Joint meeting between school board and council to be held

This Place Matters in Columbia

The First National Bank Museum at Second and Locust recently began displaying a "THIS PLACE MATTERS" logo, which is part of a campaign sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation for Preservation Month in May 2016.

According to the Trust's website: "Everyone has places that are important to them. Places they care about. Places that matter. This Place Matters is national campaign that encourages people to celebrate the places that are meaningful to them and to their communities."

Susquehanna named third most-endangered river in U.S. by environmental group

The Susquehanna River has been named the third most-endangered riverin the United States in an annual list by the environmental group American Rivers.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/susquehanna-named-third-most-endangered-river-in-u-s-by/article_b710438e-018c-11e6-9949-df8d9f55849b.html

Agenda - Columbia Borough Council Meeting April 11, 2016

NOTE: Following is the final agenda presented at the April 11, 2016 Columbia Borough Council meeting. At the start of the meeting, Council President Kelly Murphy announced that Item II.11.b. "Consider approval of Resolution 16-09: DCNR Grant Application for Columbia River Park Phase III Site Planning." is changed to Item II.10.b.

Also, during the presentation for a proposed trolley (Item II.12.e), Daisy Pagan informed council that the figures shown in the funding request should be changed from $35,000 per year for three years to $30,600 for one year. This change does not appear on the final agenda on the borough website. Columbia Spy has taken the liberty of writing in the change on the agenda shown here:

Pamela Williams named to council

Pamela Williams is sworn in at the April 11, 2016 Columbia Borough Council meeting.

At Monday night's Columbia Borough Council meeting, council selected Pamela Williams to fill the seat recently vacated by longtime councillor Michael Beury.  (Beury's resignation was effective March 31, 2016.) Williams was one of three candidates vying for the seat. Her term will run until December 31, 2017.

Williams moved to Columbia from New Jersey three years ago. Born in Lancaster, she moved to Waynesboro, PA and graduated from Waynesboro High School. She later graduated from Lycoming College. She has worked as an executive assistant for a medical equipment company and more recently as a teller at the former Susquehanna Bank.

"I think that Columbia is a town where exciting things are happening," she said. 

Williams helped organize “Movies Under The Stars” program last summer.

Councillors Barry Ford, Cleon Berntheizel, Mary Barninger, and Council President Kelly Murphy voted for the appointment. Councillor Steph Weisser was the lone "no" vote.  Councillor Sherry Welsh was not present.

Council president issues statement on transparency, new process

At the April 11, 2016 meeting of the Columbia Borough Council, Council President Kelly Murphy read from a prepared statement explaining the borough's policy on transparency and presenting a new process by which the borough will post draft agendas on its website before meetings are held.   The text of the statement, which was provided to Columbia Spy by Murphy, is published here: 


"At no time has Council or the Borough of Columbia purposely failed to disclose, or to conceal from the public, items which will be discussed at its public meetings. Rather, the Borough’s process has historically (at least the 8+ years I have been on council) been to complete its agenda on the day of a meeting, which has made production of Borough’s agenda prior to the meeting difficult.

Borough Council of the Borough of Columbia has always been and intends to continue to be completely transparent with respect to its activities and the matters that it votes on. We encourage residents from the Borough of Columbia to appear at all meetings and to actively participate in discussion regarding Borough items. Many if not all of the items on Council’s agenda every month have previously been discussed at a public Committee meeting.

The Borough Manager and Council President are developing a new internal process to have agendas developed and finalized by Thursday or Friday of the week immediately prior to a Borough Council meeting and to have that agenda posted on the Borough’s website, along with the documents which are to be approved or discussed pursuant to that agenda. At no time has the current process violated Sunshine or Right To Know laws."


Recently, questions were raised regarding the availability of public documents  requested from Columbia Borough through the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. The borough was also criticized in a Lancaster Newspapers editorial  focusing on compliance with Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act.

SCCA to present exhibits April 22

SCCA will present the following on Friday, April 22, 5-9 p.m.: Penn's Woods Printmakers; Jewelry by Richelle Leigh Walk; Print Signing by painter Frank Morgan and a special exhibition featuring art work from Hempfield High School's National Art Honor Society.

Most work is available for purchase.

Susquehanna Center for the Creative Arts

224 Locust Street

Columbia, PA  17512

Phone: 717-576-9628 or 717580-9031

www.sccaartstore.com