An Open Letter to Columbia Spy
He blamed the media for its reporting on the issue. What WAS reported, was clearly said at the May Finance Committee Meeting. There was NO confusion about the grant request.
The grant was in fact requested by Cimmaron properties at the May Finance Committee Meeting. In fact, Mr. Don Murphy clearly said that the project would not move forward without the grant, as I recall, his words were, it would be "dead in the water." At that time the committee voted to pass it on to full council. It was in fact printed on the final June borough council meeting agenda. It was tabled after the final agenda was printed.
The attorney should have reviewed this first before it ever went to council. In fact, the committee members should have known the answer and said it cannot be done. Then and there...over. The committee is responsible for upsetting residents, not the media.
At the Community Development Meeting tonight, Janice Nikoloff (CEDC) took to the podium in support of the hotel project. She said that she doesn't like hearing people say "Not on my dime," which was directed at Sharon Lintner. Problem being, it never will be on "Nikoloff's dime" because she does not live in Columbia. She does not pay taxes here, we pay her salary.
Cleon Berntheizel passionately supports the hotel. Trouble again, Cleon is currently on the delinquent tax list as of June 12, 2018 for $3,291.55. (for 2017). His name also appears on the borough's open invoice list as of April 30, 2018 as owing $1,975.00, due date was 08/15/2013.
I'm sick of people that aren't spending "their dime" telling me to be happy with the way they want to spend mine.
I'm not hiding behind anonymous, my name is SHARON LINTNER and I'm not eating the bullshit soup.
Comments
A 5% room tax administered by Columbia Borough would show an investment return after 7 years with the proposed 65+ room hotel at a $100.00+ per night stay. Retail business rarely flow tax dollars to the homeowner, but brings commerce and investment to a borough's tourism district.
The Council needs to be negotiators with the investors with the best interest of the taxpayer. Investment with negotiation is a standard, not an abuse of power on behalf of your investors (Columbia citizens).
I guarantee Don Murphy would have listened to any offer that the Council proposed in a professional manner. Think about each homeowners investment when they are strapped from paying taxes and utilities. Homes sales are on the rise due to the negligence of BOTH governments in Columbia and our generation is coming to an end. What a shame!
Amazing how fragile the egos of those that run this town are. Face it. You people SUCK at running this town. Find a new line of work. You people can NOT be trusted with tax money.
Hidden agendas are exactly that: HIDDEN.
And to what end?
Just look at yesterday for instance. There was no agenda posted for the Community Development committee meeting, slated for last night, until sometime after 9:15 am ON THE DAY OF THE MEETING.
What kind of notice is that providing to the constituents? Probably many constituents were at work or engaged in something else at 9:15 in the morning.
The Pennsylvania Borough Council Handbook states:
"The agenda also serves another useful purpose by enabling the borough to inform the news media in advance of relevant topics to be discussed at the meeting. The news media in turn helps encourage citizen participation in the borough’s decision making process."
Agenda items are not a secret - and if something changes, ethical leadership will assure that constituents are informed of the changes.
Otherwise we turn into a authoritarian, despotic organization. Those kinds of organizations are destined for failure. History shows that.
Anger and attacks came from committee members, also.
Now that citizens have been awakened, you are suggesting they NOT attend? But rather, go visit the individual council members at their businesses? Sounds rather shady, what is the purpose? Backdoor deals? You scrath my back, I'll scratch yours? In the past two weeks there have been close to 100 residents present at Borough meetings. That is where conversations should take place, so that we all get the same information at the same time, or later in a news report.
And can you imagine if all 10,300 residents followed this advise? Each council member who owns a business would go broke making time at their work for residents visits.
Here's a suggestion, how about the council members take some government classes on the responsibilities of their elected positions and start running this borough properly and reign in the spending.
Sharon
Cimmeron: Climb into Leo's pocket and you won't have to ask.
Lancasteronline November 30, 2017
A medical-marijuana grower affiliated with Temple University wants to build a facility costing $8 million to $10 million in Mount Joy Borough. Laurel Harvest Labs presented a sketch plan for the growing and research facility to the borough Planning Commission in November.
The startup company’s building at 249 S. Barbara St. would have up to 90 employees in three to five years, a Laurel Harvest Labs executive said Thursday. “We think it’s a win-win for everybody. We really appreciate Mount Joy welcoming us,” said Andrew Dodge, a managing partner in Laurel Harvest.
Dodge, a Lancaster businessman, said he and his Philadelphia-area partners are attracted to Mount Joy for several reasons. The cost of developing the facility here is cheaper than in the Philadelphia area, he said.
In addition, Mount Joy’s Amtrak station, which provides direct service to Philadelphia, is getting a $25 million upgrade. Finally, Dodge said it would be appropriate for Lancaster County —Pennsylvania’s leading agricultural county — to become a site for growing medical marijuana.
Temple University’s School of Medicine would have researchers at the Mount Joy facility, seeing which strains of marijuana are most effective for treating various conditions.
'Low impact project'
Borough Manager Sam Sulkosky called the Laurel Harvest proposal “an excellent economic development opportunity.” The facility, Sulkosky said, would be “a very low impact project. There would be only two or three delivery trucks a week — not a day, a week. “It’s very non-descript. There would be no noise, no disruption of the neighborhood at all. We’d be getting maximum benefit for minimal impact,” he said.
Among those benefits, Sulkosky said, would be new jobs and more tax revenue.
Presentations:
Attorney Mike Grab (representing Cimarron Investments) and Steven Raposa (representing Choice
Hotels) gave a presentation regarding a request for borough financial support for 2nd Street project. Cimarron Investments will be signing a contract for securing a franchise placement of a Choice Hotels project for his recently purchase property at the corner of Locust and 2nd Streets. Site improvements include a 60 room boutique style hotel with on site parking for all rooms, restaurant, roof top bar, and meeting/event spaces. The project cost is estimated at $7 million, and will create 50-75 permanent jobs as well as those associated with construction of the site. Choice Hotels will provide support via staff and financially for the pre-construction and construction phases. Cimarron Investments is asking the borough in return for consideration of up to 10 year tax moratorium and approximately 10% ($650,000) in financial support for this project. Committee members and staff asked numerous questions of the project and particularly those centered around the finance request. Noted that the borough has a 5 year LERTA already in place and has included this property in the
recently submitted list with regard to expansion of KOZ initiative. Cimarron request is for a grant rather than a loan due to already expected project costs. Borough asked whether a package of support, via a long term loan, other grants, and/or borough work in kind equal to the request., Committee members also asked for research as to whether this would qualify for the streetscape bond funding, as well as the timing for need of requested funding. All parties agreed that due to numerous questions still requiring research and answers, we would reconvene the conversation at the May 21, 2108 Finance meeting. Cimarron Investments and Choice Hotels representatives indicated that there will be a public release/announcement for the project in the next day and requested time to present the project at a future council meeting. Conversation will continue at the next Finance meeting to allow both sides time to collect information/answers..
Now of course we are waiting for May, 2018 Finance Minutes to finish the story on what happened in a poorly unintended Finance meeting. I wonder if they will alter the minutes to cover up the truth. Remember Kelly, Cle and John that you are under oath to administer the truth to the public.
Thank you