Columbia Borough Mayor Leo Lutz said Monday the plan to have a new K-9 officer and handler in place by spring is "on hold." His statement prompted outbursts from members of both council and the Columbia K-9 Committee, a nonprofit organization that defrays the cost of the borough's K-9 officer. Mike Beury, council president, told Lutz that it was time to "tell the truth." Lutz said the reason for the decision was personal, and based on Keyser's concern about having a dog trained to bite in his home. Council vice president Barry Ford said that he spoke with Keyser last week, and that the mayor's statement about the reason for the officer's decision was incorrect. Under heated questions from council and residents alike about the timing of communications and the way in which decisions were being made, Lutz appeared to lose his temper, countering that the K-9 program is a police program and, therefore, not officially the business of the council. Cou...
