Agenda and Documents - Columbia Borough Council Budget Meeting - November 19, 2020

 

DEEDS RECORDED FOR COLUMBIA BOROUGH - NOV. 16

Sharon Ho Pei Pei conveyed property on Third Street to Cash Flo LLC for $80,100.

The estate of Mary Elizabeth Minnick, the estate of Mary L. Minnick, the estate of Mary E. Minnich and the estate of Mary E. Minnick conveyed property on Concord Lane to Stonewood Homes LLC for $43,000.

John W. Crawford III conveyed 121 S. Eighth St. to John B. Germer for $1.

Kevin E. McMullen conveyed 353 Poplar St. to Cory Eby for $154,000.

Donald L. Hanes conveyed 529 Union St. to Timothy J. Merrill for $95,000.

Douglas G. Sigman and Donald M. Sigman conveyed property on Avenue G to Rookie Properties LLC for $175,810.

Joan Myers conveyed property on a public road to Joan Myers and Louvonne Kay Kline for $1.

Tabitha A. Sinopoli conveyed 41 Bethel St. to Adam C. Greenya for $65,550.

Zachary R. Rineer and Kimberly M. Rineer conveyed 951 Chestnut St. to Andrew Myers and Morgan Bright for $240,000.

Todd M. Lightcap Jr. and Meredith L. Lightcap conveyed 345 Walnut St. to Destiny Anna Lightcap and Todd Michael Lightcap Sr. for $119,900.

Timothy B. Funk conveyed property on Blunston Street to Dumkopf LLC for $500,000.

Vivak J. Patel conveyed property on Plane Street to Erta K. Jones and Annette C. Gerrick for $153,000.

‘Danger’ Who Wore Wig, Disguise in Violent Store Robberies Jailed up to 40 Years | Lancaster County District Attorney's Office

Timothy Jenkins

A Columbia man will serve up to 40 years in prison for a pair of violent store robberies this year – crimes that were solved when police from two departments collaborated to trace a getaway vehicle then discover the robber's disguise in a Dumpster. 

Timothy Jenkins was sentenced Friday to 16 to 40 years in prison for the Jan. 5 robberies at Turkey Hill stores in West Hempfield Township and nearby Columbia. Jenkins, 53, displayed a knife during both robberies, assaulted the clerks and knocked them to the floor. Jenkins has an extensive criminal history which includes a robbery conviction that resulted in lengthy prison and parole terms. 

"The emotional trauma you have placed on people is unacceptable, and not easily remedied," Lancaster County President Judge David Ashworth told Jenkins. "You are a danger to the community." Jenkins pleaded guilty to counts of robbery, simple assault, and related charges in exchange for the prison sentence. He faces an additional prison sentence – likely at least four more years – when he is sentenced for violating state parole, according to testimony. 

First Deputy District Attorney Travis S. Anderson said the crimes were solved with fine police work from West Hempfield Township and Columbia departments. The robber's "elaborate disguise" was found in a Dumpster at Jenkins' workplace, FDDA Anderson said. Columbia police Officer Daniel Bell and West Hempfield Township police Detective Sgt. George Brace filed charges. 

On Jan. 5, the Turkey Hill at 342 Chestnut Street, Columbia, was targeted first. About 40 minutes later, the Turkey Hill at 1199 Prospect Road was robbed. The robber took cash, cigarettes and lottery tickets. 

At sentencing, Jenkins asked FDAA Anderson to apologize to the victims for "the trauma I put them through." President Judge Ashworth said, "It is one thing to apologize, but there are some things you just can't fix." 

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright Source:  Lancaster County District Attorney's Office

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/da/11617/post/%E2%80%98danger%E2%80%99-who-wore-wig-disguise-violent-store-robberies-jailed-40-years

 

About Town 11/15/2020

This week's photos of Columbia

(Click/tap on photos to see larger, sharper images.)

Pop-up cat keeping an eye on things

Tis the season . . . already?

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Mannequins at 420 Locust

T-shirt and guitars on Locust

Geltz Gotz Goodeze on Locust

Easy chair on Locust

(Some assembly required)

Wearing a mask protects you and others.

(Even a cow knows that.)

And if you don't wear one, you might have to walk.

Bagged meters at the Avenue H municipal lot

Window issue at Columbia Presbyterian

Yep, it's FALL.

Open door policy at the Owls?

(No, not really)

Moss in the cracks

Mondrianesque?

More leaves

Well, a rose can't last forever.

Here's how it looked last week.

Another vivid sunset

Turning everything orangeish

Be a river giver.

3,510 lbs of food was collected in Columbia for the food bank by the girls scouts, frontier girls, boy scout troop 35, cub scout pack 35, and other volunteers over the past two Saturday mornings.

The banks of Shawnee Run are greener since completion of the restoration project a few weeks ago.

Here's how it looked in October.

Hold on tight - The year's not over yet.

Wreaths Across America

The winners

Is there a steal in Wrightsville?

The last gasp?

A look around the Market House this week:

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Farm equipment passing through

Meanwhile, down at Floyd's:

Will PennDOT toll bridges in Lancaster County? Details early next year

Lancaster County residents may face new tolls on major state-maintained bridges in 2021. 

The state Department of Transportation plans to develop and release in the first quarter of the new year its first list of bridges across the state to be tolled under the new program. Toll rates have yet to be determined and will be set on a case-by-case basis, a spokeswoman said.

The new program, approved Thursday by the Pennsylvania Public Private Transportation Partnership Board, allows PennDOT to toll large bridges that are a high priority for work. Maintenance of the bridges will be turned over to private companies that are paid from the toll fees. 

The board was created by the Legislature to foster private-public partnerships, and because of that PennDOT believes the plan does not require approval by the Legislature. 

For the purpose of this program, PennDOT defines major bridges "as structures of significance based on physical size, location and cost to replace or rehabilitate," PennDOT spokeswoman Alexis Campbell wrote in an email responding to questions from LNP | LancasterOnline. "These structures are in a condition that warrants timely attention to enhance safety and to avoid disruptions and community impacts if closure or weight restriction were imposed," Campbell wrote.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/business/local_business/will-penndot-toll-bridges-in-lancaster-county-details-early-next-year/article_eaec0e1e-2602-11eb-9d6f-6f2307e48beb.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share 

Columbia tweaks rules for police, including limiting political action in uniform

COLUMBIA TWEAKS RULES FOR POLICE, INCLUDING LIMITING POLITICAL ACTION IN UNIFORM

When: Columbia Borough Council meeting, Nov. 10.

What happened: Council voted to advertise amendments to the borough civil service commission's rules and regulations. The changes amended the grounds for disqualifying police department applicants, as well as disciplining police officers. The most substantial changes make it possible for a police officer to be suspended, removed or demoted based on "engaging or participating in the conduct of a political or election campaign while on duty or in uniform or while using borough property otherwise than to exercise the person's own right of suffrage," and "engaging or participating in the conduct of a political or election campaign for an incompatible office." The change was made "on advice of counsel and had nothing to do with any incidents," Borough Council President Heather Zink said after the meeting.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/columbia-tweaks-rules-for-police-including-limiting-political-action-in-uniform/article_50ef8b3e-26c4-11eb-b98e-efedb271848b.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share 

Council to amend codes ordinance

Columbia Borough Council is amending a codes ordinance due to a recent loss in court, according to discussions at the November 5th and 10th council meetings. At a recent hearing, an attorney for a citizen appealing a $500 fine for a code violation and failure to pay a fine found that the language of the borough ordinance and fees as listed therein don't pass muster. The attorney argued that due to how the ordinance was written, the borough could charge only $25, and not $500. The magistrate agreed, and the borough lost, triggering a need to amend the ordinance.

The proposed amendment includes changes in language to avoid potential conflicts and to bring the ordinance into compliance. (See the images below.) In addition, fees will be excised from the ordinance and moved to a separate fee schedule, to be adopted this coming January. The move is necessary because by law, council must amend fees by resolution, whereas an ordinance must be amended via another ordinance.

The proposed change will be advertised, and council plans to vote on it at the November 24 meeting. Councilman Howard Stevens told Columbia Spy he is in favor of the changes, since he had promised residents that codes issues would be addressed.

Items in red  indicate proposed changes to the ordinance: