New letters at Columbia Crossing

Shown above are the new letters that were installed Friday morning at the Columbia Crossing building at Columbia River Park. The letters will be black when the protective coating is taken off.

Council looks at rising police costs

On Tuesday night, Columbia Borough Council looked at the high cost of maintaining the borough's police force, which is currently 112% of the annual property tax revenue - and 46% of the total projected 2016 budget of $5.9 million.

According to Councillor Kelly Murphy, chair of the committee on finance, the police budget for other similar municipalities is about 70-80% of property taxes. As a point of comparison, Murphy noted that the borough would need to raise taxes to 10 mills to keep the police costs at 80% of revenue. He added that if costs could be reined in, taxes could be reduced from the current 8 mills to 6 mills. Council noted that costs are out of line not only with other industries but with other police departments. Salaries and benefits for one officer can run to about $110,000 per year.

Currently, the projected numbers (positions and salaries) for 2016 are as follows:

Chief: $88,000
Sergeants (4): $322,000
Patrolmen (12): $893,000
Part-time officers (3): $20,000.
(Salaries are rounded off here.)

Costs of benefits including health care, pension, etc., as well as vehicles and other equipment, bring the total to almost $2.8 million. Overtime was budgeted at $100,000 for this year, but with the year-to-date figure at $112,000, that limit has been exceeded.

Councillor Mary Barninger noted that previous councils were overly generous to the police department. "Previous councils had given away the store without arbitration, because they didn't know how to negotiate a contract," she said. Such giveaways contribute to ongoing costs and, once in place, are difficult to rescind. "You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube," Barninger said.

Arbitration is a periodic mediation between the Police Association and Columbia Borough and can be one cause of increasing costs. Police in Pennsylvania are not allowed to strike but instead go to arbitration to negotiate compensation. Arbitration does not usually go in favor of the municipality. An arbitrator's decision is final unless the parties can reach an independent agreement outside the ruling. Arbitration negotiations are not open to the public.

Another concern is underfunded pensions. In the most recent arbitration last summer, an arbitrator reduced employee contributions to the pension fund from 5% to 3%."That was never negotiated, it was never talked about. No one complained about it on either side," Barninger said. "It was just an arbitrary decision that the arbitrator made. In doing that, they actually damaged the value of the pension plan. The pension plan is now underfunded." The contribution rate is expected to be raised to 4% in 2016, and back to 5% in 2017. Taxpayers will make up any difference.

Councillor Jim Smith proposed changing to "zero-based budgeting," in which every expense would need to be justified every year, as one way of combating budget bloat.

Councillor Barry Ford suggested consolidating local police departments in order to contain costs. "We did it with the sewer plant.  We did with the fire department," he said. "We really need to get serious about regionalization. Share the cost." Ford also suggested contacting other departments as a first step in the process. "Let's be proactive instead of reactive." Ford cited politics as a sticking point in moving forward. "Our biggest holdup right now in Columbia is politics." Councillors also discussed inviting District Attorney Craig Stedman to offer help with the consolidation process.

Councillor Barninger was not quick to accept those options, however. "I do not feel comfortable going to the district attorney or any of the other municipalities without the support or the willingness of our own police department to participate in that process," she said.

Here are the Lancaster County organizations serving free meals for Thanksgiving

Here are the organizations that will be serving Thanksgiving dinner before or after Thanksgiving Day:

First Baptist Church of Lancaster

612 N. Duke St., Lancaster; Phone: 717-392-8818; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21.


Gap Community Church

835 Houston Run Drive, Gap; Phone: 717-442-8549; 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. Meal is intended for Gap area/Pequea Valley School District residents. Reservations requested but not required.

Water Street Mission

210 S. Prince St., Lancaster; Phone: 717-393-7709; Great Thanksgiving Banquet; Wednesday, Nov. 25; mission guest seating, 4:45 p.m.; community seating, 6 p.m.

The following locations are serving free meals on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26.

Bright Side Baptist Church Youth Ministry

515 Hershey Ave., Lancaster; Phone: 717-509-1342; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations required. Transportation and home-delivered meals for local residents may be possible; contact the church.

Chiques Church of the Brethren

4045 Sunnyside Road, Manheim; Phone: 211 for private contact; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations required by Nov. 20. Donations accepted.

Cocalico Area Churches/Denver & Ephrata Community Dinner at Ephrata Business Center

400 W. Main St., Ephrata; Phone: 717-336-2512 (leave message for Carol); 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Transportation and home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; call Carol by Nov. 25. Thanksgiving Day callers should dial 717-721-5613.

Colemanville United Methodist Church

210 Colemanville Church Road, Conestoga; Phone: 717-872-7951; noon. Reservations requested.

Columbia United Methodist Church

510 Walnut St., Columbia; Phone: 717-684-2356; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Transportation for local residents may be possible; contact the church.

Covenant United Methodist Church

110 N. Mulberry St., Lancaster; Phone: 717-393-1561; noon-2 p.m.

Ebenezer Baptist Church

701 N. Lime St., Lancaster

Phone: 717-392-4292; 1-3 p.m. Donations accepted.

First Church of God

144 S. Market St., Elizabethtown

Phone: 717-367-7060; 4-6 p.m.; Donations accepted.

Kathy’s Family Services Inc.

In The Light Ministries

415 S. Shippen St., Lancaster; Phone: 717-208-2307; noon-2 p.m. Home-delivered meals may be arranged for elderly, disabled or food-insecure local residents.

Lititz/Warwick Community at Hosanna! A Fellowship of Christians

29 Green Acre Road, Lititz; Phone: 717-626-2560; 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Transportation and home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; contact the church by Nov. 20.

Millersville Community United Methodist Church


163 W. Frederick St., Millersville; Phone: 717-872-4571; noon-2 p.m. Reservations requested, but not required. Transportation and home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; contact the church.

Mount Nebo United Methodist Church

673 Martic Heights Drive, Pequea; Phone: 717-284-4331; noon. Reservations required by Nov. 19; call the church or emailsecretary@mtneboumc.org.

St. Mark’s United Methodist Church

35 E. Main St., Mount Joy; Phone: 717-653-5493; noon. Reservations requested but not required. Transportation and home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; contact the church by Nov. 20.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church

100 W. Main St., Mountville; Phone: 717-285-5020; noon-2 p.m. Transportation and home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; contact the church by Nov. 20.

St. Philip the Apostle Roman Catholic Church

2111 Millersville Pike, Lancaster; Phone: 717-872-2166; noon-2 p.m. Home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; contact the church by Nov. 20.

St. Stephen Reformed Church

249 E. Main St., New Holland; Phone: 717-354-7871; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Transportation and home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; contact the church by Nov. 25.

Water Street Mission

210 S. Prince St., Lancaster; Phone: 717-393-7709; Thanksgiving buffet open to the community, noon-6 p.m.

Zion Lutheran Church

2 S. Hazel St., Manheim; Phone: 717-665-5880; noon. Reservations required by Nov. 20. Home-delivered meals for local residents may be arranged; contact the church.

This list was compiled by United Way of Lancaster County.

LINK:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/health/here-are-the-lancaster-county-organizations-serving-free-meals-on/article_ae220fd4-c7ed-5742-8e14-1eff511d4e43.html

Stolen Vehicle | Columbia Borough Police Department

Source: 

Columbia Borough Police Department

On Sunday 11-15-15 at approx. 7:40PM someone stole a delivery van from Littles Beverage in the 1200 blk. of Lancaster Ave. The van was used to assist in stealing a tow truck from Nussbaum Equipment in the 1600 blk. of Lancaster Ave. If anyone has any information or witnessed anything suspicious around this time please contact the police department or submit a tip below.

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/stolen-vehicle

A message about Extraordinary Give from Biggie, the KPETS therapy cat

Support KPETS on Friday during Extraordinary Give.

WHAT IS EXTRAORDINARY GIVE?

The Extraordinary Give is Lancaster County's Largest Day of Giving. This 24-hour giving marathon will benefit more than 300 local organizations. Every dollar donated at ExtraGive.org on November 20 will be stretched with at least $300,000 from the Lancaster County Community Foundation, Rodgers & Associates, and other corporate sponsors AND there are at least $50,000 in EXTRA prizes you can win for the causes you care about.

The Community Foundation is committed to helping you make a difference and strengthening our local community benefit sector. The Extraordinary Give is a special way to bring these two goals together; a powerful day to show support to our local community and a way to give a little extra to those who need it most.

GO HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

It's apple dumpling time

John Boyer (above) wheels a cart of freshly baked apple dumplings that he and Charlie Kelly baked in the kitchen of the Columbia United Methodist Church on Tuesday.  The 500 dumplings that were baked recently are being picked up by anyone lucky enough to have pre-ordered. Some orders will be delivered. Proceeds go to the organ fund for maintenance of the church's keyboards. 

On Thanksgiving Day, the kitchen staff will arrive at about 4 a.m. to begin cooking 18 turkeys for the day's Community Thanksgiving Dinner, which is free and open to the public.

Columbia Food Bank: More than 61,000 meals a year - and counting

Columbia Food Bank is located at 340 Locust St., Columbia. To find out how you can help, call 449-5101 or check the website at www.columbiafoodbank.org.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/sponsored/columbiafoodbank/columbia-food-bank-more-than-meals-a-year--/article_062926ee-8d33-11e5-babf-f3ee9e7f91d2.html#.VkzLxfbc2OA.facebook