COLUMBIA SPY

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Mayor Lutz featured in video about improving water company

“Bay 101: Monitoring and Modeling the Chesapeake Bay" features Mayor Lutz and includes many beautiful shots taken in Columbia. Mayor Lutz is active in the Pennsylvania delegation of the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) to the Chesapeake Executive Council. The video discusses tools to determine what local communities can do to improve water quality both locally and downstream.

THE VIDEO IS HERE.

Couple blames borough for flooding on their property

Lindsey Brenner tells council Monday night that a drainage problem at her 1020 Cloverton Drive property is the the borough's responsibility.

A Columbia couple angrily confronted borough council Monday night over an ongoing dispute about a retention basin on their property. At issue is who is responsible to fix a drainage problem with the basin. The couple, Tim Hess and Lindsey Brenner, claim stormwater often floods their 1020 Cloverton Drive property due to an improperly placed drain pipe. They believe responsibility lies with the borough to fix the problem.

Armed with documentation and photographs, Hess and Brenner said that despite appearing at three council meetings over the last four months, they have not had their concerns addressed. "I want to ask you, if this was in your backyard, if you would be okay with it, because you wouldn't," Brenner told council.

Hess said he cannot address the problem himself, because part of the pipe is under the state's jurisdiction. He said that if he would attempt a fix, he would get fined, because the pipe "goes into PennDOT."

"How do you want me to fix a borough and state issue?" Hess asked council. He also said that a retention basin should be able to be mowed, noting that six- to seven-foot cattails are growing in the basin.

Council President Kelly Murphy explained that the borough is not responsible for maintaining the basin. He suggested their attorney contact the borough solicitor. Brenner asked why they should have to spend $3,000 to hire an attorney to have the borough fix a pipe.

Brenner said a letter she received from Public Works Director Ron Miller acknowledges a problem with the basin, specifically a water problem on the surface and a drainage problem. The couple said the borough's engineer told them that no record exists of "how the basin is supposed to be."

Lindsey Brenner, with husband Tim Hess, shows a document to council supporting her claim of responsibility.

Brenner cited a document from the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds stating the problem is the borough's, because the pipe and the drainage are specific to Columbia Borough. Brenner said information on the street's dedication is somewhere in borough meeting minutes from that date.

Brenner argued that a legal binding document was filed with the county when the signed the deed for the property. Borough Manager Greg Sahd, however, pointed out that the document was not signed by the borough. Borough Solicitor Robert Pfannebecker agreed with Sahd, saying that somebody else put that language in the deed, which the borough did not agree to.

"It's a legal argument that should be resolved by your attorney talking to us." Pfannebecker said.

Lindsey Brenner chides council about

having to hire an attorney

to fix a drainage problem on her property.

More information on this issue, including a video of the affected area, can be found at Columbia news, views & reviews HERE.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Incident #1:

The tree shown below was damaged sometime within the last 24 hours on the 400 block of Locust Street. A witness, who was sweeping up the sidewalk, said a dog clawed and gnawed at the tree bark, causing the damage. The photos below show scratch marks and torn bark on the tree, and shavings of bark lying in the mulch. According to the witness, the dog was not tied to the tree. The animal reportedly belongs to new tenants in one of the apartments in the neighborhood.

Incident #2:
The photos below show a broken tree in Locust Street Park. According to Facebook comments, the tree was probably damaged over the weekend. The close-up photos (#2 and 3) show that the tree was broken and then twisted, suggesting that it was intentionally damaged.