyday. Get a grip people!
September 13, 2014 at 7:43 PM
Anonymous said…
That's $400,00 dollars more Cola residents paid too much. It's just like the taxes too much
September 14, 2014 at 3:25 PM
Anonymous said…
Or maybe like letting the landmark Hotel Columbia flip away. Drop millions into the market house and don't worry about the fact that landmark on the other side of Borough Hall is up for grabs. Buy the TH building to control it, but don't buy the downtown hotel to control it. Where's the consistency ?
September 15, 2014 at 10:40 PM
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