2 seats now vacant on Columbia Borough School Board

When: Columbia school board meeting, Sept. 19.

What happened: The Columbia Borough school board now has two vacancies to fill, after Business Manager Keith Ramsey announced the resignation of board member Michael Burke.

More: The board dismissed former board member Ryan Sexton at its Sept. 3 meeting, due to six unexcused absences.

Next steps: The district has 30 days to fill the two vacancies. Interested Columbia residents who are at least 18 years of age and have resided in the borough for at least one year can visit the website for more information and to apply for a position. Letters of interest may be delivered to the school district office by 3 p.m. on Sept. 27, after which candidates will be interviewed and selected at the Oct. 1 committee meeting. The appointed individuals will serve through Dec. 1, 2025.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/2-seats-now-vacant-on-columbia-borough-school-board/article_7a8b21f8-79d4-11ef-a0d1-0f1b08095ec1.html

Deeds Recorded - Columbia Borough - September 23, 2024

Delgiorno Investments LLC conveyed 250 N. Third St. to Zook Rentals LLC for $335,000.

Anderson Joshua T, Anderson Samantha N. conveyed 571 Walnut St. to Joshua T. Anderson for $1.

Fay S. Griffith conveyed 503 Manor St. to Griffith Ray E, Griffith Fay S. for $1.

Mark D. Motter conveyed 647 Locust St. to Jesse Ross for $133,500.

Onasch Caleb L, Onasch Molly M, Bruner Robert W. conveyed 322 S. Second St. to Lind Ilona K, Ilona K. Lind Family Trust for $200,000.

Ana Tufano conveyed 930 Spruce St. to Damaris Estrella for $180,000.

About Town - September 22, 2024

 This week's photos of Columbia

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

Residents at Columbia Curiosities 

West Hempfield was in town again.

Expectant birds built a nest - at the pregnancy center!

You Got This on the 500 block of Walnut

A new business about to appear?

Tis the season. 

Interim bridge repairs have begun . . .

What about the weight limit?

Men at work

At least the bridge is still good for graffiti. 

Painting at the Wrights Ferry Mansion

Painting at the curb

Sidewalk installation, etc. on the 300 block of Locust . . .

Shouldn't there be an ADA ramp here?

[Submitted photo]

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Cloudy skies 

UPS going to HIA

A few sights at Tollbooth . . .

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A mighty big hornets' nest in Avenue H

This slid off at Mount Bethel

You must stop at this mattress.

Will this be moved or demolished?

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First day of Fall, Sunday, September 22, 2024

 

Columbia Borough wants someone to move this house

 Columbia Borough wants someone to move this house at 700 Franklin Street, or it will be demolished.

Columbia Borough Council is trying to decide what to do with a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house located at 700 Franklin Street. The options: move it, or demolish it. The reason: The 1,500-square-foot home lies in the path of a planned extension of Franklin Street that will lead to the borough's innovation park. Construction is scheduled to begin next spring. Columbia Borough purchased the property for $229,900 in 2022.

The borough is reconsidering its original plan to demolish the structure because of its condition. “It appears to be a very well-built home. The maintenance is impeccable,” borough engineer Derek Rinaldo told council at the September 10 meeting.

Resident Frank Doutrich said he has looked at the house with an eye toward moving it to a lot he owns at South 12th and Franklin Streets, three blocks away.

Steve Kaufhold, representing the Lancaster County Housing Authority, mentioned that the organization is interested in relocating the home. He asked council to hold off on advertising the property until the authority can look at it and make a determination. (Kaufhold was recently hired as Columbia's new borough manager.)

Rinaldo raised concerns about whether South 9th Street is wide enough to accommodate transporting the house. (An alternative would be to use an adjacent section of Franklin Street leading to Plane Street.) If relocation is not possible, the borough would need to cover a demolition cost of around $20,000. Borough solicitor Evan Gabel added that the borough would need to allocate about $500 for advertising the home’s sale.

Rinaldo urged council members to decide on the home's fate by the end of October in order to have a plan in place before road construction begins. Rinaldo also said any sale would have to go through a bidding process.

Restaurant Inspections - Columbia Borough - September 20, 2024

 

Level Up Pizza, 237 Locust St., Columbia, Sept. 9. Pass. Observed single-service, single-use articles (portion cups, to-go bowls and containers) stored behind the upstairs "bar" area directly on the floor, and not 6 inches above the floor. The hand-wash sink in the back food preparation area was blocked by large, roll of plastic wrap and not accessible at all times for employee use. Front door of the food facility is self-closing and is being propped open.

'I hope you rot in hell': Columbia child molester faces victim and her mother | Local News | lancasteronline.com

William Wolf, 53, of Columbia Borough, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of unlawful contact with a minor and four related offenses for molesting the woman's daughter from the time she was 11 until she was 15.

As part of a plea deal, Judge Thomas Sponaugle sentenced Wolf to 8 to 23 months in prison followed by 3 years of probation.

The abuse happened between 2006 and 2010, when the girl and her mother lived with Wolf in Columbia Borough, according to charging documents. During that time, Wolf had sexual contact with the girl many times while her mother was working.

In April 2021, the girl and her mother texted Wolf about the abuse, asking why he did what he did, according to police. He responded by admitting to the crimes and saying as an adult he should not have done what he did.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/i-hope-you-rot-in-hell-columbia-child-molester-faces-victim-and-her-mother/article_19a60f9a-76b1-11ef-b9a7-8b2dd86b0ab2.html