Council president and mayor object to Columbia Water Co's proposed rate increase

Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz questions the Columbia Water Company's proposed rate increases at a hearing in Marietta on September 27.

Columbia Borough Council President Kelly Murphy and Mayor Leo Lutz questioned the Columbia Water Company's recent request for a rate increase of just over 13% at a hearing on Wednesday.  Murphy and Lutz spoke under oath at a hearing conducted by the PA Public Utility Commission's Office of Administrative Law Judge at Marietta Borough Hall.

Murphy requested that the rate increase be denied. In a prepared statement, he described as "excessive" the requested rate increases of 13.18% for residents using 3,000 gallons of water per month, and 13.21% for commercial customers. He said Columbia residents cannot afford the rate increases requested.

Murphy said rate increases typically follow capital improvement projects within the municipality in which increases are being proposed. He noted, however, that the borough is not aware of any significant capital improvement projects taken on by the Columbia Water Company within the Borough since the company's last request.

"It appears to us the Columbia Water Company is attempting to raise the profits for the stockholders on the backs of Columbia residents without making any significant capital contributions to the water system," Murphy said.

Murphy also noted that a Columbia resident will be paying $32.55 per month, while a resident served by the East Donegal Municipal Authority will be paying $42 per quarter, or $14 per month. Residents served by the York Water Company typically pay about $22 per month.

Mayor Lutz asked how the proposed rate increase and the surcharge added several years ago just prior to construction has impacted stockholders and the profits of the Columbia Water Company.

"Did Columbia Water Company stockholders and Columbia Water Company as a business incur some of the cost of upgrading the plant, or was it all put on the residents' backs?" Lutz asked.

There were only six Columbia residents (including Murphy and Lutz) present for the hearing and a second hearing that evening.

According to the PUC, the request submitted by Columbia Water would increase operating revenues by approximately $923,668, or 17.8 percent. Under the company’s proposal, the total bill for an average metered residential customer in the Columbia Division would increase from $399.48 a year to $452.04 a year. The average annual bill for metered residential customers in the Marietta Division would increase from $318.48 to $452.04 (based on an average residential usage of 3,700 gallons per month with a 5/8-inch meter, and not including any PennVEST surcharges).

On August 3, 2017, the Commission voted to suspend the rate increase request for up to seven months and assigned the case to the PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge for investigation. Their testimony will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision in early 2018.

The company serves approximately 10,223 customers in West Hempfield, Rapho, East Donegal and Manor Townships, and Columbia, Mountville and Marietta Boroughs, Lancaster County, and Hellam Township, York County.

The mayor explains the Lead-Safe Columbia project

Residents have expressed concern about the LEAD-SAFE COLUMBIA project that will be initiated by Healthy Columbia under the fiscal sponsorship of Catholic Health Initiatives-St. Joseph Children's Health. This is a voluntary program that will offer lead screening and financial assistance if necessary.

Columbia Borough will begin its LEAD-HAZARD Screening program by first ensuring that all Blighted Properties, Vacant Properties, and Condemned Properties, are screened prior to occupancy. The program will expand after educational programs are presented to the public and training of Borough Officials is completed. A time and location will be announced shortly for a community information session.

Lead is dangerous for children, and a community health issue. Many studies have proven that the higher the lead exposure, the lower the standardized test scores in school-age children. Even low levels of lead exposure can result in behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems and anemia, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Leo S. Lutz, Mayor

Lead testing in the Borough to be voluntary; LNP article was misleading

Columbia Borough will not suspend the U.S. Constitution. That's the message Borough Manager Greg Sahd would like to convey to residents. Due to inaccuracies in a recent LNP article, many mistakenly believe the Borough will force draconian regulations on property owners because of a recently introduced lead paint inspection initiative. Doing so would be a violation of the Constitution's Fourth Amendment guaranteeing citizens the right to be secure in their houses, Sahd pointed out. He added that bringing properties into such strict compliance could also bankrupt owners. The Borough can’t take any action independent of current federal and state regulations dealing with lead in residences.

The LNP article's first sentence caused concern for many residents:

“Columbia will begin testing every home and apartment in the borough for lead beginning next week.” 

This statement was repeated in an editorial in today's LNP. Sahd said that no Borough official made a statement to that effect.

Sahd said such inspections are strictly voluntary. If high levels of lead are found, the Borough will educate owners on options. Certificates of Occupancy will not be withheld.

The project, Lead-Safe Columbia, is an initiative of Health Columbia under the fiscal sponsorship of CHI St. Joseph Children's Health.

Much needed help for the opioid crisis and testing for lead paint is time well-spent

"We commend borough officials for recognizing a problem and taking steps to solve it — a welcome change of pace for government at any level."

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/editorials/much-needed-help-for-the-opioid-crisis-and-testing-for/article_0f553d26-a47d-11e7-b175-fb99c97aac81.html

New program in Columbia aims to test every borough home, apartment for lead

Columbia will begin testing every home and apartment in the borough for lead beginning next week.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/insider/new-program-in-columbia-aims-to-test-every-borough-home/article_0733c1c8-a2ff-11e7-b9e8-6b1c29328f94.html

Neighbors react to Columbia looking to amend zoning ordinance for medical marijuana facilities

It's an opportunity for the borough. Right now, there's no medical marijuana facilities set to come to Columbia, but officials say it's about being proactive.

MORE:

http://fox43.com/2017/09/26/neighbors-react-to-columbia-looking-to-amend-zoning-ordinance-for-medical-marijuana-facilities/

Columbia fixes up, cleans up, digs up

Folks took advantage of the warm weather over the past few days to get out and about to fix up, clean up and dig up around town...

There was a JLG on high at 3rd & Locust.

 And a pressure washing project at 4th & Locust.

 And an "Amish" high and dry, aloof on a roof at South 2nd & Cherry.

 There were guys in white looking up ladders on North 3rd.

And the rest of a lightning-damaged chimney at Locust Street and Bank Avenue was coming down.

 Here are some of the bricks that were collected.

And here's a longer view.

And there's another JLG.

 And there are the guys taking down the bricks.

Just up the block - yes, another JLG

And there's the driver.

 And there he goes.

The self-storage project along Front Street appears to be done.

Rewiring was being done yesterday on North 4th.

UGI was digging up the 500 block of Walnut to install new services and redo old mains. Workers will be proceeding to various locations around town shortly for more of the same.

The building at North 2nd & Walnut was being scraped and painted.

And even the giant cow was getting a "makeover"!