Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Bits 'n' Pieces

A few takeaways from September's committee meetings


Council is exploring the idea of having three council meetings per month and eliminating most committee meetings. (Planning Commission)




Northwest Bank and Union Community Bank are leaving Columbia. Northwest is relocating to the Columbia Shopping Center at 1786 Columbia Avenue in West Hempfield. (Finance Committee)


As of September 12th there were 34 condemned properties in the borough. (Safety Committee)

Two part-time code officers are gone because one resigned and one retired. Currently there are two secretaries who work just for the codes department. (Finance Committee)

Only three animals are allowed in any household (dwelling unit). Any combination of cats and dogs, with a maximum of two dogs. (Safety Committee)

Patches on streets after excavation are not final. Streets will be repaved. (Public Works and Property Committee)


There's a slime issue on Grinnell Avenue resulting from water draining from a sump pump on a property bordering 11th Street. The highway department power-washed the street a few times recently. The water should be draining into a seepage pit on the property. The borough is looking into the issue. (Public Works and Property Committee)


Columbia Borough has an agility program with West Hempfield and PennDOT in which we exchange services and equipment. (Public Works and Property Committee)

Issues with the street sweeper may be caused in part by plastic bottles and similar objects in the gutters. The codes department will examine the borough’s landlord/tenant agreement for any stipulations about trash in the gutter or on the sidewalk at the property being the responsibility of the property owner. (Public Works and Property Committee)

The mayor said Columbia is not a dirty town, but the street sweeper is getting “beat up,” because it’s picking up plastic bottles an aluminum cans, and metal objects. There’s a lot of trash in the machine’s sweepings. (Borough Council)

The borough newsletter will most likely be mailed to residents by mid-October. (Community Development)

The redesign of the borough website is progressing. (Community Development)


McGinness property: Council is currently working with outside entities to help decide whether or not to purchase the property. Council President Kelly Murphy said council needs to step back from the issue for now. (Finance Committee)


Two entities have expressed interest in leasing the former No. 1 firehouse on Front Street. (Community Development)


132 Locust Street: The developers are currently working to attract additional equity to the project. (Community Development)

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent news on Northwest bank! Hated that location and never liked using the ATM there!

Anonymous said...

hope you don't have to walk there

Anonymous said...

Wonder if Northwest got tired of its customers getting tickets from the meter stalkers? Great way to encourage business.

And about the street sweeper: it's no wonder it's getting beat up. This town puts many hours on those things (more than they should). Streets don't need swept up every day downtown. Uptown streets do not need swept every week (even Lancaster city doesn't sweep their streets with the same frequency). We all know it's just a money maker, so don't try to deny that, but if they aren't getting enough money to pay for it, then its use should be reduced.

And maybe they should get a mechanical broom sweeper?

Anonymous said...

The borough didn't have there ducks in line for the locust street appartments, thank god the hotel fell threw.

Anonymous said...

How can trash beat up a street sweeper? It sounds like cleaning out the trash is labor that the operator is complaining about. Running over the holes on s 2nd street would do more damage than a plastic bottle or can, does the mayor think we were born yesterday?

Anonymous said...

What is the street sweeper for if it can't pick up trash, other places use them after big events, I bet it is ok if used at the river park after some thing that needs cleaned up.

Anonymous said...

Hey that's more room for another junk shop on locust street , or maybe codes could relocate to that building, and give the rest of the borough offices to well the other parts of the office.

Anonymous said...

132 locust street property should be finded every day till the hole filled.

Anonymous said...

its a shame you really need to have someone follow the sweeper or ride along. every single one of these properties should be watched. littering is a $300.00 fine, unless its gone up. code officers do that. take a pic of idiots throwing trash on the ground, in the streets, on the sidewalks, everywhere.

Anonymous said...

So how will the bridge and surrounding areas be cleaned up this Saturday after the Bridge Bust?

Anonymous said...

it is mech

Anonymous said...

what happens to the money the borough holds ?

Anonymous said...

THE STREET SWEEPER!!

Anonymous said...

How can one control people walking and throwing trash in front of any house? Some of these comments are not thought out.

Anonymous said...

What do they do with the may flys they pick up on the bridge?

Anonymous said...

they will never tell the citizens the truth

Anonymous said...

why are the weeds 2 feet high at 132 or the hole in the ground, and tax payers have been fined, codes dept ?????

Anonymous said...

It's a Johnston RT655. Regenerative air.