Council votes 5-2 to sell 400 Locust lot to Cimarron

In a 5-2 vote, Columbia Borough Council voted to sell a .12-acre vacant lot at 400 Locust Street to Cimarron Investments, even though it had offered the LOWER of two bids.

Realtor Jeff Seibert conveyed offers from Cimarron and Habitat for Humanity to council at Tuesday night's borough council meeting, with Cimarron bidding $60,000, while Habitat offered $58,000 with an escalation clause that would allow them to outbid by $500 any counter offer - up to $75,000, so in this instance, their offer automatically became $60,500. Columbia Borough paid $75,000 for the property in 2017, so acceptance of the $60,000 offer represents a loss of $15,000 to the borough.

Cimarron's stated goal is to build 4 to 6 rental units with a commercial space on the first floor, while Habitat had planned two condominium-style homes with a commercial space. Mayor Leo Lutz seemed to have difficulty understanding Habitat's proposal, which had to be explained to him several times.

Councilors Todd Burgard and Peter Stahl said they believe Cimarron's style of construction is more in line with the downtown.

Burgard passionately praised all of Cimarron's local projects, even referencing Qwik-Med Pharmacy at 4th & Locust. Burgard was apparently unaware that the pharmacy has been closed for over seven months due to charges against the pharmacist, who is awaiting trial.

Columbia Borough's Comprehensive Plan Ad Hoc Committee stated, during their May 18th meeting, that one of the goals in the comp plan is to "promote and encourage home ownership." However, Councilwoman Barb Fisher, who chairs the committee, voted in favor of selling to Cimarron instead of Habitat. Don Murphy of Cimarron also sits with Fisher on the committee.

Council President Heather Zink noted that the borough had paid a lot for the comp plan that promotes home ownership over rentals. "If we're not going to follow it, to me, we spent money for nothing," Zink said.

Councilors Heather Zink and Sharon Lintner voted "no" on selling to Cimarron.


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