COLUMBIA SPY: 2025

Thursday, December 11, 2025

Council adopts 2026 budget with no millage increase but with a considerable drawdown of reserves

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY

Columbia Borough Council adopted its 2026 budget with no tax increase but with a considerable drawdown of reserves.

Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to adopt the $17.80 million budget, using $1.1 million from reserves. The approximately $300,000 remaining is considerably lower than the recommended minimum of 15% of expenditures in general fund reserves.

Council also voted to keep the millage the same—at 10 mills—although council members Kelly Murphy and Joanne Geesey voted against the measure, without explanation.

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Employee departures continue to plague Columbia Borough's finance department

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY

Columbia Borough has lost yet another finance manager, the fourth departure from that position since 2024.

Brian Christensen

Brian Christensen, who was hired by the borough at the end of August, has tendered his resignation, it was announced at Tuesday's borough council meeting. Council gave no explanation for the resignation, citing personnel issues.

Council approved Christensen's hiring at its August 26, 2025 meeting, at a salary “up to $75,000 a year,” pending completion of background check and drug screening. Council also agreed to make available additional training in municipal accounting, before he came on board in September.

● A previous finance manager, Michelle Jenkins, was hired in November 2024 at $72,000 a year but was terminated in May 2025, leaving a 3-month gap before Christensen was hired.

● In September 2024, the borough hired Karen Weiss as finance manager at $72,000 a year. Weiss abruptly quit after a short time.

● In June 2021, council hired Tammy Bennett for the position at an annual salary of $65,407. Bennett served for three years before announcing her resignation in July 2024.

● In February 2021, the borough employed the accounting firm BGA&F. Accountants Peter Barsz and Amanda J. Gattuso from BGA&F managed borough finances in early 2021.

● In January 2021, Amanda Lubold from Tri Star Temp Services was hired as a full-time accountant for a term of three months. After three months, consideration was to be made whether to hire her as a permanent employee.

● In December 2020, accountant Quetsy Perez-Yates departed, followed quickly by Finance Manager Kyle Watts in January 2021. Watts had served in the position for two years.

Lancaster County, Pa. coroner IDs man killed after shots-fired incident; Cause of death remains under investigation

Victim identified

In a recent release, the Lancaster County Coroner's Office identified the man as Christopher Colon Martinez, 31, of Columbia Borough.

The coroner said police believe Martinez was involved in the shots-fired incident; however, he had no gun-related injuries.

An autopsy performed on Wednesday morning revealed "no suspicious findings," according to the coroner's release.

The cause and manner of Martinez’s death are pending the results of toxicology testing.

https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-columbia-christopher-martinez-found-dead-shots-fired-incident/69685845

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Shots fired incident | Columbia Borough Police Department

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/incidents/shots-fired-incident-1

Columbia man sentenced up to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty to selling enough fentanyl to kill thousands | Lancaster County District Attorney's Office

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/da/11617/post/columbia-man-sentenced-10-years-state-prison-after-pleading-guilty-selling-enough

Homes, vehicles reportedly shot after incident in Columbia Borough

https://local21news.com/news/local/homes-vehicles-reportedly-shot-after-incident-in-columbia-borough

Police, coroner called to scene of incident in Columbia Tuesday | Local News | lancasteronline.com

NATHAN WILLISON | Staff Writer

Police and the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office responded to an incident Tuesday morning that shut down the 200 block of Walnut Street in Columbia.

Residents in the area reported that police shut down Walnut Street at its intersection with North Third Street Tuesday morning after a number of cars and homes were struck by gunfire. A member of the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office was seen arriving in the area.

William Vandenberg, a resident of the block, told an LNP | LancasterOnline reporter at the scene that he heard multiple people arguing in the street below his home around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday followed by gunfire.

"I just froze. It was about five of them," said Vandenberg referring to gunshots. "I saw a patrol car pass by later but that was it."

Vandenberg said he learned from a coworker that police were shutting down his block late Tuesday morning and returned home to find evidence markers just a few steps from his front door.

"I worry about having my son here," Vandenberg said. "We normally just stay inside. I don't like it, but Columbia just seems to be getting worse and worse."

Another resident of the block, Misty Musser, said she learned Tuesday morning that the outside of her home was an active crime scene when her roommate called her.

Musser reported she and her roommate heard banging the night before, but thought at the time it was someone hammering into a wall.

Musser said at least four of her neighbors' vehicles were struck by gunfire and an unknown number of homes on Walnut Street also were struck.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/police-coroner-called-to-scene-of-incident-in-columbia-tuesday/article_a220d7f7-808a-4075-96af-1acf7be335ef.html