Where there's smoke, there's fire - Open burning incident

Columbia Spy noticed a large cloud of gray smoke billowing from the tree line near Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens at about 4 p.m. today. On closer investigation, it was noted that two piles of limbs and brush were burning on a property next to the cemetery. (See map below.) Although a person was present in the general vicinity of the fires, Columbia Borough has an ordinance against open burning. A member of the fire company tells the Spy that open burning is not permitted without special permission from the fire chief. For now, we'll assume permission was given in this case.

The blue rectangle shows the approximate location of the burning.

Columbia fisherman pulls 3-foot eel from the Susquehanna

River eel caught Saturday at Columbia River Park

(Submitted photo)

On Saturday, Angel Rodriguez of Columbia was fishing at River Park when he noticed several short jerks on his line. As he reeled it in, he saw something different at the end - not a carp or a catfish or a bass - but a river eel, also known as an American eel.

Rodriguez estimates the eel to be about three feet long. An avid fisherman, he said he has pulled eels from the river before, so this was not a complete surprise. According to Rodriguez, eels can be cooked in butter and eaten, but he plans to use this one as cut bait to catch other fish - and possibly another eel.

Angel Rodriguez of Columbia with the river eel he caught on Saturday.

(Submitted photo)

UPDATE: Buddhist Temple Desecration

On May 25, 2017, the Columbia Borough Police were notified of a criminal mischief at 202 Cherry Street. This location is the Buddhist Temple and someone had spray painted the two (2) statues that they have located along the 2nd Street side of their temple. The word "Idol" appeared to be spray painted on them. A neighbor believes that it occurred sometime overnight Wednesday into Thursday. If anyone has any information about this they are asked to contact the police department at 717-684-7735 or submit a tip below.

SUBMIT A TIP

Source: Columbia Borough Police Department

River Park Parking Reminder

General Edward C. Shannon, Columbia's War Hero

Columbia History - Did you know?

Edward C. Shannon in 1917

In September of last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs inducted General Edward C. Shannon into its Hall of Fame, recognizing his exceptional service to the department, the Pennsylvania National Guard, and Pennsylvania veterans.

At the ceremony, Mayor Leo Lutz said, "The Borough of Columbia has been the home to many brave men and women who have served their country, some who have paid the supreme sacrifice and some who have distinguished themselves in service to their country. The citizens of the Borough of Columbia are honored to have Major General Edward Caswell Shannon as one of its distinguished generals and greatly appreciate the honor you have bestowed on him today."

Edward Caswell Shannon was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania on June 24, 1870, and grew up in Columbia, Pennsylvania. He studied metallurgical chemistry at Lehigh University and Lafayette College. He later completed a course in metallurgical chemistry in the laboratory of the Phoenix Iron Company, and then worked as a chemist and blast furnace superintendent in the iron and steel industries. In 1899 he married Maud Radcliffe Lucas (1877-1943). Shannon later worked as Treasurer and General Manager of Lucas Manufacturing, a clothes-making business in Columbia owned by his wife's family. He was also a president of the Columbia Water Company and a director of the First Columbia National Bank.

His military career began in 1889, when he enlisted in Company C, 4th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard. He advanced through the noncommissioned officer ranks and obtained a commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1893. He had attained the rank of Captain and command of a company by the time he volunteered to serve in the Spanish–American War.

Shannon remained in the National Guard, and by 1915 had become commander of the 4th Infantry with the rank of Colonel. He commanded his regiment on the Mexican border during the 1916 Pancho Villa Expedition. During World War I he continued in command of his regiment, which combined with other units and federalized as the 111th Infantry, 28th Infantry Division. During the war Shannon earned the nickname "Two Yard" because of the reputation he developed for leading his men from the front ("two yards" ahead) during their attacks on German positions.

Commemorative "Two Yard" stick - a tribute to Shannon from his men

(Courtesy of Columbia Historic Preservation Society)

Shannon was cited for distinguished and exceptional gallantry at Foret de Fere in 1918.  He was presented the Distinguished Service Medal by General Pershing at the end of the war. Pershing said of Shannon: "He proved himself a forceful and capable military leader." He was also awarded the Silver Star for "personally reconnoitering in front of his lines under heavy machine gun fire."

After World war I Shannon was promoted to Brigadier General as commander of Pennsylvania's 1st Infantry Brigade. He later commanded the 52nd Cavalry Brigade.

As Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor, 1934

In 1919 he was elected Prothonotary of Lancaster County. From 1931 to 1935 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. Shannon unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor in 1934.

Shannon watches two women tack up a campaign poster in Philadelphia on April 30, 1934 during his run for governor of PA.

From 1933 to 1939 Shannon served as Major General and commander of the 28th Infantry Division. He succeeded William G. Price Jr., and was succeeded by Edward Martin. During World War II he was chairman of his local draft board.

Former home of General Edward C. Shannon at 500 Chestnut Street

Shannon lived at 500 Chestnut Street for about 20 years and died at home on May 20, 1946. He is buried at Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens, Columbia.

Associated Press obituary of Shannon

Shannon's gravestone at Laurel Hill

Much of the information in this article was drawn directly (under a Creative Commons license) from Shannon's Wikipedia entry.

Columbia trolley starts its rounds

Columbia's new trolley, the "Columbia Trolley Works," has been spotted around town. It started this year's run yesterday, Saturday, May 27.

The cost to ride the trolley is $3 for adults and $1 for children. Season passes are also available.

In December 2016, Columbia Borough Council voted to purchase the trolley, a 1993 model, from Elite Coach of Ephrata for $39,900.

The backstory of the trolley purchase can be found HERE and HERE.

DESECRATION! Graffiti vandals strike again

Graffiti vandals have struck town once again, this time at the Buddhist temple on South Second Street. Two white marble statues at the front of the temple were spray-painted with black paint with what appears to be the word "IDOL" on each. The face of the Buddha was painted black. The Chua Phap Hoa Temple imported and installed the statues a few years ago.

In a possibly related incident, a train car on the tracks near the intersection of Florence, Barber, and Mill Streets was spray-painted with religious messages, black being the color of choice. The train car is shown in the last photo in this series.

Yard waste pickup changed to Tuesday due to holiday

Susquehanna Glass Co. opens new gift shop, The Mayfly, in Columbia

The Mayfly opened Saturday, May 20 at 8 S. Third St. It's not a factory store, although Susquehanna Glass runs the business.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/business/local_business/susquehanna-glass-co-opens-new-gift-shop-the-mayfly-in/article_075a1194-40b6-11e7-a73a-bf49e24ff308.html

Lot from burned-out Bigler building now for sale for $124,900

For a mere $124,900 this can be yours.

The lot from a recently "demo-ed" building owned by Samuel and Cynthia Bigler is now for sale for an asking price of $124,900, according to a listing on realtor.com. The structure, at 421/423 Avenue G (sometimes referred to as 421 Walnut Street), was formerly a 6-unit apartment building that was condemned in June 2015 and suffered a fire the following September. The building was considered historic, because it was originally a 19th-century livery stable. 

421/423 Avenue G as it appeared after the 2015 fire.

At an August 17, 2016 meeting of the Historic Architectural Review Board, Samuel Bigler laid out costs for a proposed restoration of the building totaling over $400,000. He said the numbers were based on an assessment by a restoration company and by three engineers, two of whom specialize in older buildings. The Biglers sought permission from HARB to instead demolish the building. 

Sam Bigler said he had received $308,000 from his insurance company, because the building was a "total loss," as determined by three engineers.

The Biglers sought permission from HARB to demolish 421/423 Avenue G at its August 17, 2016 meeting.

Bigler said, "We've known for sometime that the building is a total loss."

During the discussion, Cynthia Bigler said, "It sounds like you're saying we didn't really care about this building. This building is one of our larger investments. We've cared about this building for more than 20 years. Anytime we had any issues with anything they were addressed. We have this building, that now we don't have. We had $800 times five per month. That property was up kept."

Permission was granted, and the building was subsequently demolished a few months ago.

The current "for sale" listing is shown below:

Unidentified man spotted spraying River Park islands

 A reader submitted these photos of an unidentified man spraying chemicals on the islands (previously rain gardens) at River Park: 

Another Bigler property for sale in Columbia Borough

     MORE INFO WILL BE POSTED TONIGHT.

Potential school board vacancies loom as primary ballots go unfilled

Is there voter apathy in Columbia?

Go here to find out:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/o-candidates-where-art-thou-potential-school-board-vacancies-loom/article_e6fb8f6c-3f30-11e7-b89e-eb26fe59b0e9.html

Columbia Life Network offers info session on landlord/tenants rights this Thursday

The Columbia Life Network will offer a class/info session on landlord/tenants rights this coming Thursday 4:30-6:30 p.m. at 336 Locust Street, Columbia.

The least of all evils - The backstory of the borough's blighted property

208-210 Locust Street

It was considered the best of a pile of bad options: Columbia Borough's recent acquisition of a blighted property on Locust Street.

208-210 Locust Street, formerly owned by Samuel L. and Cynthia L. Bigler, was conveyed to the borough for $51,911.17 - the amount of the borough’s lien. The acquisition was subject to the Biglers paying off the mortgage and any non-borough liens.

The property has long been a thorn in the town's side due to its slow and continual decline. The situation was exacerbated when it was thought to be in imminent danger of collapse in June 2015. The incident prompted responses from emergency personnel and building engineers. The structure was subsequently reinforced and its facade wrapped in Tyvek.

The possibility of the borough acquiring the property was previously discussed at the April 10, 2017 council meeting, in which council weighed its options but found no easy answers.

Steven Kaufhold, the borough's manager of code enforcement, initially questioned the wisdom of an acquisition: "I don't see how this would benefit the community whatsoever," Kaufhold said. "We would end up basically eating a $51,000 debt, and now we would have a building that is also in terrible disrepair that at any given time we could have to stick more money into just making this a safe building." Kaufhold said the building is already in the blighted program and advised allowing the process to take its course in that direction.

Borough Manager Greg Sahd responded: "It still could take its course in that direction. It's teed up for the Land Bank." Sahd quoted from a summary of conditions that triggered a blighted condition for this property: It's been vacant for five years; it's condemned; and the utilities are disconnected. The Lancaster County Vacant Property Reinvestment Board determined the property to be blighted on March 17, 2016. The Lancaster County Planning Commission and the Columbia Borough Planning Commission certified blight in 2016. The Reinvestment Board referred the property to the Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority for acquisition on July 26, 2016. "Doing nothing increases the possibility - the potentiality - of it costing us more in the long run," Sahd said.

Kaufhold reiterated the risks of an acquisition:"If the borough acquires this, it is now our problem solely. We've now relinquished all our leverage whatsoever." He said there may be different avenues available. "I don't feel the Land Bank is going to be an outlet for this property. This will be expensive enough that the land bank may not give the buying price for this."

Council President Kelly Murphy expressed frustration with how the Biglers have handled the matter. He cited their lack of response for updates, as well as continual requests for time extensions."This has been going on in excess of two years with little to no action being done," Murphy said. "To me, this is a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation." 

Murphy acknowledged Kaufhold's advice to let the process run its course but asked where the issue is in the process. There's "no way in hell anything should take this long to get done," Murphy said.

Mayor Leo Lutz agreed on the need to take action."It's like a black eye in your downtown . . . or like a missing tooth," he said of the property. "I think it's time to do something about it."

Kaufhold asked about the intended use of the building once it's acquired, but council did not appear to have a clear-cut answer.

In April 2017, 208-210 Locust Street was listed at realtor.com for $49,900, down from previous asking prices.

Pre-school pals at the Columbia Library Monday at 10:30 a.m.

Learn to paint like a master at Columbia Crossing May 25

Learn to paint like a master artist with Master Artist Ange. Get inspired working on our beautiful deck and take in scenic views of the Susquehanna River as you paint your masterpiece. No previous experience required! It’s easy and rewarding!

Cost: $40

Price includes all art instruction & materials to complete a 16” x 20” acrylic painting and a complimentary glass of wine.

For this month's painting we will be creating Monet's Water Lilies.

Register online at:

https://artpaintingcolumbiamay.eventbrite.com

Location: Columbia Crossing | 41 Walnut Street| Columbia, PA

info@columbiacrossing.org |717-449-5607

School board weighs move of borough offices and police to DAC building

The Columbia School Board is weighing a potential offer from Columbia Borough to have the borough offices and the Columbia Police Department join them at the District Administration Center at 200 North Fifth Street. Currently, only the district offices and the board room are located there. Borough offices and Columbia Police are located in the Municipal Building at 308 Locust Street.

According to two board directors, Kathleen Hohenadel and Charles Leader, the idea of a move was suggested at this month's Columbia Borough Community Development meeting. Hohenadel said the issue was announced at the meeting as if it was a "done deal." She said Borough Manager Greg Sahd stated that Tom Strickler, the district's director of operations, told him that the school board is in favor of the move. Strickler refuted that notion, however, and told the board that he never said that. He said he told Sahd that he needs to contact the school district and that the board may be open to have the discussion. He added that he told Sahd to email the school board president.

A joint feasibility study might be undertaken to determine pros and cons of the move.  Hohenadel said the borough has put out a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) for borough properties including the Municipal Building (Borough Hall), the Market House, and the former Columbia No. 1 Fire Company building on Front Street. If all aspects of the plan fall into place - among them, the Municipal Building finding another use - borough offices theoretically could then move into the DAC. The borough would pay for use of the center, thereby helping the district, and in the process helping the borough and helping the downtown.

Hohenadel brought up several concerns about the plan, including accommodations for Luthercare and adequate square footage for additional offices. A Luthercare child care facility is currently housed at the DAC. Adequate parking for additional personnel is another issue of concern, according to Director Barry Ford. Ford also said the move would lose the "walk-in" aspect of keeping offices downtown. Both Leader and Ford asked who will pay for the study.

The idea of such a move is not completely new. Mayor Leo Lutz floated the idea at a previous school board meeting.

At discussion's end, Board President Keith Combs said he will contact Sahd to set up a meeting. He said he wants information from Luthercare and borough council before considering a feasibility study.

Teachers get mini-grants from Columbia Education Foundation

The following Columbia teachers received acknowledgment of 2017-18 mini-grants from the Columbia Education Foundation at Thursday's School Board meeting:

School board votes to collect its share of real estate transfer tax

At Thursday's Columbia Borough School Board meeting, the board voted to collect a portion of the real estate transfer tax in the borough. According to Superintendent Robert Hollister, the district had not been collecting its half of the one percent tax levied on sales of real estate. The discovery was made by Acting Business Manager Keith Ramsey during an audit of the books. 

Hollister said a 1965 law provides for the tax to be split evenly between the district and the borough. Since the law was enacted, however, the borough has been collecting the tax and keeping all of it. 

"The school district's been out that money ever since," Hollister said. The amount lost approaches $100,000 on any given year, according to Hollister. "We're thrilled that we're finally tuned into that," he said, adding that the district will start collecting the revenue.

Board Director Kathleen Hohenadel explained the history behind the arrangement.  She said that when the law was enacted, an agreement was made allowing the school district to collect the per capita tax and the borough to collect the real estate transfer tax. The latter brought in far less money, because home ownership was more stable at the time.

All directors present voted to pass the resolution except for Cole Knighton, who attended via phone. Knighton said he couldn't hear the discussion. It was unclear whether Knighton voted on the issue.

Columbia students recognized at board meeting

Students excelling in various subjects were recognized at Thursday's School Board meeting. Many students were unable to attend the meeting due to their participation in a high school concert that evening. The following students were recognized: