Happy Labor Day!

Thank a union for this 3-day weekend

Biglers request demolition of fire-damaged property

 Notice on a Bigler property on the 400 block of Avenue G

Following is the Historical Architectural Review Board's review of, and recommendation for, Samuel and Cynthia Bigler's request to demolish their fire-damaged building on the 400 block of Avenue G. The issue was heard at the board's August 17 meeting, in which the Biglers stated the case for demolition.

Samuel and Cynthia Bigler address HARB at last month's meeting.

The property on the 400 block of Avenue G

The brick structure, once a livery stable, was condemned in June 2015 and suffered a fire the following September.

As read by HARB consultant Suzanne Stallings at last month's meeting, Section 13018 of HARB ordinance states:

No existing building within the historic district shall be demolished in whole or in part unless there are no reasonable alternatives available and unless one or more of the following standards is satisfied in the judgment of borough council after considering recommendation of HARB:

1) The building does not contribute to the historical or architectural significance of the historic district as determined by HARB and in accordance with national register criteria.

2) The applicant proves by credible evidence that no reasonable beneficial use of the building is possible and such situation is not the result of intentional neglect by the current owner.

3) The applicant proves by credible evidence that denial of demolition would result in unreasonable economic hardship to the owner which hardship was not self created.

Another view of the Bigler property on Avenue G

Samuel Bigler laid out the costs of restoring the building, based on an assessment by a restoration company and by three engineers, two of whom specialize in older buildings. Costs include the following:

1) Remediating fire damage.

2) Determining the condition of the foundation after a million gallons of water ran into the base of the building.

3) Bringing the building up to current building standards, which includes installing a sprinkler system.

According to Bigler the cost breakdown is as follows:

• $160,000 for the engineering study.

• $250,000 for assessment by the restoration company.

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

Board member Elaine Beckley asked what prompted a specific inspection done on July 2015 prior to the fire.

Bigler replied that brick had been replaced at a side entry leading to the second floor due to damage sustained from an attempted break-in. He said layers of brick are three courses thick in some places and two courses thick in others, causing an illusion of bulging.  He added that former code officer Robert Osborne noticed the irregularity and asked the borough engineer to inspect the building to determine the cause. According to Bigler, Osborne then condemned the building and told residents they had to move out.

A board member questioned the condemnation of the building prior to the fire when tenants were still living in the building. Jeff Helm, code officer and building inspector, said the condemnation was "modified" based on an engineer's assessment. The assessment allowed tenants to remain, provided the interior structure was resupported at and inside exterior walls, and that repairs were done to any delamination of outside brick.

Helm explained it was the supposition of borough's engineer to preventatively condemn the property to notify everyone about a building issue needing to be investigated by a structural engineer. The fire occurred before the engineer's examination.

Beckley questioned where the Biglers' concern was about issues with the building over the past year, noting torn, weathered roof tarps and open windows.

Bigler said, "We've known for sometime that the building is a total loss." He denied that the windows were open.

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."

Helm added that the tenants were good, with no disruptive conduct.

Beckley said that it's not a tenant issue but rather a building structure and maintenance issue.

Cynthia Bigler said, "You're trying to tell us that for all these years we did not take care of that building, and you are 100% wrong."

A resident at the meeting said that neighbors noted windows open for months after the fire, with tarps in tatters. The Biglers said a safety factor existed in trying to enter the building at that point.

Mrs. Bigler said, "I feel very sad that you are attacking us."

Board member Amy Evans asked if there had been any attempt to market as is. Bigler replied, "Several realtors looked at it, and most recently a real estate broker looked at it and recommended getting it down to the concrete slab as soon as possible, and then he thinks he could market that lot. He told me nobody's going to buy it the way it is."

The board made a motion, with a second, for a certificate of appropriateness for demolition of 421/423 Avenue G.

PA-1 notices seen this weekend

At the borough's April 2016 finance committee meeting, Cynthia Bigler appealed an invoice from the borough for $597.28 for an inspection of the property. The request was denied at the May 9 borough council meeting. As of March 31 of this year, the Biglers had an open invoice with the borough in the amount of $51,808, mostly for costs incurred for their Locust Street property, which was thought to be in danger of collapse last summer.

Fingerprints link Columbia man to Rite Aid robberies in Dauphin, York counties

Joshua Perry

http://fox43.com/2016/08/31/fingerprints-link-columbia-man-to-rite-aid-robberies-in-dauphin-york-counties/

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Morning Woes

Columbia Spy is privileged to publish several articles by Columbia native Mike Clark, with permission of the author. The essays were previously published in The Globe Leader and 50-plus Senior News and will continue to be reprinted in the Spy over the next few weeks.

Morning Woes

by Mike Clark

I wake up between 2:30 and 4 o'clock almost every morning. A force inside my head flips a switch, lights go on, and rollers and gears begin to turn. It's like the start-up shift in a manufacturing plant. As the minutes slowly pass, the lights get brighter, the sounds inside become cacophonous, and all attempts to sleep are futile.

Then the neuronal network within my normally sedate noggin, fires away at full speed to conjure all kinds of worriment that I think should be immediately considered. Problems go back and forth as though going through a cerebral rolling mill, and each problem is forged into smaller, more detailed elements that demand more intense scrutiny with each pass.

Concrete solutions to some problems are so elusive that I must store them in my subconscious until the next morning--or even the morning after that. And they will again appear between 2:30 and 4 a.m. to bedevil me.

It is necessary, then, to try to solve these problems as soon as possible before they pile up on all the other woes waiting to steal my sleep. I am too often confounded, and the frustration exacerbates my troubles.

My wife tends to stir knowingly when I'm in the “worry” mode. She usually says nothing until about 6 a.m. when I stumble downstairs, bleary-eyed and unsteady.

I know that my tossing and turning keeps her from sleeping soundly, which makes me worry even more. She has to go to work in the morning. I, on the other hand, can take a nap during the day to recover from my sleeplessness, which can create some resentment.

I find it odd that my wife doesn't worry much about anything. And that often drives me crazy; I worry about why she doesn't worry. Oh, she ponders over the same things that worry me--she just does not let those thoughts devolve into a condition of hyperventilation like I do.

What are some of the things I worry about? I'll tell you. But, keep in mind that the following is far from a comprehensive list. There isn't enough space in this column to elaborate on all of my vexations.

For example, my roof is almost twenty-years-old. Each time there is a downpour that lasts more than several minutes, I roam around the house looking for leaks. So far, so good. But should I replace this roof soon? Will it hold up for a couple more years? I forget what the life was on the shingles I bought. Was it twenty years? Or maybe it was twenty-five. If I could just find the original contract, maybe I could stop worrying. However, maybe I would worry more if I found the answer.

I'm beginning to wonder how long a car with 161,000 miles on it will continue to start up and take me where I need to go. I have put more than a carload of money into repairs for the thing, believing that it is more desirable than four years (or more) of car payments. Whenever I hear an unusual noise under the hood, I worry. Should I just go ahead and strap myself with car payments?

Our water heater started to leak several months ago. I installed it myself and it lasted much longer than it was supposed to. But this time around, I decided to have somebody else do the installation. I also installed a new garbage disposal unit and a new dishwasher many years ago. I had the disposal replaced last year by a plumber. So, when will the dishwasher go on the fritz? I cross my fingers and continue to worry on that one.

When it finally goes out, I'll have to pay someone else to install the new one. Can you say “expensive”?

Two of my grandchildren moved to another state back in June. It was sudden and unexpected, and I am still disheartened by it. I miss them terribly.

I am always wondering if they are adjusting to their new digs? Are they happy? Are they making friends? Are they doing well in their new school? They call, and I am reassured that all is well. My wife takes them at their word. Still, I worry.

And so it goes until the bright lights and noise inside my head subside, and I slowly go back to sleep for what remains of the time left before the alarm goes off.

My wife reminds me that in all of our years together, things have always worked out. Then I worry about a possible exception.

For the new year ahead, I'm going to have to find ways to banish my morning woes. After all, my wife really needs her sleep.

Happy New Year.


Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior/Applied Psychology from Albright College. Mike lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.

About Town

The eye of the Spy spotted these items today . . .

Columbia's favorite way of discouraging shoppers and visitors just got worse. Apparently, these meters aren't weather-sealed, so how do you know how many quarters to drop in?

Signs of the times . . .

 Sign at Columbia River Park

 Sign along 441 in Washington Borough

Other stuff . . .

 Photo session on the tracks

 One of the trunks from yesterday's Mount Bethel cutting.

Can anyone count the rings?

And there it goes.