Borough Council reorganizes with new officers, reappointments

With all councilors in attendance, Columbia Borough Council reorganized Monday night with new officers and reappointments of other borough officials and members. 

Councillor Kelly Murphy was elected as president of council to fill the position vacated by Mike Beury. Councillor Mary Barninger was elected vice-president, and Dr. Sherry Welsh was elected president pro tem. 

Also sworn in by Mayor Leo Lutz were Councillors Barry Ford and Cleon Berntheizel. In addition, Gregory Sahd was reappointed as borough manager and borough secretary/treasurer, and Georgianna Schreck was reappointed assistant secretary/treasurer. 

Council also reappointed Robert L. Pfannebecker to represent the borough as solicitor for 2016. Pfannebecker is the managing partner of the law firm of Zimmerman, Pfannebecker, Nuffort & Albert. 

Council also reappointed engineering firm CS Davidson as borough engineer. Other borough authority, board, and/or commission members (shown in the agenda below) were reappointed to their respective positions.

Council also thanked Mike Beury and Jim Smith for their years of service on council. 

Council announced vacancies on the Civil Service Commission, Police Pension Board, and Tree Commission. Anyone interested in applying for any of these positions should contact Borough Manager Greg Sahd.

 Mayor Leo Lutz (right) swore in: (left to right) Councillor Barry Ford, Council President Kelly Murphy, Councillor Cleon Berntheizel, and Council Vice-President Mary Barninger.

Mayor Lutz also swore in Greg Sahd as borough manager and borough secretary/treasurer, and Georgianna Schreck as assistant secretary/treasurer.

Columbia is number one

Columbia is number one on this list of top small cities:

LINK

SCCA hosting Upcoming Classes, Workshops and Art Parties

Susan Davitti Darling

Hannibal's Snow

Watercolor

2015

Truck just misses gas pumps at Sunoco

The new year almost came in with a bang when a pickup truck narrowly avoided hitting two gas pumps this morning at about 2:30 at the Columbia Sunoco station. A Chevy Colorado LT traveling west on Route 462 reportedly clipped another vehicle at the intersection at Fifteenth Street, then jumped a curb and swerved into the gas station. In the process, the pickup hit and bent a pipe guard next to a gas pump and narrowly missed a second pump as it hit a support post, where it came to rest.  The pickup sustained severe front end damage.  Both vehicles involved in the accident were towed from the scene.

The pickup shown above narrowly missed two gas pumps at the local Sunoco station but sustained front end damage after hitting a pipe guard and a support post.

The impact of the truck bent this u-shaped pipe guard bollard next to a gas pump. The truck came to rest after hitting the support post next to another pump (in the background, above).

This is a closer view of the support post damaged by the pickup.

Here's another view of the bent pipe guard at the first pump, which is near the entrance to the gas station.

Vehicle accident on Purples Lane

Emergency crews were called to a a stretch of Purples Lane between Seventh and Ninth Streets this evening at about 6 o'clock for a report of a vehicle accident with entrapment and possible rollover. According to scanner chatter, vehicle occupants were able to escape the vehicle - a Ford Ranger pickup - unharmed as crews arrived. The vehicle sustained a flat tire after hitting a fence along Purples Lane and spinning out of control. 

About Town

Some pics from around town today . . .

 The Department of Homeland Security must have been snooping around our town today.

 The DHS van was parked in the parking lot of a local business.

 Kleen-rite:

Clean . . . right?

 Signage on South Ninth

 Water Company employees at work on North Fifth

 Adding trim to the Dollar General sign at Columbia Plaza

LASA checking our pipes on North Sixth, near CVS

Christmas tree collection next week