Mayor Lutz said the $55 million Veterans Memorial Bridge restoration/rehabilitation project is on track for 2019. Designated bicycle lanes will be added to both sides due to an increase in bike traffic from riders using the bridge to "join" the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail with the Mason Dixon Trail.
Council voted 6-1 to provide funding in the amount of $70,000 to the Land Bank to assist "Brookline Builders" with necessary improvements that will make 208-210 Locust Street usable as a commercial space. Brookline's sister company, a limestone/masonry enterprise, is planning a showroom at this property. (
Columbia Spy has reported extensively on this property. Search "208-210" on this site.)
A resident questioning the "Street-Scape" program asked why simple fixes like the torn awning at Hotel Locust have been let go for so long. Councilor Marilyn Kress Hartman said the awning will be repaired in about a week.
Resident Rick Fisher informed council of several criminal incidents that were reported to him, some of which were not reported to the police. Fisher and Mayor Lutz encouraged residents to call police if they have information about any criminal incident. Fisher is the organizer of the Columbia PA Crime Watch group.
Fisher asked if he could get a list of camera locations in the borough, and the mayor replied, "No." Later in the meeting, the mayor said the borough has "exactly 50 cameras" but "there is no list." According to him, if the borough had a list of cameras, it would be considered public property and would have to be made available through "Right-to-Know." He said the borough does not have to create a list just to satisfy such a request. He also said no list exists because of covert cameras being used in investigations.
There was some confusion about how many cameras are located in Columbia River Park.
Columbia Spy has counted five, excluding any possible "covert" cameras. The Columbia Water Company, adjacent to the park, has additional cameras on its building's exterior.
Despite a police "Crime Watch" report stating that the victims of a recent robbery/assault claim a gun was used against them, the mayor stated that a gun was not used.
A Manor Street resident complained about tractor-trailers causing wear and tear on borough streets. He said he saw such a truck on Central Avenue, where it had no reason being. He also reported seeing large trucks still traveling through the heart of town at Third and Locust. He questioned council as to why these truck drivers are not being cited by the police. Borough officials said certain streets are controlled by the state, and the borough therefore cannot erect signage. According to officials, there have been ongoing talks with PennDot, but so far to no avail.
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