Citizen Comments from the March 11, 2025 Columbia Borough Council meeting:
Resident Sharon Lintner addressed council on several topics. She refuted a claim by borough officials that Columbia Borough is the only local government body providing livestreaming. She told council that she checked with several other municipalities that do provide the service, contrary to what officials have said.
She noted that a borough councillor asked at a recent meeting if the service is really necessary. Lintner said that the councillor asked "If we don't have to do it, why are we doing it?"
Lintner asked council, "Why would you want to do less for residents instead of more? I think we should try to do everything we can to keep this service going. Even if we're the only people, the only municipality in the county, doing it, we're providing a service."
Lintner also cited councilwoman Barbara Fisher's suggestion to add a 1% sales tax for Columbia on top of the state's 6%. "I found this to be basically unbelievable that it was even suggested, because we just raised taxes by 2 mills," Lintner said.
She also said she was concerned that council is considering hiring another employee, possibly part time, which adds more costs for the borough. She said recent discussions were supposed to be about reducing expenses.
She noted that several projects in the borough that were supposed to help stabilize the borough's tax base have failed to do so. She said that the McGinness Innovation Park project is now being touted as another avenue for helping the tax base.
Lintner also asked council to refrain from joking about the $347,000 spent on streetlights that have been sitting unused for six years. At a previous meeting, several council members laughed when the lights were mentioned. "That comes to about 3/4 of a mill and to joke about it when we are facing a tax increase seems grossly inappropriate," Lintner said.
Schmidt: “From what I have observed over the past few years, the market has been doing better and better."
Margaret Schmidt talked about the recent firing of Columbia Market House manager Chris Vera and asked about the status of the market operation.
“From what I have observed over the past few years, the market has been doing better and better. If this market goes downhill again, it's another slam in the face of staying here. I don't know specifics, but Chris was there present often at things, not just market days. I saw him putting a lot of energy into it.”
Heather Zink, council president said it's being "worked out."
Doutrich: "Council, I don't think you're bad people. You're just misguided. I don't have all the answers, but I want to get the answers, and I don't want people to lie to me."
Frank Doutrich asked about several issues, including livestreaming and the firing of Chris Vera.
"I come to the meetings and I complain a lot. Council, I don't think you're bad people. You're just misguided. I don't have all the answers, but I want to get the answers, and I don't want people to lie to me," Doutrich said.
Doutrich was also concerned that council wants to stop livestreaming. Citing the failure of the service at the borough's previous work session, he asked why the meeting wasn't paused to fix the problem. "It gives me the impression that you don't care."
Doutrich asked about the firing of Chris Vera. Zink said she can't comment, because it's a personnel matter.
“I've never seen certain council people in that market house,” Doutrich said. “How are you going to know what's going on if you don't go in there?”
Doutrich asked councilwoman Fisher why she suggested a 1% sales tax, but before she could answer, councilman Peter Stahl interrupted. He said discussions at recent work sessions were for brainstorming, and not all ideas would be accepted.
Burgard: "I'm offended by the fact that you people, the same people, constantly come up to criticize borough council about their distaste for the community!"
Councilman Todd Burgard then jumped into the conversation. “We've invited anybody in the public to come with ideas,” he said. “This is a difficult problem. And you're not gonna walk in here with a quick slash cut and solve the problem which some people think is the answer. Thats not going to work." Raising his voice, Burgard continued. "That wasn't the point of the discussion, not to find ways to cut taxes, but to find ways to cut taxes, generate revenue and somehow balance the budget!”
He accused others of selecting words to serve their own purposes and motives. "I'm offended by the fact that you people, the same people, constantly come up here and criticize borough council, about their distaste for the community," Burgard fumed. "It's wrong, and you couldn't be more wrong. You're completely wrong and it's offensive! So I appreciate anybody who comes to next work session with a crazy idea."
"Share a 2% tax idea if it gets us to the right answer. If it's the right answer, the right answer might be painful. I'm not saying that's the right answer. But the conversation around that might get us to the right answer. I know this is public comment time, but you know sometimes enough is enough."
Sharon Lintner later responded: "I think you better tread lightly on how you talk to residents. I'm just saying they have a right to come to this podium and voice their opinion without any intimidation. And I took it when I sat up there [as a councilwoman] from some people, and you just have to suck it up and take it. I mean, I think you need to be very careful how you talk to residents."
Alison Liebgott, a local business owner who runs an artist collective above Columbia Kettleworks, said she supported Chris Vera and his operation of the market house. “He is a good friend of mine and a very phenomenal contributor to this particular community," Liebgott said. "We have been seeing the progression over the last few years since Chris has taken over. I know that there are a plethora of people from outside of this community that go there specifically because Chris runs it."
Liebgott continued: "Perhaps this is a job for two part-time people, so is it possible that wherever it was that Chris was lacking, you could have possibly offered him some help before firing him? There are so many people that are angry right now. I have been going to the market house specifically since you started running it, and I don't really care to go back."
Note: This article is a summary - not a transcript - of a part of the meeting.
Some speakers' comments were excerpted or combined for clarity, continuity, and brevity. To hear complete comments, as well as the entire discussion, readers should listen to the livestream of the meeting.
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