About Town - May 18, 2025

This week's photos of Columbia 

Click on photos to see larger, sharper images. 

Firefighters tried out new Hurst rescue and extrication tools at a training session on Monday, sponsored by MES (mesfire.com).

The "practice" cars were donated by Patriot Towing. 

*****************

Jesus got some new flowers.

So, that's what the P in ASAP stands for.

A killdeer dancing around in the river

Mark & Val Wines

At 208-210 Locust Street 

At 3rd & Maple

Flags at Laurel Hill 

*****************

PennDOT workers cold-patched two potholes at 5th & Chestnut Friday afternoon. 

*****************

Fog and high water this week 

On Sunday morning, the barricade looked like this.

(Was someone trying to make an arrow?)

*****************

Ready to pull wire on North 2nd 

What a mess!

The nose knows. 

Well, of course, the plants are growing where the water is.

Just toolin' along on Manor 

Outright defiance!

Painting continues at the Wrights Ferry Mansion. 

Formerly homeless

341 Chestnut St #102

New parking space

Artists at River Park 

Tree fungus

Message at 6th & Locust

Spring flowers . . .

###

Restaurant Inspections - Columbia Borough - May 16, 2025

JB Supermarket Inc., 234 Locust St., Columbia, opening, May 7. Pass. Food facility is offering for sale: Surge Watermelon Gushers THC Gummies and Chill Out Chill Gummies THC, Delta 9 and Delta 8, that contain an unapproved additive as specified in 21 CFR 170-180 relating to food additives. Such products are under U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation and at which time CBD is not recognizable as a safe substance to be added to food. Observed raw shell eggs stored above drinks in the reach-in cooler.

Parma Pizza & Grill, 232 Locust St., Columbia, follow-up, May 7. Pass. The food facility does not maintain food employee certification records as required. The food facility has 90 days to enroll an employee in a state-recognized food safety course. Food facility does not have a certified food manager certificate for display. The ceiling in the back storage area is not finished, observed plastic draped in some areas due to ceiling leakage, and holes observed in the insulation sheets. Exposed insulation hanging from the open ceiling tiles in that food storage area in the back; repeat violation.

Agenda - Columbia Borough School Board Meeting - May 15, 2025

 

Columbia to give one senior citizen per household 1-hour free parking per visit in metered zones | Community News | lancasteronline.com

TRAVIS MUELLER | FOR LNP | LANCASTERONLINE

When: Columbia Borough Council meeting, May 13.

What happened: Council voted to adopt an ordinance creating a senior citizen parking program in the borough.

Background: The ordinance allows residents who are 65 or older to receive a permit for free parking in metered zones or borough-owned lots, entitling them to one hour of parking per location. Residents can apply at the borough municipal building for a Senior Citizen Parking Permit.

Quotable: "One of our big concerns with the parking meters and the parking solutions is how we can take care of our seniors that may not be able to embrace the newer technology," President Heather Zink said, referring to the borough's parking meters which are now primarily paid via mobile app.

Permit availability: The permit stickers, which would need to be displayed on the vehicles, have been ordered but are not yet available for distribution, Jack Brommer, police chief, said. He estimated they would be available in a month.

One permit per household: Applicants will be limited to one permit per household. Council member Barbara Fisher asked why the ordinance is limited to one per household and not one per senior citizen, saying senior couples may have more than one vehicle. Brommer said it was the decision of the working group that created the program, but did not elaborate.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-to-give-one-senior-citizen-per-household-1-hour-free-parking-per-visit-in/article_493fb8ef-58c7-45be-a327-8d5a3531ddd3.html 

Columbia Borough School Board votes to decrease taxes by 3% for next year | Community News | lancasteronline.com

MORGAN HUBER | FOR LNP | LANCASTERONLINE

When: Columbia Borough school board meeting, May 6.

What happened: The school board voted 9-0 to approve a proposed final budget that will cut taxes by 3% for the 2025-26 school year.

Details: The expenses for 2025-26 are $33.7 million, an increase of 2.2% from last year. Revenue is projected at $33.2 million. The difference in revenue and expenses results in a $520,175 funding gap, which the district will close using money from its fund balance.

More: This is Columbia Borough's first year with a decrease and the sixth consecutive year the district has not levied a tax increase.

Tax rate: The proposed real estate tax rate is 25.66 mills. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. For a house assessed at $100,000, the annual tax bill would be $2,566, down from $2,646 last year.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-borough-school-board-votes-to-decrease-taxes-by-3-for-next-year/article_ae5d41e3-6ab2-48ea-a26f-0b48b4e50582.html 

Columbia Borough approves $150,000 bathroom for Makle Park

 

Columbia Borough Council has approved the purchase of a prefabricated bathroom facility for Makle Park as part of a broader improvement project funded primarily through state grants.

At Tuesday's regular meeting, council voted unanimously to approve the purchase from CXT at a cost not to exceed $150,000 (increased at the meeting from the original $132,292) through COSTARS, a cooperative purchasing program.

The bathroom facility represents just one component of a $597,875 improvement project at Makle Park. The borough previously secured $478,300 in funding through the 2022 C2P2 (Community Conservation Partnerships Program) Recreation Development grant, with the borough providing a required match of $119,575.

The overall project includes:

• Resurfacing of the basketball courts
• Resurfacing and striping of the park's 19-space parking lot
• Construction of restrooms and a picnic pavilion
• Installation of new amenities including benches, trash receptacles, picnic tables, and bike racks
• Associated landscaping and stormwater management enhancements

The bathroom will be delivered directly to the site by the manufacturer and installed by the borough's contractor. According to the fiscal impact analysis in the meeting packet, the bathroom purchase will be fully covered by grant funding with no projected expenses through fiscal year 2029.

The Ozark II bathroom building measures 10'6" × 18'8" and features two single-user flush restrooms, a 4-gallon water heater, interior and exterior lights, and will arrived pre-loaded.

For this order, the borough selected several upgrades totaling $17,000, including stainless steel water closets, lavatories, and urinals, electric hand dryers, toilet seat cover dispensers, sanitary napkin disposal receptacles, and an exterior frostproof hose bib. The customer also opted for split face block wall texture at $5,500.