New leadership, returning officials mark council's organizational meeting

 

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

At the January 5, 2026 Columbia Borough Council Organizational meeting, District Justice Miles Bixler administered the oath of office to the following people:

Leo Lutz—mayor 

Tom Ziegler, Jr.—councilor 

Jeanne Cooper—councilor

Ethan Byers—councilor

All four prevailed in the November 2025 election. 

Council subsequently elected Vice-President Eric Kauffman as council president. Heather Zink, who held the position previously, made the nomination, which was voted on unanimously.

Councilor Ethan Byers nominated Zink for vice president. Council voted unanimously to elect Zink.

Kelly Murphy was elected to the position of borough council president pro tem. Zink made the nomination, which council voted on unanimously. 

Council also voted to appoint the following borough officers:

Jack Brommer—borough manager/secretary/treasurer/open records officer 

Paula Diffenderfer—assistant open records officer

Elyse Crawford—zoning officer

Evan Gabel—borough solicitor 

C. S. Davidson—borough engineer

Councilor Joanne Geesey did not attend the meeting.