Columbia loses another finance manager in an emerging pattern of departures

Former Finance Manager Michelle Jenkins

At Tuesday's meeting, Columbia Borough Council voted to ratify the termination of Finance Manager Michelle Jenkins, ending her six-month tenure with the borough. Council also voted to advertise for a new finance manager.

During citizens' comments at the beginning of the meeting, resident Sharon Lintner asked if Jenkins was banned from borough property as the market manager was. Heather Zink, council president, replied that she couldnt answer that, because she didn't know. At the March 27, 2025 council meeting, Mayor Leo Lutz said a property ban is "standard procedure" that had occurred "quite a few times in the past." In answer to a resident's question about who had been banned, Lutz replied: "Probably everybody that left, including officers. It's a standard management decision." (Former Market House Manager was banned from borough property when he was terminated earlier this year.)

Jenkins, who began working for the borough in December 2024, is the latest loss in an emerging pattern of finance department turnover during the past few years.

Background

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.

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. However, 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 June 2021, council hired Tammy Bennett for the position at an annual salary of $65,407. Then-Borough Manager Mark Stivers and Peter Barsz had interviewed three candidates from a pool of seven applicants before recommending Bennett for the position. Bennett served for three years before announcing her resignation in July 2024. 

In September 2024, the borough hired Karen Weiss for the position of finance manager at $72,000 a year. Weiss abruptly quit after a short time. In October 2024, council advertised for a new finance manager and hired Jenkins at a salary of $72,000 per year at its November 26 meeting.