COLUMBIA SPY

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Bits 'n' Pieces (from recent borough meetings)

Items from recent borough meetings:

Benjamin Myers of Eberly Myers LLC, the company building the 33-unit apartment building on the first block of Locust Street, is requesting a change in terms and an increase in funds due to increased costs of the project from $4 million to $4.8 million. Myers is requesting, in part, an increase from the original $400,000 to $650,000 from the Community First Fund, a borough loan fund, and a change in terms for interest and principal payments. (Finance Committee Meeting, October 22, 2018)

The planned firehouse brewery on North 4th Street is not going to materialize. (Finance Committee Meeting, October 22, 2018)

A spring groundbreaking is planned for the hotel construction project at the former Becker Potato Chip factory at 2nd and Locust (Budget Meeting, October 4, 2018)

There is approximately $5.8 million left from the original $10 million bond funds. (Borough Council Meeting, October 8, 2018))

There's a block within the historic district that's not designated as such. The issue will be discussed further next month. (Legislation Committee Meeting, October 10, 2018)

The borough has a drone, but it's not being used for code enforcement, according to Zoning and Planning Officer Jeff Helm, who said it was purchased through the "emergency management agency." (Legislation Committee Meeting, October 10, 2018)

A councillor stated that property values suffer and properties are harder to sell in neighborhoods with short-term and other rental properties. (Legislation Committee Meeting, October 10, 2018)

The Columbia Water Company claims it flushes hydrants in May or June, half the first year, the other half the next. When a hydrant is flushed, it is inspected, and the cap threads are greased. (Safety Committee Meeting, October 10, 2018)

Columbia Water Company workers recently fixed the wrong fire hydrant. Although the hydrant at 2nd and Linden needed to be repaired, the company mistakenly did work on the one at 3rd and Linden, supposedly due to the way the work order was written. (Safety Committee Meeting, October 10, 2018)

The borough received a request to pave the tennis courts at Glatfelter's Field, because they're now being used for street hockey. The work was estimated to take two days with a 4-5 man crew, at a cost of $3,000-3,500. (Public Works and Property Committee Meeting, October 16, 2018)

The owner of the Sunoco gas station along Route 462 also owns the former Exxon station next door and is seeking approval from the EPA and Labor & Industry to install self-serve, card-reading-only fuel pumps at the neighboring station. The building will be storage only - no occupancy. (Planning Commission Meeting, October 23, 2018)