About Town

Recent pics from around Columbia . . .

"Watchcat" at the Mifflin House on Walnut Street.

 And here's a catbird. 

He finally stopped meowing when his picture was taken.

 Weed city - or at least half a block's worth

 The grass at this property next to the former Cookman Church on North Sixth was recently mowed, but not completely.

What are the lyrics to that old song?

Something like:

Summertime, and the livin' is easy

Fish are jumpin' and the GRASS IS HIGH!

 Peeping Tom(cat)

 The Amish have invaded town - peaceably, of course.

They were replacing a roof on the 400 block of Locust.

 Hard workers, they

 And apparently sure-footed.

 Amish on the roof - aloof!

Meanwhile, around back - 2 OLD FARTS...?

Another one bites the dust.

 Sidewalk plaque on Locust

 Wall plaque marks a historic building at 401 Locust - despite the interloper on the right edge.

 Oh say, can you see all those flags at the Moose?

 Textured wall next door

 Trash- and weed-lined walkway down there, too.

 So that means six units in this building...?

 Buddha head on Walnut

 Bug vs bird.

The bug lost.

 Amish under hat

 SPCA removing critters from 341 Union Street

 There's the van.

 And there they go.

A little later, at National Night Out . . .

 CPR man on a gurney with school supplies

 Emergency vehicles

 Side by side

Long ladder

 9301 - Columbia Trolley Works

 Monster bird?

 Or a new member of law enforcement?

 Takedown!

There's that FedEx plane that flies over low in the morning.

 Cooper's hawk keeping watch over North Seventh

 Flowers on the fence along North Second

 Ghost sign - a remnant of Columbia's heyday:

MYERS MACHINE TOOL CORPORATION

 For sale down on Bridge Street

 Heritage Drive is shaping up nicely

 Brown-eyed Susans on the 200 block of Perry Street

Sumac - Columbia's weed of choice

 Suitable for shading the house or increasing curb appeal

 A one-room schoolhouse at the intersection of Hill Street and Elbow Avenue? 

No, just a garage . . .

Complete with bell tower.

 And a bell.

Strangely beautiful or just plain ugly?

A black vulture - the newest resident of a condemned house on the 500 block of Avenue H. A neighbor there tells us he has seen a total of four.

 Arches

 Curves

More arches

 301 Locust will be renovated beyond the shadow of a doubt - or a lamp post, for that matter.

 Continuing construction of storage units along Front Street

 Supporting walls for a second floor

 Bell tower of former Shawnee Fire Company, 518 Union Street.

A new roof and some fresh paint would do wonders.

 Thanks to whoever cleaned up Makle Park

 Remains of a dead tree at Mount Bethel Cemetery

 Someone must have made the Incredible Hulk angry again.

We don't like him when he's angry.

 Bust of John Huston Mifflin - father of Lloyd, Columbia's famous sonneteer and artist

 Don't be hanging around here. It's the spirits' turf.

Puffball on South Sixth

Columbia School Board looks at merger, other options, to address financial woes

The Columbia Borough School Board recently looked at several options to address the district's financial woes, including the possibility of a merger with another district.

1) Options: 

For Option 1, the board voted Thursday night to order a "white paper" outlining the requirements of a merger.

Dr. Robert Hollister

[Columbia Spy File Photo]

Superintendent Dr. Robert Hollister expressed reservations about the idea, however. "I think merging is an almost insurmountable idea. There's no question that Columbia Borough is in a delicate situation financially. The partnership with Eastern Lancaster County is helping that tremendously, at least in terms of bringing in expertise."

"What people don't understand is probably the biggest obstacle to that [a merger] is the general assembly," Hollister said. "If I'm correct, the general assembly members who represent the school districts that would take Columbia and this school district would have to sign off on that merger. There's no way that a person who wants to keep their job in the general assembly would sign off on that."

Hollister added that Hempfield is not interested in taking Columbia. "I had an informal conversation with the superintendent this summer, and he was like 'No, that's not going to happen.'"

Despite his reservations, Hollister suggested that, as Option 1, the board authorize the solicitor to create an analysis of the requirements of a merger. "I think once folks see that, it's going to be pretty obvious that a merger is not going to be the first choice solution," he said. 

Option 2, according to Hollister, is a state takeover. He said that is "not a pretty situation" at all. In such a circumstance, the board's authority would be taken away on all financial matters, and the state would dictate the amount of tax increase. He said those tax increases would "shatter" anything the board has done. "They have the authority to eliminate any high salaries they so choose, highest paid salary teachers, administrators and hire lower salary. That's not a desirable outcome," he said.

Option 3 is to continue with the partnership. Hollister said that the choices are not great for the future of Columbia Borough unless the partnership can be made to work.

The board voted unanimously for a "white paper," an analysis of requirements for a merger, to be drawn up up by Solicitor Mike Grab.

2) Per Capita Tax:

A resident asked the board: If the per capita tax is not eliminated, what's being done with regard to collecting it, to make it fair to everyone?

Dr. Hollister and Business Manager Keith Ramsey weighed in on the answer, saying that many school districts in the county have eliminated the per capita tax.

Ramsey said he thinks that Columbia and Ephrata are the only districts that still have it. He acknowledged that there is an inability to collect from some residents and that it is not a fair system. He added that no one is going door-to-door to do a true census; all that's currently being done is mailing the census.

According to Ramsey, the per capita tax is bringing in about $50,000 in revenue to the school district.  Eliminating this tax will be looked at this year.

3) County Reassessment:

Business Manager Ramsey said the final numbers are not in yet. "We have to re-set the tax rate lower based on the increase in assessments, so at this point it's not clear to say what's going to happen," he said. "There will be more detailed information this fall after the appeal process is finalized."


4) ELANCO Contract:

A resident asked about the shared leadership with ELANCO: "Is that going to go for another year now?"

Hollister said the issue is still undecided and is under discussion.

Decoy Show/Contest at Columbia River Park Saturday, August 5

PUC suspends 17.8% Columbia Water Company rate increase, pending investigation

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission voted unanimously Thursday to suspend a rate increase request by Columbia Water Company pending investigation.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/puc-suspends-columbia-water-company-rate-increase-pending-investigation/article_ccfd424e-786b-11e7-8282-a37f17873f99.html

Columbia Borough has commission/committee openings

Columbia School Board Committee of the Whole Agenda August 3, 2017

Vehicle accident with entrapment at 4th & Poplar

A vehicle accident with entrapment occurred shortly after 5 p.m. today at the intersection of North Fourth and Poplar Streets. A source tells Columbia Spy that a Chevy Silverado traveling north on Fourth collided with a Nissan Rogue traveling west on Poplar. An occupant of the Nissan was taken by ambulance.