Warm weather brings folks out and about

Unseasonably warm weather (near 60°!) brought folks out and about today.  

It was a good day for . . . 

 Canoeing

 Jogging

 Walking

 Contemplating

 Hoverboarding

Sprouting

Were shots fired Sunday night?

There was a report of "shots fired" Sunday night, according to the above-named website.

School agreement saves Columbia $300K; state dollars vanish

School Superintendent Dr. Robert Hollister provided an interim report on the Columbia-Elanco shared services agreement at February's School Board Committee of the Whole meeting. Hollister estimated savings to Columbia School District at about $300,000 for the current school year, based on savings on salaries and tech services, waivers of various fees, and donated time.

As part of the cost breakdown, Hollister noted that Columbia taxpayers would have paid $185,000 for a superintendent this year rather than the current $165,000 under the agreement. He also said that although the district is still partially funding a business manager, it would ordinarily have spent about $115,000 instead of the $70,000 for business services under the contract with Elanco. Hollister estimated a total of about $90,000 in salary savings for all services.

He said Elanco provided additional pieces of technology to Columbia at no cost and noted that salary savings for tech team services was $31,685. He said that technology is where large amounts of money add up.

Hollister listed additional savings with other fees that were waived: $2,000 for an E-Rate consultant and $3,400 for Agenda Manager (for board meeting agendas). He said the real savings were with E-Rate funds reaching back to the 2015-16 school year to the tune of $88,734.59, adding that it was money Columbia should have been trying to get but never did previously. [According to Wikipedia, "E-Rate is the commonly used name for the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access."]

Hollister said the district will not be getting state dollars originally expected for the shared services agreement. [A $250,000 grant was to be made available for the two districts to pilot the agreement.] “I was told very specifically that money is not coming, so we're on our own,” he said.

Despite challenges and distractions during the first half of the school year - replacing the high school principal, dealing with a student situation that concerned the board and required a lot of time, and attempting to resolve a personnel situation in the business office - progress has been made on many different fronts, according to Hollister. He hopes to get direct feedback on the agreement from teachers and administrators towards the end of the year.

Hollister also said both districts soon need to begin having a conversation on whether the agreement should continue for next year or be dissolved, but said the agreement has been positive for Columbia. “I think we have been successful given some of the challenges so far,” he noted.

Several board directors expressed their gratitude to Elanco for the agreement, but Director Janet Schwert cautioned, “We also need to take into consideration the help or the lack of help that we are going to be getting from the state. We have already been forewarned that the budget process is not going to go well with the state.” Schwert alluded to property tax reform that would help property owners but hurt the school district, making it difficult for the school to budget. “Keep in mind that we are doing this for our kids,” she said.

Cleon Berntheizel, Columbia councilman, artist and businessman, has deep passion for borough

Cleon "Cle" Berntheizel IV has a passion for the borough of Columbia in his blood. It's apparently also in his genes.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/cleon-berntheizel-columbia-councilman-artist-and-businessman-has-deep-passion/article_b1d545bc-eb9d-11e6-a106-8fdfa0157fea.html

Good Samaritan gave stranger a ride and became unwitting bank robbery getaway driver

Local story makes it to the UK.

A good Samaritan who offered a lift in his car to a stranger became an unwitting getaway driver for a bank robbery in Columbia, Pennsylvania. 

Greg Kreiser kindly offered to give Shannon Eric Steckbeck, 50, a lift home – he had no idea what the felon was planning.

MORE:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/good-samaritan-gave-stranger-ride-became-unwitting-bank-robbery-getaway-driver-1604690

February Calendar of Events - Columbia Market House

Geesey sworn in as school board director

Jenna Geesey is sworn in as school board director by District Judge Miles Bixler at Thursday night's Committee of the Whole meeting.

Jenna Geesey was sworn in as school board director by District Judge Miles Bixler at Thursday night's Committee of the Whole meeting at the District Administration building. The board voted unanimously to appoint Geesey to fill the vacancy at a special meeting last Wednesday night. Geesey had previously interviewed before the board for the position. The vacancy was created when Leo Lutz, Jr. resigned in December.