Borough Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you. We're live. I call tonight the Columbia Burough workshop meeting to order for March 3rd, 2026. Can I have a roll call, please? Council President Kaufman here. Council person buyers here. Council person Cooper. Council Person here. Council person here. Council person Murphy here. Council person Ziggler here.

Mayor Lip here. Thank you. Is there anybody in tenants who like to give invitation? We can rise for a moment of silence, please. I would allegiance

to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Sorry,

that's how I know it. Addition, additions, deletions, and reorganization of the agenda. Consider approval of the agenda. So moved. Second. I have a motion by Councilman Gez, second by Councilman Murphy. Changes. All in favor say I. I. I. Citizen comments. Sharon.

Good evening. Um I just wanted to ask um since you had mentioned I asked you about the brand vote that was going to take place tonight and you were kind enough to answer that. I appreciate it. Sure. Um will there be any discussion this evening or anytime in the future on other options such as a line of credit or uh we will have a slight discussion on the when we get to the finance committee tonight. Yes.

Oh, okay. Thank you. I didn't see it there. And then regarding the wastewater treatment sale, I was just a little in the dark about parts of it because I didn't understand it completely. Upon closing with the CE CEDC, will the burrow receive that money, the 500 and some thousand at closing? It's actually a a paper. So, we're not really getting the money that day of closing. We will we will get them at closing. At closing. Yes. At closing. At closing with the Columbia Economic Development. Yes. They're giving. Okay.

When they sell the property, no, we will get the money at closing with the CEDC. See, that's where it takes place at the same time. But that's what I was explaining. Yeah. They have to sell it first. And once they sell it at closing of that sale, we will receive a check from the CEDC, but not the day you transfer the property to them. We don't have technically transfer. It should it it should all be in the same day. Okay. And if it's not, we will get the money at the time of closing. Like that's how the title company, the the settlement company, that's how it works.

Okay. Clear as mud again. But anyway, okay. I just don't understand. Just just try to make it so you can understand it. We voted for the contract with this EDC, the CDC. Okay. If and when they sell that property at the closing, the first transaction will be us selling the property to the EDC and they will pay at that point and then they'll turn around seconds later and sell it to whoever that who bought it. Okay. Yeah, I understand that. Okay. I'm just saying when you do whatever you do to the CEDC to take over that, we don't get the money then. No. Okay. That's what I'm once it's sold.

Okay. That's what I'm trying to Yes. figure out. And then what fund will that go in capital fund or how will that work? It would have to, right? No. Okay. It will probably go in general for now. Okay. even though you're selling a capital asset. Correct. Okay. Again, clear as m. Okay. Thank you for trying. So, let me explain this. Um, we met, our finance committee met with the EC DEC. Thank you. It's my fault.

Love all these acronyms. And that's the problem um with the with the state and okay u this was back in January we talked about possibly doing the act 47. We talked about all our options and they felt we were in a pretty good position once we received our grant money. Okay. And we learned a lot. We learned that uh for some of the grants we can actually submit the invoice instead of paying that invoice and and submitting a draw. Okay. which we found out in the bios that worked fairly fast.

So, it it does work, but it's only certain grants you can do that. Um, but the other thing we we found out was that money to and from the capital fund is controlled by council. So, if council wants to do a project, they transfer that money to the capital for that project. If they choose not to do that project down the road, they have to vote to bring the money back out of capital and put it back in. But council controls the money going in and out of capital. Okay. But once we designate it for something, it has to stay there till we that till we change our plans and go a different direction. Okay. Thank you. So yes.

Okay. Lastly, um last week and I know you can't talk about this. I'm not trying to get information out of you, but something different. The confidential separation agreement. Did that leave a vacancy somewhere? I would imagine said it was with the burough employee. Will that position be advertised? I mean, if somebody separated from our employment, doesn't that leave an empty spot? That position was filled. It already was filled. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Shannon. The next person ups Wiser. Yeah.

Good evening. Good evening. Four subjects. Trash, cats, dogs. Okay. Walking this town. It's disgusting right now.

It is totally disgusting. We had a fourth Saturday in town on Saturday. I was ashamed for somebody from outside this bird. 400 block of Locust Street. It's terrible. And I keep thinking of the money that's gone into those uh lower blocks of Walnut Street. That's just as bad down there. Those are my comments on trash dogs. Anybody who's walked this town during the snowstorm, after the snowstorm, you wanted to avoid the area of the Mifflin House on Wall Street. Landmines down there. Sharon and I had a discussion about the landmines down there. There are people in someone in that area. A very large dog there. There's another pile down there now in the middle of the cycle. It's again that's an area you're trying to bring people through and this is what I as a resident and seeing every day down there. It's disgusting. Someone correct me, but I had thought I'm walking my dog. If an officer happens to see me walking my dog and wants to stop and converse with me, I have to be able to show him I have a way to clean up the feces, the [ __ ] that my dog would leave. Am I correct on that?

Yes. And your license and a leash? Yes. I tell you, Mary, just I just quick quick on it just seems to me really I mean it's always been a problem but it just seemed to me like a lot of people horrible used that big snowstorm and all the after effects of it as an excuse to just say oh the hell with it and just just didn't even bother clean snow piles to clean it up you know you guys the dog every day it just seemed like it really exacerbated like everybody just said you know So, what am I going to do? Yeah. Moving on to cats.

When I was here several months ago, I think back in the fall, one of the questions raised whether the properties on either side of me were registered, if they were okay to feed cats. I never heard anything. And I will tell you, it's getting horrible again what's being done to my property. I've got mud and scratch marks on my porch railings because of them climbing over, going back and forth and back and forth across my property. My boat covers are covered with muddy cat prints. My trash can that's sitting up on my porch on a rug is all dribbled with cat piss. Now, why am I having to live with this? I have to clean up after my dog, but people can feed cats all they want with no responsibility. We never had this problem when people were not allowed to put food out for cats. It's been exacerbated by that. Okay, I've had my say. Now, I would like to end with if anybody gets down towards the Columbia River Park. As you go into the river park right now, you'll notice there are three beautiful witch hazel bushes blooming. They're yellow. Here comes spring. They were in harbor day planning dedicated to Fred Almond. If you get down there, they make you smile. Thank you.

Thank you, Mary. Frank,

good evening you all. Good evening. Uh, one thing I forgot last week, I was going to comment on the streaming and I didn't know until I got home. I had a couple calls that the streaming was never on. Right. Uh it almost seems like it's controlled somehow by somebody whenever they decide they want it to work or they don't want it to work. I don't know. But is it on tonight? Yes. Yes.

Okay, that'll take care of tonight then. Um, pros and cons on closing the window in the lobby on Fridays. I I don't recall us having a conversation on that, but we probably did, but you end up doing it. So, what's what's our goals on that? Jack, do you want to speak on that or you want me to? Sure.

Good. Um, I initiated this idea. Um, right now when one of our admins has to come in and work or our managers come in for a meeting at nighttime, they get comp time. So by closing Friday window, that allows our admins or our managers to make up that comp time and get out early so that we don't have to pay them for additional time here. The second reason, well, that is the main reason. Um, but we no longer accept taxes here anymore. So, all the billing can be done or all the payment transaction stuff can be done in the four and a half days up to that point. And we always have the emblem window outside that you can stick payments in as well. What was that last thing you said?

The drop. We always We always have a dropbox out there. That's always there. So, nobody loses any time out of this. Nobody loses time, but the burough doesn't have to pay extra time. Okay. I had to think about that a little bit. Excuse me. I say I had to think about that a little bit. I was curious what you were looking to achieve and us not knowing the workings of the burough, I didn't know some of the things that you had just said. So, comp time is a real problem in this burough. Okay.

And we're trying to fix it now, but there's a lot of employees that we had to compensate for. We don't want that to happen anymore. Yeah. I was just curious. So green that's closed that that doesn't give a the public asset for the access to that half a day and I was just curious of what you were looking to achieve. Okay. All right. Uh any any news on the finance manager? Um I know Jack had two interviews I believe. One so far. Yes. And then one interest.

One interest. That's all we have so far.

Yeah. No disrespect, but I said here through the last couple finance managers that you hired, uh the lady from Ephoda, uh I think her her education was that that she uh her last place she worked I think was for a car lot, which to me was no reason to hire her for a manager for a municipality. the last one that you had hired from Moundville. I sit here in the audience and I watch the whole council, mayor, everybody just praise this guy up and down like he's the best thing since I don't know what. So he puts a week or two in, he quits. What's that tell you? The more people that has this position and quits, it makes other people less less want to come to the Columbia Bur. So, you need to do your homework,

right? Okay. Uh any prospects for McInness being put the the offer for bids? Just you, Frank. Nothing. It's not out for bid yet. It's not out for bid yet, but it's sell to the public. It's public's aware that it's going to be up for bid, but the the bid process hasn't started yet. Yeah, bids will be accepted uh starting on March 30th. Okay. Going through May. We're advertising it early to give developers a bit more time with the information. Very good. Very good. I got that wrong. Uh

but yes, there is there is interest. We've had multiple calls and Yeah, that's what I was really asking. Yeah. Okay. Um Sharon brought up the thing about the property down there for sale at the sewer plant. My understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, the the sewer plant and the highway sheds is one deed with two parcels. No. What is separated? They're separated. There's two separate deeds. Yes.

Okay. So now once the sewer plant sold, what's the plans for the highway? The present highway Billy that going up for sale or do you have something else in mind? The original buyer wants both properties. He wants them immediately though. He doesn't want just one. Um, as of right now, council has decided we're not in a position to build Ridge Avenue. So, we were trying to keep the highway department down there ever right now.

So, where do we stand with with the highway property? Is there a a bid on that that it's already promised to uh the owners of the sewer plant?

I don't know if I don't know if there's a contract for them to buy it. Um the the original negotiations, word of mouth, was they wanted to buy both and they took the sewer plant to start because they knew we needed the uh work shed right now, but then our goal was to buy Ridge Avenue, turn that into public works, and then sell the other half, too. But uh as of right now, we're not in a position to do Bridge Avenue, so we have to hold on to public works.

I I wish Well, what I wish doesn't matter. But I just had trouble. I just want to understand that this is two separate parcels. So, which you just told me it was and nobody has a bidded on it that it's going to go to certain property. Most likely then this would go to CEDC2. Most likely. If if it's the same outfit, then yes. What do you mean if it's the same outfit? If JG Environmental is going to buy the second parcel, there you go.

Then yes, we would use the CEDC to transfer them the property. But I'm understanding that that the owners of the sewer plant don't have an option on that to buy it right now. So why would it go to them? What What do you mean an option to buy it? It doesn't say that it's got to go to No, it doesn't.

So, so, so CEDC, if if they if you sell it to CEDC, they will put it out on the market to anybody. Generally, if we're going to sell it to the CEDC, it's because they already have someone ready to buy it. Like, we're not selling it to them and then letting them market it.

Okay. So, then you would market it yourself. It it it it would depend on if JG Environmental purchases the first part the first half and then they want the second half. Um I mean if they if they buy the first and and that goes through they do eventually want the second half of it. So there's no need to market it. We already know they're going to buy it. Well then there's a price set for it then. Not yet because we're not at that point where we can because we're still in that part. That's a valid point, Frank. Yeah, it's a valid point. But why set a price now,

right? It might be a year, year and a half till we get to a point where we can sell that and you know, I'm sure the price will go well by then, right? So why set your price now and and you're beholden to it? Well, where where I'm going is I I just want to get in my mind that JC Environmental doesn't have the the right to buy that doesn't have the Okay. Like the right of first refusal, you mean? Right. Yeah. No, there's nothing like that. No, there's nothing like that. Okay. So, it'll be put out to the public. Okay. Um,

very good. Thank you. Thank you, Frank. Mayor, looks chief. Couple quick uh mentions. Uh first off, uh we saw it again this morning. Uh I've received, you know, through the past month, I guess they uh I received a lot of comments uh from the public on the job that our public works has been doing uh as far as with far as pre-treating the roads is the big one they talk about,

but the but the plowing of the streets also. So, I got comments this morning about uh things were, you know, when they saw that 30 was shut down for two and a half hours and our streets were basically just wet, people people were thankful of that. So, Jake, you and your guys deserve a bit of thanks for that. One of the best things I think you ever did was come up with that pre-treat. I know it's a cost saver, but it's really been I'll say a saver for people driving on our streets and they appreciate it. So, I wanted you to know that. Uh, the other thing I have is been been getting comments and and questions about why we don't make and I don't know the number because I'm not good at it. The alley alongside of the market house. What is that? K.

I a new I one way westbound. Uh, a lot of people at the at the market house are turning to go down and someone's coming in where there's a traffic jam in the middle of the street. Uh, because one's coming out, one's trying to win, someone's backing up, there's traffic in back of them and all and and folks and I looked at it, too. I I've seen it and I've been a victim of it where you have to back up and try to hit somewhere because someone's coming up the alley or someone's trying to get down. So, I think council should take a look at making that one way westbound. Now, I don't particularly have a problem with half of it in the market down, but if you're going eastbound on Avenue I, you can't make one of the turns because there's no sight distance there and there's a pole right there. It's very dangerous. So, actually, it's better to run that whole Avenue in that 300 block westbound one way. I wish we'd take a look at that.

Uh, and and last but not least, uh, we have several celebrities in attendance here tonight. I was fortunate to see the channel 8 news program Sunday morning with John Ritzel and Christine Kaufman uh and Mark Stewart Kaufman

they did a wonderful job in my estimation that was one great program uh it was very good for Columbia and really set up the uh the uh the 300 so thank you very much for doing that and uh given the 300th publicity, but also Columbia Burough Publicity. That was that was very was it was really good. Uh, and last night, I think it was last night, our other celebrity,

uh, was named Vegas Salvatore was named the best activity leader in in Lancaster County by discoverer by discover Lancaster County in the 200 2026 host award. So, Megan, congratulations. I I've seen your work. I agree with them. I think they made a very good choice. Uh even though I'm from Columbia but and get down there a lot, but uh I know the work you put in and I know the work the whole the whole group uh at Columbia Cross does. So congratulations and uh keep up the good work.

That's all I have. Thank you, Jack. Nothing. Okay. No committee and leadership reports. Parks from Wreck Michelle John. Hello Christine. That's your name, right? Yeah.

Yeah. My husband thinks that I'm something new now. So, I'm here to give the parks and wreck report. Um, as of today, we have um we're hosting the July 4th fireworks out at Glabfielders that's getting finalized. We've met with emergency services today for two of our events actually. So, that is going well. Um, the planning of that's going well. We also have the Al the Columbia Albatwitch Harvest Festival on September 26 that we'll be hosting at the river park. The neat thing about that day on September 26, there are two other events happening simultaneously. So, we have Create Columbia at the Locust Street Park from 10 to 3. I believe our event will run at the other end of Locust Street from 11 to 5 and then Max 4th Saturday will have a fall crawl from 2 to 5. So we are trying to work collectively together for a whole town event. share the trolley, share expenses, make sure we're on each other's have one map for everyone to stop at different places. And we're going to three organizations working together. Um I'd like to say a little bit more about our Fourth of July event because I'm looking at Jack and usually I'm staring at him for some reason, but um National Night Out's not happening this year in August. um they have decided to combine with the parks and wrecks fourth

of July event. It's also our 300th end of ceremony event and 250 years of America event. So they're working with us. PM's doing like really helping us out with normal vendors that will be showing up for there. So we're very happy about that and joining with them. Another event we are looking to host and working with the police department is the bike rodeo. We're looking to do that sometime in April. Um it's to bring awareness to electric bikes that are so new right now and scooters. Um so we're meeting this week to go over those plans. Um the other item that we're working with or actually going to have a table with is the go green event on April 24th. We'll be down at crossings and have a table down there as well. Does anyone have any questions about the parks and wrecks?

Can you comment on Saturday?

Yes, I can because Rick Fiser could not come tonight and he asked me if I would report So, we had a very successful jail bail for the dungeon restoration Saturday. Some of the participants are President Kaufman, Vice President Zinc, Councilman Ziggler, Chief Burough Manager Brummer. Just trying to make it like that. Market Manager Bonnie Link, and our infamous Jack Gambi, who was our I'll get there. um our garbage disposal guy and he's in a lot of events we do um and also Mayor Lutz. That event was really wellreceived. It did very very well. Um we raised a little bit over $4,300, but more money is coming in where people couldn't make the event, but they're dropping money off or contacting us to. So, we're still collecting. So, we're a little over 43. You guys raised over $4,300. So, thank you very much for participating. And for those who didn't participate, we got your names for next time. All right. Is there anything else? Anything else I could share?

What was the date again for the three events that were all happening? What What Saturday was that? Um, are you talking for the September 26th event? Okay. Yes. Thank you. Yes. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Arts and rack are uh three honors committee. Hello. Hello.

How you guys doing today? Thank you, Leo, for the shout out. Appreciate that. Thought that was a really cool thing, not just for the 300th, but for the town, and I think Columbia really showed showed pretty well on that. So, good for WGL having that for us. Um, the 300th committee has been working very hard to try to finalize our events that we're having. Um, I've been asked to put together kind of a hard copy of the events. I'm working on it. I have it right here at this point. It's uh two pages of events right now. So, it did take a while to get everything finalized, but we are at the point now where I think we're ready to maybe um start publicizing some of the stuff we have going on here. Uh what I guess I'm hoping to do is kind of make a document like this and give it to some of the local businesses maybe down here at the police station or whoever would want it. They could print out copies and distribute them however they want to. But, uh we're going to put the stuff on Facebook and online, but I know there's other people that would probably rather have a a hard copy format of it. So, we're working on it. we're working on. Um kind of broke it into two two parts. Uh first part being a really uh unique speaker series events we're calling it. Um first one was February 19th at the NH National Watch and Clock Museum. Uh a woman named Liz Elizabeth Dylan from the Rights Mansion um did a did a fabulous presentation about Columbia's first settlers. And it was it was I know some of you were there. You're shaking your head if you were there. was it was first of all it was standing room only. It was standing room only. Um everybody that left there complimented her was very impressed with what we did. U we have 12 more events like that coming up this year and that's what we have going on here. They're not basically the same day of the week every month but basically monthly we have another event going on at various locations and various times throughout the community. Did get some feedback that people would want them uh taped and made available that way. Uh

guys may know gentleman named Bill Kresy. Um he volunteered to to tape them all and make links for us and make them available on YouTube. Of course we have to get permission of the speakers before we can do that. Um so we're going to talk to the speakers if they're willing to do that. Bill Kresky has volunteered to for no cost to come in and set up the equipment, get it done, mix it all together, put a YouTube link out there and we can get that to other people that may want to see it because I did get a lot of feedback from people that can't make it would like to see it. you see Phil if you know Phil maybe thank him for that quite an offer he made for us he's also going to pro provide audio systems for all the events too for free for places watching clock had a great one down there but other places that we're having don't necessarily have a good sound system so any I'm not going to go over all the events but they are there's some pretty good ones there's some pretty good ones dungeon one about the market house dungeon sounds pretty good something about the Lincoln Highway going through Columbia of course the burning of the bridge is going to highlighted Lloyd Mifflin, you name it. There's a lot of lot of cool stuff I think people are going to be really interested. So, that's one side of this paper. The other side is what I'm calling community events. And I'm not going to go over all them, but I'm just going to highlight if you guys have any questions, certainly uh feel free to ask, but June 6 is going to be the fireman's parade. And I know there's a lot of stuff going on with that right now. Um I think that's going to happen and it's going to be pretty successful. I'm pretty pretty confident on that. They're going to end up with a a post parade event, if you will, out at Gladfelders for the family or like a family community type event. So, I think that'll be a really good day for people, too. Um, but the fire department is kind of working on that. We're just kind of coordinating it with them, collaborating, I think, is a better word. Uh, June 19th is going to be a nice event. Um, the Lions Club do does their music in the park series. You guys may be familiar with the music in the park. Um, the band for June 19th is Central City Orchestra, which is, you ever seen them, they're good. Um, we're going to have our opening ceremonies for

the 300th anniversary. U, we're going to, uh, have a, we're going to start out with the Cub Scouts, local Cub Scouts presenting the flag, the going to have the band sing the national anthem for us. Um, going to give some opening remarks. We got Senator James Malone is going to come in to talk about and he's going to talk about Columbia but Junth recognition of Junth. He's going to be presented there. Uh Representative Brett Miller uh is going to come. He's going to make a citation um presented to Leo Lutz here. I'm going to keep Leo down to five minutes of talking. I can do that. I should get a citation myself, I would think. And we're going to end things with uh with the president of the pro council, Eric Coffin. Just want to give you guys a state. All right. for real had that thing.

All right. Um but that should be a good event and then they're going to, you know, from that they're going to go into the music in the park. So I would imagine we're going to get a huge huge crowd for that. So all righty. Um Thunder on the River, the car show. Um nothing needs to be said about that because you know what that's going to be like downtown. That's going to be and that's the following day after the the opening ceremonies. Uh Mount Bethl has something that day also. The last ride they call it. June 24th, we're going to have a children's festival here in Sadi Lane targeted for the kids. A lot Bonnie Link has a lot of really nice stuff going for the kids. I think that'd be a great event to get the the children of Columbia involved in the 300th celebration. And I have Megan up here. Um on the 26th to the 28th is Riverfest. Um so we're kind of going to jump in on on your bandwagon there and help out a little bit and work together with them. Uh so if you have any questions on the Riverfest, uh Megan's up here to talk about that. Um but specifically how the 300th anniversary is involved in that the Rights Mansion uh foundation donated I think $10,000 to light all the bridge all the old bridge peers. Um promises to be pretty spectacular. Um but in addition to that uh Susana National Heritage is going to have a view party I guess watch party I think is the best way to call it but

call a watch party. Yeah. Watch party in the park. Listed as light of up the night viewing party. Yeah. So there we go. So we have a speaker u one of the speaker series is going to be at like five o'clock inside. Um I've arranged uh we've arranged with the Maxwell project. If you guys are familiar with the Maxwell project, they're going to provide music outside prior to the lighting of the bridge. Uh Megan has a bunch of uh events I should call for for family type events to do out in the park out there. Um, and then the lighting of the of the of the bridge pierce. Um, I know you're working on all the permitting to get all that done. So, now that we've got all of the events sort of outlined, that'll be handing in your guidance.

Yeah. So, so we just got this stuff finalized last night today. So, next step is Megan's going to start getting the permitting and stuff for that. But, uh, I I would anticipate the combination of of Maxwell and lighting those bridges on fire. We might have a a traffic problem down there. So, I'll say that. So, I think it could be a pretty big event. Um, yes. And so, then the last thing I think I want to talk about is and and Michelle already talked about it or Christina or whatever her name is over there, talked about the the fireworks on the July 4th, we're going to have fireworks out at Flat Bellers Field. have a a local band, popular band, Popscotch is going to be playing music prior to the fireworks and uh and and they're working on a bunch of family oriented community events to have out there prior to that, too.

So, that's what I got. Any questions? First couple 300 committee meetings I went to,

I really really had my doubts. It wasn't. So did I. I'm sure we all I'm sure we all weren't a lot of people there. And I remember doing the old home a while back 25 years ago I think it was and and how how much work went into that and that was only basically a week and what what I'm hearing here tonight. Uh I say you guys pulled off what I consider the near impossible. Uh, I congratulate all of you and the time and everything that you that you put in on this and I can't wait for it to start on. I think it's going to be a great year.

Yeah. You know, I I'm feeling a lot of excitement throughout the town about this. You know, you feel a lot. But I do want to recognize one person uh and it's Mark Stewart. We were this this uh speaker series. He put together that speaker series and worked with all the people and and and done a lot of promotion for us. And I think that's really got the word word out to people and I think that's given a lot of excitement. But but the town's really stepped up and and contributed a lot of they donated a lot of money. They're very enthusiastic. The calendar sales we sold almost 600 calendars we sold the merchand so the town is really really excited about this. So I think as we get closer we're going to get more and more excitement about this. I mean, when you look at the the list that you had there,

it tells me that there's almost not a week in the rest of the year that something isn't going to happen. That's amazing. That is absolutely amazing. If I may, I'd have to say that this lineup and in all of the reservations we had initially is a wonderful showcase of collaboration of Colombia organizations and businesses and just a great community has come together to pull this off. It's mindblowing.

Hey, we've been here 300 years. You got something to be proud of here, right? Proud of it. Right. So, I mean, I think I'm proud to be part of it. I just say that. I'm proud to be part of it. So, right. Any questions? Any if you do have anything, please come to me and when we finalize this, you know, we we'll distribute it to people. And if you hear of anyone that would want a hard copy, I mean, I don't want to spend a lot of money on it, but I think so something like this, at least they have a hard copy of it, is probably, you know, what we're going to look doing. Okay. All right. Thanks you guys. I appreciate your time. Thank you. We can make some

finance um the finance committee hasn't didn't meet till uh yesterday. So um I'll just review quickly what we went over. Um, see, we we met with uh Trish Bank on um the the Iran loan or the possible open line of credit. Um, initially TRUS Bank didn't want to do the line of credit. They just wanted to do the RAM loan. Uh, the terms weren't favorable for us, we felt. So, we decided to um shop around and today Jack met with Fton and uh bank and there will probably be another bank we meet with in the near future. Um, so at this time we're not really pushing for anything. Um, as a as a a sense of urgency, the general fund is at approximately 2.5 million now. Um, we have received majority of the bios grant. Um,

grant grant. Yes. I'm sorry. Um, and we started putting a finance policy together. So, we're going to create a bird's eye view of finance policy and then go from there. So, that's really all I had to report on finances. Do you have anything else? Sure. Sure.

I think this would fall under finance. I just wanted to ask another question. After Frank talked about the wastewater treatment, it made me think, how confident are you then that JG would buy that if they can't get the other part of the property? We're not sure. We're not confident. Okay. and they could continue the lease as long as that or because that transfers right to the CEDC would have to honor that lease that they're in with us, right? And that was a long lease, right? The CEDC isn't going to purchase the property if they can't if

JG isn't going to buy it. Okay. So, it would not be open to anyone. It would only be open to them, you mean to buy because of the lease? No, it's not because of the lease. Okay. Because the whole point of using the CEDC is that they are able to

um act as a go between for kind of like specialized properties, you know, like like we had the the Turkeyho experience. We used the EDC for that because it wasn't your everyday run-of-the-mill property. The same with the wastewater treatment plant. I mean there's very few people that would be interested in that. So that is the whole point of that is that the ED the CEDC is working to find a buyer for it. So yes, I mean it it would be open to anyone, but there was already interest from JG, which is why they signed the lease with it

for and started to lease the property so that they could purchase it. So if they don't purchase it, they could still have the lease. I mean, and if we found another buyer, they would have to honor that lease. Um, okay. So the bureau can't really break the lease. They would you get penalized if you did that to break the lease to sell it to can't break the the you would just transfer to the new owner if they wanted to deal with that if they were willing to deal with that. Yeah. Okay. I mean they would have to per they would the purchase would be with that lease. Okay.

Intact. I I think if they choose not to buy the property um and we put up for sale, they would probably break the lease and leave anyway.

Okay. Well, and really at this point, if they choose not to purchase it, we are within our rights to to make it a market rate lease because they've already occupied over 40% of the property. And we had been holding off on doing that even though the lease is set up that says once they occupy more than 40% of the property it goes to a market rate lease. Okay. We had held off on that because they were doing the work to get the easement with Norfolk Southern and

you know we were trying to do things in good faith so we didn't want to push it but if we're not going to sell it to them it'll go to a market rate lease. See, I was thinking that they took the lease from us based on the fact that they were hoping to buy both properties, right? They did. And so that made me wonder then if they waited all this time because that lease is at least a few years old, I would think. And yes, you know, are they going to how many years are they willing to wait for the other part? That's what I just curious. We don't know.

Okay. Thank you. Go ahead, Frank. Along with that, of what I'm hearing, we're no further ahead than what we was a year or two ago. We have no date that this is going to be settled, when this might be settled. So, our contract with the EDC 60 days. We still don't have Actually, it was March 30th or March. Wow. Okay. I think actually, Frank, we were much further ahead because the easement issue has been resolved.

Yeah, that's one point. Yeah. But as far as as far as settling, that that would have made it closer, too. But

but we just keeps dragging on and dragging on. I remember the solicitor saying by the end of this year, I mean, this happened twice or three times that that they're going to be sold. and I get tired of hearing it and I just didn't whenever he brought it up I just didn't listen to it. Uh the other thing I wanted to in the finance thing I went to the Fulton bank. I got my bills my all my real estate bills for for Colombia one day. The next day I went down to Fulton Bank to the lady that usually takes all the taxes and everything and she said, "Well, you just got these." I said, "Well, if you go to our council meetings and you find out how bad we need money," I said, "I want to get it in and get mine in there, number one, so I don't forget, and number two, that they have the money that that they have to spend this." I tried to find out from her what they charge to process a check. She didn't have that information, so I didn't gain in that way.

All right. Thank you, Frank. Anybody else have anything on finance, community development? Nothing currently to report. I know we have a meeting with um shelter situation coming up in the next week or so um that Gan and I are planning to attend. So may have some information after that. All right. Thank you. Public works.

Jake, did you want to touch on this? Anything here or just I can run through it. Go back to me. Uh it's in a report. You can see B what it is. We have the proposed paving uh projects listed. Mel Park as it says is that close to being finished out and closed out. Um I don't know if you wanted to give an update if you could give an update on the condition of the two uh trucks that needed maintenance the transmission and the electrical issue. The electrical issue that was the training

and the electrical issue I know you give me a rough estimate about how much it was going to be. Yeah.

Yeah. I don't know if you ever had a an electrical problem with your vehicle. I'd rather I'd rather have a flat tire because you know what the problem is. You got an electrical issue. It could be a wire be a bad connection. It could be a goes on and on. It could be a computer issue. It just goes

ended up ended up being a sensor. Uh I did uh want to comment uh we had a couple minutes ago we had given approval to Derek to pursue uh meeting with DC if he could divert the remaining river fund riverfront funds uh that were left over to uh repairing the uh the damaged storm sewer that's down behind uh I guess a lead injury down there on Mil Street. that was he did get the approval from that. So the next step will be for him to get packaged together. Won't it'll be June at least until we we get anything with that. But we do need to have that completed by the end of the summer in order to use that money. So uh hopefully we can get an answer yes or no. Probably no, but we're hoping to get yes so that we don't have to pay it get reimbured. We'll see how that goes.

Have we gotten approval for access to that? for access to what? It's all private property. You're talking about the Mil Street. Yes. Um that's in the works right now. As of right now, I don't see that. It shouldn't be an issue the way it looks. I problems it's gone. I I just don't think we should vote on that until No, no, it would be June at the earliest. But like I said, that project does need to be completed by the end of September in order for us to be able to use those funds for it. That's all I have for uh by way.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that's the 16th Monday, March 16th. Street made this call. This call was way back.

I tell you 462 needs it. That's Thank you, Jake. Can I question? Sure. Seeing as it's now March, the month after February, have we heard anything from uh Langster City?

They haven't applied for any permits or nothing. Yep. So, okay. That's interesting. Yeah. Like it had to be done ASAP. Yeah. Everything had to, you know, had to be done right away. Right away, right away. And now we've not heard anything. You're referring to the water line, right? That was going to 40 48 inch or 40 inch main. Did they? Well, that's interesting because they were supposed to be out for bid in December

so that it could start in February. February.

Oh. Oh, that's right. They did say they were bidding to they were bidding it separate, but yeah. referring to the water man project that Langster City's doing up Manor Street. Well, so did I. According to them, according to them, it had to be done because it was going to start in February and

anything else.

Public safety. Uh last week, uh council person buyers and I met with representatives from the Columbia Burough Police or Columbia Fire Department. Um merely to introduce ourselves and also um um you know, of course express our ongoing cooperation. um their department uh provided us with their new box change um request that the bureau has to look at and agree upon so that they could submit it to the uh Langster County Public Safety Office. Uh we sat down with the administration. They didn't there were no major significant changes. Uh the first one was they changed their contact list a little bit to make it a little bit more efficient uh for their manpower. Uh secondarily, I think there were a couple pieces of apparatus that uh they had also changed or switched around. Nothing seemed very significant and um it seemed uh that it made sense um at least to me. Um so um council person buyers submitted uh their information in this packet and they requested it to be uh either approved or disapproved as soon as possible. So they could either change it or submit it uh as soon as they can. They also, and I didn't know this, um, said it's going to be a little bit of a learning curve this year because Mountville folded up. So, there's not going to be a Mount Fire Department anymore. They got folded into West Hemfield. So, they're going to have to see how, you know, uh, what that means for their calls in the in the future. So, they're playing that by ear, uh, which I thought was interesting. But, most pressing is to see if that we agree with the changes that they made for this year. get that either approved or disapproved and get that back to them as soon as they as soon as we can.

Yeah. And you can see a summary of that on page 63 of the packet. Um an email I sent with like a general overview of what the changes were. Um and part of the box changes were to cover for just to take some of the ease off of Hempfield and Mountville as they're going through the merger. um to sort of you know give them a bit of a break and as they figure stuff out.

So does anybody currently have any questions regarding it or any concerns regarding the changes that they want to submit to the county? I have to find my agenda. Are they looking for a motion or an action from us at next week's meeting or anything or Yes. Yeah. So, the next meeting we'll have like a final version that we can vote on. Um, but yeah, currently

it's nothing too major from what Tom and I were uh told. I I think and I think just the contact change was just to kind of prioritize who goes to which call. Um, so and it like I said, nothing seemed out of place or extreme. 63.

Yeah, 63 of the PDF. So, just to really I can just quickly go over it. Um, so first change the specific changes for the uh how they go through the ranks is it used to list the chief first and then go down through. They want to switch that to the duty officer first. That way if there are lower budget calls it doesn't go directly to the chief if they're not on duty at that time. Um then the box alarms again changing to work with the neighboring departments a little bit better. Um, one of the reasons, one of the things that were changing was removing uh, rescue 80 on the new list. The reason for that was there were a few times that it did not have adequate staffing to get that third uh, apparatus out. So, instead it will still be able to go to fires, but it won't be officially dispatched. Um, it's kind of a bit more of like a semantic thing. That way it's not just if it can't be if it can't go out because it's underst staffed, it's not then counted um as a piece that is going down the list of calls. Instead, that call will go to another department. Um, and another thing is with the departments struggling to get other pieces out because of limited volunteers and staffing, um, they also wanted to rearrange things to make sure that the they're not double pulling from any stations until they hit the third alarm. Um, that way, you know, it doesn't put too much pressure on the other stations to have an extreme amount of staffing. Um, in the, you know, in the meantime, it gets a bit more spread out. That makes a lot of sense. My only concern

with that is um 76 is that not 76 Marsville 67 town 79 is not sure that might be

okay but that yeah combined in 79. Okay. So, we're spraying it to iron. So, we we've already wor with everybody already. It's just a little bit. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I just they're going to be switching things. And they also they mention in here that they're going to try it for a little while just to see how it goes and they're fine with making adjustments in a few months as they you know get some results in. I'm glad you like you said they're not going to have a second golf on the same

station just and I'm assuming that's across the board because I mean I know we we historically have had you know the numbers show show how we have great response to all of our calls and I just don't want that to be like a fail state for everybody to fall back on like oh we'll call you there then we end up stressing out stressing putting a stressor on our system our guys and next thing you know, we've got problems. We've got to deal with there because of the system just assuming that we'll be there.

Yeah. And I think that was one of the main reasons that they decided to move rescue 80 off of uh the list is that way that extra pressure to always have like a higher staffing just because we have a very active volunteer fire department is not necessarily felt. um it's still going to go out and do what it can, but if it's, you know, has poorer staffing, it's not necessarily going to be a detriment to the order of um of calls. Um, well, yeah, if there's not any other questions, then we can put this summary together with the document they sent over and get it approved at the on the agenda for voting at the next meeting. That way, they can send it to the county.

All right. I have no other concerns you want us to go back with. Looks adequate. I thought we had mentioned it. I guess we should I'm not sure if we did touch on it uh before last meeting, but um public safety also had a meeting with Lifeline uh Lifeline. um don't remember if we discussed it, but they kind of pitched um uh

the the renew of their contract and did address some of the concerns that uh we did have. Um they had some uh different management were switching things up to make it a little bit more um accessible to, you know, jurisdictions and things like that. So, uh I guess that's a conversation that we're going to have and eventually vote, you know. So, I don't know if it's our intention to look at any other providers to date or if we're going to vote on lifeline at some point in time. Jack, have you received a contract from them? I think so. You said yes. Yes.

Because that does that expire in the summer or at the end of this in the summertime? So, it's something we're going to have to address fairly soon. They actually want us to do it sooner than the summer. They want to try and get all their people on the same time frame. Okay. So, if we have a contact, we should probably do that as soon as we can. And maybe get that on the agenda for a vote next meeting. Uh um maybe not that next, but like end of March, beginning of April. Yeah.

Here's a problem. I like what they said. I can't tell you exactly what they said to be able to tell the public. For example, we are going to charge per cap at some point 10 year contract. Find out the first five years uh no fee year six through 10 is a per capita fee like a $50 $5. be a very different conversation at 15. So would approximately 50,000 per year.

So that is the contract basically they would they would hold in their contract is basically what it is now where they have a state substation out here on what's alpha 7 and excuse me. Yes. And uh what's in our current contract is is the same as what going forward. Some of the contracts they have out in other municipalities they're charged already. Some of the original people like us, they're giving us a fiveyear break before they kick in the $5 per cap and the per cap fee is less.

Yep. So, um, and we also we also when we talked to them and told them even though we signed a 10-year contract, we can only really be responsible for two and every two years had to be Yeah. And there's a clause in the contract that allows us to exit just with a it was like a 90day maybe it was more than that 180day something like that. It was short. Um, but there is a there's a provision where we can exit the contract if we decide to to switch uh to a different EMS service. Um, so we're not necessarily locked in for those 10 years, right?

I think an EMS contract we could sign for. It doesn't have to be over two years. Yeah. Because that falls in that that thing of not doing like that you can Yeah. The things you can do.

Yeah. The things you can do for extended period of time. There's like I forget what what the qualification is but I think that's one of them. But for the next workshop, what we can do is we can bring a more robust summary of what's in the contract to discuss. And if you want, we can also put out some feelers to other services just to see if you know if what they would be offering would be similar. Um, that's what we've heard so far is that it would be pretty similar to what Black Line is uh, you know, uh, not suggesting, offering us. Um, but we can still reach out before the next uh workshop. So I I don't I think Jack and I need to reach out to them. I think my understanding was they want to have it done in February. You remember that?

I know that they wanted us to do it, you know, in a timely manner in January, right? Yeah. They actually wanted it done at the end of last year. I'm not sure why they wanted to, you know, what their hurry to lock us in was, but yeah, they did mention January. Maybe maybe they're, you know, I think that's when they're doing all of their municipalities. They want to get everybody on the same cycle. Yes.

Right. And as I understood it, it sounded like the current contract, it would be uh virtually the same as the current contract except with that provision of the per capita increase after five years and all that. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's no reason we can't vote on it if we get it out for all council to see. And you said you think you got a contract might be okay if we put that on the agenda for next Tuesday. I'd be fine. I just want to be able to see it.

All right. I'm just trying to make sure I get the agenda going out for Tuesday. Um, anything else on it? Don't it don't take much to confuse me. Uh, I can understand Heather and Byron so so well. They just have that voice and not not trying to say anything against council, but everybody can't be like that, I guess. Uh, but anyway, what was the per capita relating to $5?

Yeah. For who? So, this is for Lifelion. The EMS service. They're requesting this of all the municipalities is starting in about five years that the ones they have contract with, they wanted to start requesting $5 per capita from the municipal government. For us, that works out to about $52,000 a year. Um, yeah, and specifically that's mostly because of rising costs on that uh on their end that it's becoming pretty unstable. Um, and it was also pitched to us specifically not as a hard requirement, but as a suggestion.

Yeah. Suggestion. So, if there is a case where Colombia is going through a particularly bad financial period 5 years from now, hopefully not, um, that is not a hard requirement um, for us to pay them. It's more of a mutual benefit thing. And that does not absolve anyone from pay from paying an EMS bill. You will still be build for if you call the ambulance or transported the hospital, you will still have to pay for your insurance or whoever will will still be build for that ambulance service.

Okay. Um did did you have a meeting prior to this meeting your committee? So we had a meeting about what was it two or three weeks ago? Yeah, about two. Yeah. with with with Lifeline to discuss the contract um and just to sit down and talk about what their sort of expectations were. Um we haven't just we just haven't had a chance to bring it forward because we weren't totally sure if we were going to lock in on it or not. Um but we've we have a copy of it that we've reviewed a little bit.

Okay. The reason I asked uh when you said you were going to committee meetings, this I had no idea this is what you were going to when we had committee meetings going back. Yes. I think Mary knows exactly what I'm talking about. We had three council people. One was the chair

and we had open meetings to the public. So in the in the case of the public safety when I come in the door tonight I thought well I'm going to see EMS here. I'm going to see the fire chief. I'm going to see all these people. I looked I was just dumbfounded you know as to why and it these were the kind of meetings that I thought we were going to be attending in the way it was going to be. Uh like I just said I can hear certain now this is just me. I can hear better with some people up there, but I would thought they would come, they would be here, give their reports, they would have questions, and we could all hear what's going on to the public.

Now, I'm going to refer to the illegal safety meetings that's been going on, and I will argue with the mayor to the day I die that they were illegal because it wasn't open to the public. Now, are they still going on besides this meeting? So they have a emergency management meeting. I think what you're referring to as a safety meeting. The emergency management meeting is managers of the safety department coming together. It's not a public meeting. That's when I always we always had all these different Here's I think seven of them here. Everybody was at the meeting. I remember French or Splain guy. I I remember all the people. We had some very good meetings and when we left there, we understood what was going on. And this is what I thought was going to turn around when we were going to have these committee meetings. Uh, I'm not not saying that you're doing this wrong, but it's just I wasn't used to this and this is what I was used to, but I was wondering if we're still having another meeting because they had their meetings and then u sitting next to the mirror there. She always g ain't these public why isn't why is the public not allowed to come to these meetings? Well, so I can say one of the reasons with the system that we're going with this year, it's partially a cost-saving aspect. If we have so many council people, it has to become an advertised meeting. And we also then have to have staff here in the room, we have to do a bit more to get it be public. And with the short staff that we currently have, with the short staffing and the limited budget that we have, that's why we chose to do instead the two leadership members sort of taking it

on um discussing with each other at the very least rather than it being a single person and then bringing it all together here at the workshop meetings. Um if we can get to a point, I would love to have, you know, full committee meetings, but I also don't want to put a strain on the the staff further than what they're already dealing with. It it sounds sounds like you're you're getting to the meat of the of the issues, but like I said, I was just used to the other way. I have all my old records that I kept from when I was on council, and that's I always like them meetings the way that we had them. But uh but anyway, okay. Thank you. All right, here we go. This is going to be a long part. Maybe not. Not necessarily. Legislation. Yeah. Uh excuse start out first off with the first four ordinances that are there. 958 key lock boxes, 959 fire inspector, 960 the volunteer tax rebate. As you know, we went through that and 961 the food truck. These were all um voted on by council and approved and completed uh during 2025. They were sent to our solicitor to for final review, shall we say, and to have them advertise and get them in book, shall we say. So that they that part was not done until just recently by Evan. Uh so that's why those four are on there. his review had basically I'd say minuscule one or two word changes here. Nothing and nothing I would call substantive at all. Um so those four are should be pretty quick reviews. And then we have 965 which is a parking at the river park which should make you know Mary's bring it to our attention that what our ordinance says

what the signage says at River Park are two different things. So we wanted to bring those two in agreement with each other. And of course, the monster on the list is the uh 966, the rental property, which we had gone through again at at numerous meetings throughout 2025. And um the last shall we say directive from council was that we wanted to try to have the slum lord definitions and steps combined in an I66 instead rather than creating a new ordinance. So that's basically what you see in your packet. So I guess you know go go down through just give me an order if anybody has any questions.

Okay, before we get to that um this is for Mary. The parking at the river park ordinance she referenced from way back when that should have been changed. Um the orange had xxx to it. Correct. I guess

the original. Yes. No. And that 719 is the original ordinance, right? Way back. And then it was adjusted to we we couldn't find where it was ever changed. Okay. Okay. So I guess the the discussion to change it was done because there was an ordinance basically written out already right was XXX correct. Okay. So where did XXX come from?

I think that was part of your discussion from way back when. Yeah. We couldn't find No, you're you're seeing XXX because ordinance. I just wrote the ordinance. Okay. Last week and a number wasn't assigned. So, I put it in as XXX until a number gets assigned. Okay. Gotcha. I understand. Okay. I have some discussion on that then. And you get to Well, we're we're at it. So, go ahead. Well, do we want to take them in order to see if anyone Okay. I'm sorry. Oh, that's what I was waiting. Okay. Well, we started down going down the rental property. That's why I bought Oh, I didn't.

No. So, we're starting at 958 the key boxes. Yes.

And as it says, uh the changes really are anything struck through is deleted and anything that was added to side. So you can really see um 7415A it says uh during emergency as shall be determined from time to time by the fire chief that was taken out. Um, I mean, I say the changes that were made to these were very minuscule because basic basically based upon the change that we made as far as having an assigned fire chief in the production, excuse me, it's a fire inspector now falls under under the codes department with so rather than rather than rather than if the fire department has it was when chief fire was like that. So that's that's the n that's that's really the only change 958 very very minimal and if you scroll down say establish of establishment of office since we don't have committees anymore we took out the the committee on public anywhere said committee we took out say the committee on public safety through the new analysis burough manager and public safety public safety chair for reporting purpose what do you want to call it chair what do you want to call it what are we calling now the whatever you want to call it it's it really doesn't matter any issues with that that's really the only change with 958 removing that part with the uh the reference to the committees as well uh 959 which is the volunteer service.

The volunteer services, the the tax credit for uh volunteer fire department

and that we went to with length at length with the fire with the committee that was we met I know Heather, myself and I believe it was Todd Bard initially met with them. they came up with a proposal for us like a weighted scale system that they they wanted to be able to provide some relief on some kind of incentive for volunteers. So, and initially was mostly geared toward just for people that were running running the trucks and reporting to the but then things went along became apparent that you know the volunteers that are running all the fundraisers and things like that they're just as needed otherwise if those things fall by the wayside and they don't have their fundraisers that's going to put more of a financial burden on the bureau because we're going to have to make up that that difference. So I think that's what led to that particular how all those changes came about. But again we had discussed this at length correct in 2025. It's just a matter it's just a matter of uh having his final review and I'm good with it. So and you can see anything in existing orders existing orders with proposed changes were highlighted. Anything in blue is all new.

Mr. seven's final reviewer. Yes. I have a question. Um I thought we had a form that they fill out and that the So we need to call that out. Um should document right and it's not because they they they provide us with that list as well. Right. Yeah. We all we have is that photo identification is required. Um what particular section? H 83 of the PDM 83. Yeah, I'm on it now. So the blue

I see it. Okay. Yep. Yeah. Yeah, we can definitely reach out to Kevin and get a however we want to reference it. No, I mean we we we have the matter of fact it was turned in this year. Yeah. So we need to No, but so we got the list but does each individual person they have to fill out a paper right and that gets signed by the chief. So that is what we need to whatever that form is called, we need to reference that in the ordinance.

I don't think they're providing that to us though. I think that's that's something they're maintaining. They're just providing us a list of of the hours and who should be getting it. They're not providing us with individual forms are. Yes. Specify it indicates the two levels AC or advanced. Yeah. Yes. But it's not it's not a form perin or you want to get that specific form

if you want that's if that's a requirement if that's a requirement of getting of us processing the the rebate then yes it needs to be specified in there otherwise we can't require it. We can use a term. So I understand what you're saying. We can use a term or a form or whatever that form is. Individual application. Yeah. We can say application rebate application signed by whoever is supposed to sign it. Do we need to have the chief sign it? Do we you know or whatever? But we could say or can we be more generic and say administrative process?

No. I would identify the form. Yes. We don't have to say what it is or it's not enforceable. We don't have the we don't have to have the form on that. That can change throughout, right? But we we have to indicate that we require some sort of application and the word application then gives us that flexibility. Doesn't it correct?

Yes. which needs to be spelled out in the ordinance or it's not enforced already procedures would be dash 107 but we don't have procedures form okay so basically what we add in there follow would be the colia bureau volunteer service credit program application application that's what the form is usually called ineffective yeah but yeah we do need to call that out. Yeah. And do we require them to have a photo identification to us? Then we should remove that from the ordinance. If we're not think what was the intended purpose of that?

I don't know. Clarification. I think verification that they resist because this is only for we do have volunteers that run that don't live in Colombia number one or number two don't own they rent in Colia so it's we could do something but this is a rent this is a a rebate program for their taxes it's not if they're a renter it's not going to help them out but really if they're getting a tax bill it's assumed that they live there, right? Should So, but shouldn't we have ID to verify their tax bill?

Yeah, I'm a little confused. I think you do need the ID. If not, we sent it to paperwork. I mean, they could just merely submit a tax bill with the application. Somebody at Penfield could submit that to us and we get credit from verify the address. I mean there there would have to be some proof of residency. Yeah. Because we we we require that they give us the parcel number. Okay. Yeah. Then we should be good to just that then.

Okay. That's fair. I don't think we need a photo.

Not right now. Oh, I'm sorry. No, it's okay. No, if there's identifying information on there, I think does have access to datify residences as well. So, we should I think with that information, we should be fine. Yeah, just a parcel. Not federal ID, just parcel. But I am right in saying that they when they do the application, they do submit a copy of the tax bill, which is verify. Take out the photo just for Kelly, are you making note of the cheese?

Yes, it is. Any other questions on the volunteer tax relie truck? Uh, the last one will be 961. The food truck ordinance. Is this the one that Evan said he wanted? I did not review this because I didn't This just came back from Yeah, it just came back

before the meeting. So, I did not review this. So, I don't think that I'm prepared to comment on that one. That's okay. Did have one question um on the distance of operating regulations for the food truck. It's uh shall not operate within 150 ft of the primary entrance of a brick and mortar restaurant without the restaurant's written consent. Is that standard from other municipalities? Yeah. Yeah. We got we we really got the guts of this from other Okay. Yeah. We didn't invent the wheel. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Just wondering about some of the numbers. So have evidence all the guidance information.

So we're okay. I mean I just I'm okay with because you know I had what the previous one was and I know you went through as well. I mean if you want if everybody wants more time to get back comments.

Okay. So, and we do want to the only thing I want to emphasize is that when we get these ready to advertise, we want to do them all. We don't want them. We want to put one advertisement save obviously cost. We don't need to do six LMP ads one. And then last but not least, well, not last 965, which would be, excuse me, the parking zones at the river park, Mary, the only the only verbage I added there, Mary, was we try to, you know, I tried we tried to make this as

as minimal effect as minimal minimal effect as well. That's what we had in there with trailers only starting from Memorial Day through Labor Day of each year. Well, for one thing, it says the public safety committee of the burough. So, there is no public safety committee. Yeah, right there. Public safety committee of the burough. So, we'll need to change that the same way it was changed in 9 uh 959. Yeah. Anything and the other thing is I see this

the agreement by between the Burough of Columbia and Pennsylvania Commission dated September 9th, 1968 that is no longer in effect. That agreement had a 49y year lifespan. And uh when we took out the grant to redo the ramp parking lot and the access road, they had us void that agreement because they did not want they wanted the grant agreement only to be the driving force. So that 1968 agreement is no longer.

So we just basically and it has areas designated for the river park in the burough colia.

And it has said property just remove that up until where it says that no vehicle. Yeah, I had it. I kind of redlined the old one that said prop to get rid of. I said property is described in an agreement by between commission that uh no vehicle other than vehicle with the trailer. Okay. And another thing that some people have brought to my attention is that handicap space within the large parking lot which is lined off as a boat trailer parking space that people who have handicap signs or have handicap are parking in that space without trailer. So what I'm questioning

so we need to put like the trailer only there should be and that that should be year round that one space should be year round. You've got people who hunt who hunt outside of that Memorial Day Labor Day time but yet they do have the handicap designation. They do launch a boat. They do have a trailer. So that that's up to you guys. It would it would certainly make it nice for you know the people who use that. So is it the existing space now or is it a different There is an existing handicap space. Yeah.

I think it just it doesn't say just a general it's just a general handicap sign and it's within the right larger area. But the thing is I feel that that there should be maybe a little something extra put there that that is handicapped with trailer. Yes. I think yeah put put it aside with the trailer with the trailer.

Okay. that that was my but I think you know you eliminate the safety committee and eliminate reference to that 1968 agreement and then I think Jake can get this little sticker whatever the signs down there because it does reference the ordinance number. Okay, scratch it off. Thank you very much. I think we're scratching. Yeah, I'll I'll come down and help you through though I might not be tall enough. Okay. Thank you for getting this done before appreciate. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Yeah, I wasn't aware about the thing with the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. So, thank you for providing that. Okay. Um, we're going to start with 166. We we have been through this many times. Paul, I' like to turn it over to you so you can really take us through and point out hopefully the latest and greatest additions. Can I start picking stuff? She never about this stuff in the beginning. Oh,

go for it. I got to figure out which pages. It's page seven of the 21. You gave me

which is what page on their computer? 105. 105 in the PDF. Seven of Thank you. I didn't see that there. Thank you, too. So, it says temporary certificate of occupancy shall be valid for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase or the date the certificate was issued, whichever is first. When a transfer of a property happens, why are we giving them a full year?

Possibly. You think the I'm sorry, I'm not good at this attorney stuff. base setter 166 C1 166-4 C7 Got it. Now it's not it's delta.

My question is does have to go to a We have a murder.

I I took that to to say Say for some reason you're busy and you can't get there to do a CLO right away, you can issue a temporary and and that's basically saying the burrow has to get back to you and issue the permanently within 12 months. So, what it does is it gives a person, if I'm reading it, it gives a person a chance to temp to occupy that building or that dwelling until you get around and and officially certify it. Right. Right. But we're not issuing any COS anymore. Then why do you have this in here?

Well, that's what we're saying. Why Why do we have it in here? if we're not on doing it. Are we not issuing them just because nobody has needed one or that we just don't do that at all anymore? You got a whole section here. C1 starts out with certificate. Some of this has some of this has to stay in there because we do have commercial properties. They require the C. My question is but this talks about whenever a single family dwelling commercial the single family dwelling needs support

right slides here but that was I'm just I'm bring it up when we reviewed this last time it's not something it wasn't no no I took more time read I will admit so under one touches certificate of occupancy says whenever a single family dwelling or commercial property is placed, you're saying remove the sing a single family dwelling or

Yeah. Yeah. belonging here. To me, if you do that and you're just denote that this is for commercial properties, then that I can see where whoever's doing that commercial inspections for you. It may take them a while to get there. Yeah.

So, that would help. Here's my problem, though. By us giving a temporary occupancy permit, we are basically with us giving that moment without inspecting it, we are taking on the liability. That's a good point. But if you're going to do it temporary, maybe how people need to look at it. I'm I'm just And that's why that's why I question 12 months.

But we don't do the we don't do we wouldn't be issuing a temporary for a commercial property. So we're not that liability is on commonwolf code because they're the ones that issue it for the commercial properties for a permit. come up as an issue of temporaries at the end? No. Why would we issue a temporary? Because because the goal is if Comwalth can't get in there right away and they want to open, we would issue them a temporary permit. But that

yeah that I can see if not done right this can be a hindrance to some business wanting to move into a property and they may say if I can't get a C I'm paying rent on it and I can't get a seat a COO here right away I can't I can't purchase this property I'm paying X amount of dollars a month waiting for you to give me this COO you give me a temporary. I get in there then I'm I'm getting something for my money.

I think think about it because that can be a hindrance. Not having that temporary can be a hindrance to someone bringing their business in. They're not going to pay a couple thousand rent so on an empty building. All right. So here, but here's this that is only an issue if the within the previous 3-year period, right, they have not had an inspection. They would have had a a fire inspection within three years. Does that carry on from owner to owner? Yes. It stays with the property,

right? Okay. and that covers it. My only thing is do we want to allow Okay, so they covered and I don't have a problem with our department covering it, a temporary one. My concern is do we want to open ourselves up to 12 months of that? Well, look at B and C before D. Now you're talking about removing D. Okay, look at B and C before it. Look at the last line. It says the court official shall issue a temporary certificate of a I understand that. So you're going to think with that as well?

Well, no. That's what we're saying. That would be the issue. But do we want to expose ourselves to 12 months is my question. I think we want 3 months. If we can't get in here within 3 months, there's something wrong. You're saying keep D and just make it 12. Is that is that is that

I I'm just afraid I can change it. Make changes without

they can't get in three months. It's just I I just I know how people buy properties that aren't completely informed 100%. They make some minor changes thinking it's okay. So maybe it's done in a different way and also we're accountable to the temporary. So I just want to try and shorten that window up a little bit so it gets caught. I don't have that one but there is more.

So I guess before we go any further as far as Oh yeah. I believe I also added all street definition also since this would have been

in the definition of slum board. Can we change it to where it says within a single calendar year to say a rolling calendar year? Why is that? Because it's longer time. It Yeah, it does. It Well, no, it's it shortens the time. It basically it means like the way it's written there say in May they have by May they have seven violations right well they only have to go to December without any more violations and and it resets.

No yeah so I wanted Yep. Yeah. Yeah, I agree with that.

Yeah, I don't want this all resetting come January 1, right? It's it's a county press. Just say a rolling calendar year. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, it's a little harder to to track, but I think it's better that way.

Well, I don't think so because typically if they're a slum, they're a slum board. It's not there's not a gray area. All right. So is the next major section the off streetet parking requirements for rental properties? That's the next major one. Can I ask uh this might have just been a conversation from the previous year. Why how we got to the number of two spaces per unit?

It's always been I should say it's always been there is a regulation for that. Correct. Where was it? Basically was 1.5 years ago. That was really single res. Now we're saying it's for any unit. Gotcha. So if if we can go down to hold on sectioning all street parking requirements for rental properties number six C9 I 21 variances or modifications may be granted by the burough zoning area board if tied to zoning are good official for hardship cases. Eg lot size constraints provided the intent of this section is met with the maximum extent feasible. I don't agree with that. If somebody buys a house on a very small lot, they can use that clause to get around it. Our goal is to reduce round units, not give everybody the flexibility to have it. Same language is in chapter 220 in there.

You won't need to go either find 300 of the property.

So that's a different order. parking also board has that ability whether you have that in there or not they have that ability to make that decision that's one of the five criteria hardship right they have that criteria it doesn't mean this means Well, this also gives the code official uh the ability to do that as well. Not just

there's no way in hell the ability to do zoning. Well, instead of taking the whole thing out since the since the zone does provide for that, why wouldn't you just leave it as variance? You can leave that variance modification. Someone may take you solely by the burrows zoning hearing board. Yeah. Somebody invite you to test on that saying, "Wait a minute. Why do I have to go to zoning? Your code official can do this." No, we're saying take that out. You want to see out?

Um, at least the code official part of it. I think you keep the very first line in variances or modifications may be granted solely by the burrow's going period board when tied to. Do we have tool? We don't have to. I'm just saying if you're going to keep anything, but then the person the person that has this issue may not know I'm okay to get rid of it. We're trying to think

this was this information was gathered from I believe I say okay I think I have questions. Can we back up the page?

Site the number. You go to the previous page. page or six. Yeah, I got you. 21.

So, that needs to be somewhere and it needs to be one of the first things that anybody sees when they look our kids. So the problem we're having, let me explain that is we have no teeth in the crew right now and I am pretty much on a daily basis getting people single family dwellings turn them into so I think that this fine verbage needs to be in here and I think it needs to be it needs to be um

obvious to somebody looking at the documents for sections it's crossed out but you have it in section 3A correct I have it there to bring it to my attention to have a discussion with you on where you think it should be and yeah the verb.

So you're not talking about you're not talking about the crossed out stuff. That is what I'm talking about. All right. Well, that stuff is all in E. Yeah, it is. I don't think it's defined require all street parking. Every rental property shall provide and maintain a minimum of two all street parking spaces per dwelling unit for a for a single family dwelling two spaces per unit. The one the piece that's missing there is on the property. Correct.

Yeah. So then we just add that. But a needs we you need to take that or it says for single family dwellings two spaces take off per unit because there's only one unit. So two spaces

and then and put it up at the top. Every rental property shall provide and maintain a minimum of two off street parking spaces per dwelling unit on premise. The two biggies in this rental one was what you just addressed and the other one was finding a rental unit. That's in there, right? because we had people saying well my my daughter living there so it's not a rental

I was in that number three the required all street parking 3C an ADU I don't agree with having with requiring an ADU to have two additional spaces um for the simple fact that an ADU is typically for the the ADUs are typically for in-laws quarters or something like that and it's generally just one person living in there. So, I'd only agree with having two required spaces for units that are typically only going to be for a single occupant.

They have two parts. Yeah, sorry. I I just an ADU, what qualifies as an ADU is not going to be something that's going to have two cars or, you know, Okay, so let me ask you this. Why do we have a on a lot of that happen? Oh yeah, we we need process right now. Yeah, but where do they come? Two units instead of one. Two unit property. No, an ADU is typically something that's a temporary situation. It's not a permanent.

Also, ADU is not currently in the definitions section. Um I think we should give it a definition. Yeah, because I didn't understand this discussion county. Yep. And I forget what all and whatever was required and everything else.

Well, hold on a second. they would have had to fall in the zoning requirements of affordable additional building. You can't say it's temporary. It's temporary matters matters. Typically, ADUs are a temporary situation, but then there are there are provisions to make them permanent and then it changes from an Yeah. And I I I can't comprehend that. I'm sorry. Um if I build a structure that requires all the permits to build a structure, I don't care if it's 4x4 or 20 by 20,

right?

So it has to go through zoning. It's a structure. Once you get the permits, it becomes a dwelling if somebody makes it into a dwelling. not a temporary drawing because all rental units are temporary drawings if they don't have anybody to rent from. So a a building built to be rented whether it's temporary or not long-term is a rental property in itself. I don't I don't to me is I want to pull a trailer on the on my property so my grandmother go in there for six months out of the year whatever I see that definition I just I can't wrap my head around that.

Yeah I think we have all kinds of specifications requirements to build I think it should be should not be a temporary structure. It's you you you create a a quarter for for whe that it's permanent until you come back and have that taken away. In other words, you can you can say this is no longer a dwelling unit. This is a storage space, but you you must do something. You can't you have you're going to have to go through inspection to show that it doesn't have the facilities to be able to say, but these ADUs are popping up everywhere and a lot of municipalities weren't prepared for them when they started happening. So, I just I don't think we can just ignore this. We need to have to have something in here to address it.

Well, and I think the reason for that, Kelly, is they they had the ability to make it a permanent structure and now they they they wanted to make it a temporary structure and that caused a problem. They should have never did that. What is not an accessory dwelling unit? A mobile home, camper or a recreational vehicle, right? I think without it. Yeah, I think I I for me I just need to see a definition of how exactly we are going to define it in this ordinance so I can understand how it is different from like put a camper pull up a back there live or mobile home or something. Yeah. Because this is

Yeah. But the first time I thought of this I was like oh somebody converting their garage into like and that that is also that can be it doesn't have to be detached. You know, it goes back to a secondary unit though. How How do you How does it How does it become assessed when it's only temporary? Hold on a second. You're losing money there.

Hold on a second. I have a garage. I moved my kid into that garage, my parents into that garage. Okay. Now Paul comes around says, "Hey, you need a permit for this. Hey, you put a sink in here, whatever, you're going to get a higher tax rate." Okay, I can say no, it's temporary. It's all coming out. That's cheating the system. What I'm saying is eliminate that possibility. It's either a unit or it's not. Right? If it's temporary, you're cheating the tax system,

right? You when you put that in there, you create that. I think I say that with not understanding.

Isn't this something that they said they were going to start looking at the state legislator nature level as well because this is like become an old garden industry. I know people advertise this stuff on TV and everything. Oh, you don't have a place for mom, you know, sell mom's house. You can move her in your backyard. You can keep it 100, but you don't have to worry about if I put her in the pool. That's how they push these things. So, again, I'm saying I'm not saying I'm not saying what we got to do. I'm just saying we can't just say this door like it's not there. No, no, no. Again, I'm trying to understand this. If I own at home and I live on the second floor and I rent out the first floor to anybody, it's a two unit property. If I move my parents down there in medicine, it's two unit property. If I technically now we have a rules where people find family and stuff. I'm not saying that. But if I put something outside, if I if I put a unit outside, it's two units and really should be regulated under

and temporarily. What I meant was a lot of the places that have started to regulate ADUs have put time limits that they can be used. That's what I meant by temporary. So, like the municipality says you can use this as an accessory dwelling unit for five years and then it's no longer, you know, or you have to come back.

And I I understand that and I think that's a good point. But in that 5year period, the real estate taxing is not going to change because you're saying it's only temporary. It's not this 12 year. I don't know how they reassess. Well, I don't know how the assessment office looks at I think they got it. Well,

I don't know. It's probably um I'm trying to think of words accessory accessory dwelling accessory units and then they tax accordingly. If you have a shed on your property, it's an accessory accessory. It's accessory. Okay. That's a great example. For example, if I go out and buy a small shed, whatever it is, okay? If it's on coarse gravel, Yes. and it's not going into the ground,

then it's not. It's temporary. You put on a concrete slab, then it is. Cuz that happened to me where I used to live. We went I was going to pour concrete. The guy said, "Do not do that. Just put stone down there and you can move it whatever you want." And it's not. You put concrete down there now it's permanent and you will have it added to your manufactured dwellings.

Plus on a side note to that you get charged by covered up ground considering that this is in general a pretty big topic. Um would it be beneficial considering that the only place that I've seen it referenced is specifically talk about the off- streetet parking. Would it be beneficial for us to remove the ADU definition in this on off- streetet parking section and then come back to it with a more broad approach to addressing ADUs? That way we can get this specific thing passed without getting held up on the ADUs and then come back to it with, you know, a more comprehensive plan. The thing first me then is we had we have one of doing something and the state comes in and says we're work on that and out the window. So do we do we allow?

Yes. Only if they meet the requirements. I don't care. I'm asking. So, so this falls in this exact same thing. So many square feet. And this this one has been

I've seen people that use they have a fire in place and they're going to be it's going to be uninhabitable for four or five months. They don't want have to go anywhere. They put an ADU on property. Well, that I know it's not. They could go another route that is quote unquote ADA. That is that would meet the definition they could understand. So, should we require them to have two park spaces or not? Just to get back to the core of the

the legislation. I I personally would let if they if they can't have two parking spaces, let them go to zed out.

Yeah. And I think if we want to do anything more with ADUs, we can include that as you know, as I would say common borrow considers a unit in the multi. So, back to the red line there. After I re it, I was reminded of the importance of this. In that statement there, it is specifically saying that you cannot take a single family owner occupied and turn it into a rental unless you have these two. So we important here.

So but here's my here's my problem. Okay. So if not if that's not the word I want to use. I understand the issue is when someone owns a a property and it's they turn it into a rental from an owner op and you want that to be to be called out. But we can't just have that one statement out there by itself. So it is part of the off- streetet parking requirements in that why do we have to say specifically when you're doing this you have because it's understood that when you are turn when you're turning a property into a rental whether it was owner occupied or whatever as a rental unit they have to have two parking spaces unit is any any

right any building that's being occupied by someone other than the owner, right? But but the whole but that other sentence is specifically saying when it was owner occupied and now it's going to be a rental, you need two spaces. Well, we're already saying that in the off street parking requirements that you need two spaces, right? So why why do we need to

I I thought the whole purpose here was restricting having all these occupied codes being turned into what I'm saying is we don't have we need to spell it out we're going to take it it's going to go to court is what I'm saying

well then we need to we need to change our our verbiage in in the off parking requirement section. I mean, you don't just because if you start identifying every scenario that you specifically want to call out, then you run into into a situation where there's nothing to interpret. And if it doesn't fit into the any of these specific scenarios, then what? You're going to you're going to continue to spell out all these different scenarios and you're just going to muddy the water. You have one or you have one ordinance, you need two parking spaces. So, can I make a suggestion? If currently 3B has four multi-unit rentals and then it has a list of examples, could it just be included in there like converted single family homes? Because I think Paula, what you're talking about, you want more clarity, right, for somebody to be able to easily understand that this is also what we're including. So maybe just including it in that example section just like

you're specifically spelling out a single family dwelling requires two spaces and that's in there. That's in three, right? Check it. So the part you have crossed out is where it says all owner occupied single dwelling residential properties which are converted into residential rental unit must provide two off street parking spaces on the premise instead of striking instead of getting rid of that. Put that down where um 3A is where it says for single family. Just remove the verbage that's in there right now for 3A and put that in there.

Okay. The reason I found it where I have it now is to that's the I think we need to have somewhere that is very Yeah. But you you h it has to go where it makes sense. We can't just put it somewhere just for the sake of having it be and that's fine. You got to say right there it is. Yeah. I mean, read the ordinance. Like,

I always get crazy with people coming here. I mean, I feel like for the one the woman on Locust Street who bought that place and wanted to go to the taxi shop there. I mean, I I feel bad for her, but you know, she needs to go back after a realtor. When I came here, I bought the house, you know, everybody knows why Wall Street. I didn't need over the years with situation happened, my kids move back in with me. I needed all the space, but our initial intent was to convert that into a B&B and have four bedrooms. I came before I ever bought the damn place. I came here and talked to Jeff Helm and had talked about it at length different scenarios what I would need to do if you wanted to do it. And that's that's what has to become upon all these people. If you bought a house, okay, but I'm going to rent it out. Well, before you buy that house, if you're going to rent it out, you better get down here and talk to the code official and talk to what you need to make. find out what the requirements are. That's what it is. That's that's what it is. That's none of us. Yeah. I I don't I don't see anything different in the language. Crossed out to 3. I think we should take the cross out 3A and then that's good.

The only way says all occupied. Well, it also says which are converted into a rental unit. It says which are converted. But I don't care if you put converter and that opens up single family structures. I can build a single family new home is written if you build a new home you are required to have two places. Yes. Even under occupied that's the way our ordinance is written.

If you feel if you build new construction That's why these these like the ones that have humanity that's why they have the street because they are required to that's why they made them.

It's not just for rentals. It's for all. So if you change a to for a single family for a converted single family well two spaces per unit. Yeah but you don't need per unit if it's a if it's a if it's a single we already said that we already said take and put on the premise.

You're right. space two that that satisfies your point. So you think we should add on there converted somewhere else new properties require which I was guessing over here. We have the power to change that though we can drop the number. Everybody has two cars today. Everybody surpris I don't know when I lived all the apartments I've lived in before I bought my house in Colombia were we only had one parking space

even though there were like four people living in the apartment. That was fun. You got one assigned space and the rest was wherever you could find it. Yeah. All right. Yeah, that Kelly. That's right.

All kind of scenarios. I can give you one. Uh I can tell you where it's at, but that really address that address doesn't matter. Single family dwelling back at the end of the yard. There's a garage. There's a rental place upside. living quarters up top. So the owner of the single family resident lives in the apartment and rents out the house, right? How many parking spaces? That's a two unit property.

So they he he's living above the garage. Now he he can say if you went there, do you you own the property? Do you live here? Yes, he lives here, but he's not living in the house. He's renting a house out. Yes, we changed that. It's considered two units. Yeah, a unit is a unit. Okay. So, how many parking spaces? Two spaces per unit. Spaces per unit on site. On site. Well, they have it on the street. No, there's not an on site. No, it can't be. But was it like that prior to the ordinance? Well, grandfathered in. That's a good question.

Yeah. And and my other question is when a code officer goes out and says, "Uh, is this a rental?" and they say, "No, the guy's living here." Uh, well, where is he? Well, he's at work right now. Does what kind of criteria does that code officer need to assure that this this guy is not living in that house? It's very difficult. It's very difficult to prove somebody's I'll bet you there ain't no block in Columbia that there is no violation there. I agree with you 100%. But really, the only way is to go through the mail. That's illegal. No, we have our rings. No, we don't do anything illegal.

We have our links. We do I understand. And if you have citizens, report them. I'm sorry.

If you have assistance, report them or other methods through tickets or whatever. I get that. But it's very difficult for us to prove that somebody's living there just by driving by. Well, if you talk to somebody that is there while he's at work and I'm wondering what do they use to know that this guy's not living there. There's another place I know of that there's three or four rentals there and they have like disabled people staying there too and the guy is in another state. Now I don't think it's even inspected myself and I I don't know that but if they go there well where's the owner? Well, he's at work right now or what do they need to prove that this guy's living in another state? There's very few properties that are brought to our attention one way or another that I can sit here and say on one hand that is questionable within the whole burrow that I'm aware of. Um, we have means and ways to find out things and we usually do a lot of digging to get to the bottom of where they're living if it's in question or whatnot. um you know something as simple as a parking ticket or a phone call from a neighbor. Um so we don't we don't take things necessarily as we're being told. We do do our due diligence. Like I said, there's a couple that I can think of off the top of my head that we have exhausted all avenues that we do try um and are not 100. I am not 100% uh convinced that they are beautiful and whatnot. So,

so if I live next door to the property that has all these people living in it and I want to know, hey, is this place inspected? Uh is it rental? What is going on here? Where do they go to get that information to clarify that? Right. right now. So they depend on the bur to get that information. Okay.

All right. Thank you. All right. Yeah. What's next? 117 in the PDF, 19 of 21. 19 of 21. Yeah, 19 of 21 and 117 in the PDF 18.

Everybody else good with everything? The only other new thing is not allowing because that is a continued issue. Page 12. You jump backwards. Okay. Yeah. I'm sorry. That's pretty straightforward. You can't sub can't sub your house, right? Right.

So as far as council goes, if this slum lord is ever designated somebody, it's going to cause a scrape. So has a chance to read over? Yes. Yep. this is fully appointed as a person which I personally agree with. I want to thank Paul for coming up with where we got the verge on some of the stuff we had ideas on what to say but not exactly how to stay.

Yeah, that'll change there to to take out calendar year to a 12 month period. Um, article 4 1665A

within a single calendar year. Yeah, it should be within a single uh or within a 12 month period or rolling calendar or rolling year, however you want to say it. It needs to be consistent with what we set up above. Oops. Okay. So, I do have the last one I have is F2. I just need some clarification on that. Uh land landlord may appeal designation for penalties to Columbia burough zoning here within 30 days. I receive notice in accordance with Pennsylvania local agency law. I I'm confused on that. I don't understand. Maybe you can help me. Maybe not. I understand why.

I don't need it. I don't know what that Pennsylvania agency. Let's do a quick search here. Yep. That's what I'm saying. And my only my only thing is I don't want any hearing in here anyway and I don't want us put something out there that somebody else can just put the onus on them instead. I came from

this also cases Yeah, that's that was my thought. Yeah, we cut that out, right? So, where does appeal go to the appeals board? Yeah. Yeah. We're going to go to the code.

We're going to say council. As big as this is, we probably should just say appeal to council. This is going to be bad. If somebody gets held, it's down, right? Would it go to the code appeals board specifically that Kelly and um Jean are on? So, other than council, that's what I'm saying. Okay. Um I think maybe it should probably come to council in front of council because this is a large general.

Okay. And I I don't think two people from council and the pro manager or zoning board or coach department should have that authority to the full council will address this on appeal only on appeal. Yep. So that's something I was thinking about too. Are code appeal meetings already public? Like everybody does normal code. No. No. Then maybe it should go to code appeal first.

No, because council has no fun saying code. This could be thousands of dollars. And some of our people have mult properties. This can get 10 to 20 to $50,000, but also it could be pretty damaging to their reputation if they need to do an appeal and have to go to a public meeting as opposed to appealing it privately initially. Like if there's one of our slum boards that we have and they need to be outed. Yeah, for sure. like and if somebody is genuine you know what I I I agree with that.

No I'll say this it takes it takes a lot to get it takes a lot to get to get that point to get to that point. If you designated that and you have a problem with it yeah come to council and let us decide. Okay. I I think that's the way it should be to me personally. Yeah. This isn't going to be one of those things that happens lightly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's seven within a 12-month period. Seven violations. Yeah. Come on. Yep. You want to satisfy your res.

Yes. Exactly. Exactly. The residents, business owners, they're they're looking for accountability. We're giving them accountability. We're not shielding anyone. Right. And I suppose if they have if they they also have the option to appeal individual violations before that as well. So if they're prudent enough they can also appeal individual violations and maybe you know not reach that point if it is a mistake or you know something like that right shoot it down. It's got question. Yep.

Anything else on here wants to discuss? Oh, excuse me. Yep.

Wonderful. Before we get to the before we get the active legislation, I want to thank Heather and Kelly um staff. This stuff's been hanging out for a year, two years, some other three years. And I'm glad within two months we're able to put this in front of council and move on. So, thank you very much for your time.

Do we want to go leave the uh active priority list? We took enough of your time. I think we took enough time, but we are working on and I would also that list.

Yeah. I would like to point out that it says up here priority list, but I think as a whole council needs to take a look at everything and set priorities on because we have seven people, how many different leadership areas? Everyone thinks that their area is the most important and we as council need to set that priority. We've had this problem for how long where we continue to overwork staff by putting because this person thinks this is a priority, this person says this is a priority. We need to give them clear guidance as to what needs to what's the most important thing and that means across everything across the different projects. Yeah.

Anything, you know, legislation items, you know, all those kinds of things. Is this in a like a one drive sheet like, you know, Excel document? What you guys have here? It's just It is an Excel. Yeah. Okay. I was wondering if we can make a shared one with tabs basically for each leadership area that we can each go in and fill out our individual priorities based off of, you know, the things that the two people discuss. That way it's all in one document that we can all reference pretty easily, see each other's priorities as well. We can do that. I mean, yeah, we could um get too

Yeah. Yeah. And we don't want it to be we don't want we don't want it to be overly Yeah, we don't want we don't want every item spelled out, but I think it's important that everyone realize that council's job is to set the priority and the expectations and not dictate operational things. So coming up with policies

for how Jack is supposed to uphold something is not our purview. And we tell him, look, this is our goal. It's up to him to decide how we're going to achieve that. And so I think what we need to do is we we set the priority and the goals of these are the things that are the most important and then we work down and we can't if something comes up. We have to tell we have to tell staff, okay, this is leaprogging to the front because it's of XYZ and we all have to understand that that means things are going to get pushed down the list if we're expecting something to leap frog to the beginning. Yeah, I think it's just it's important that we do that so everyone is aware of where we stand

and we can expect things to happen. Mary, as long as you're here, I wanted to ask you one I don't know if you looked at this list or not, but a couple of things that are on here are the uh reszoning of the North Second Street properties and the downtown business district text amendment. Currently, what it says is your zoning currently being reviewed with DCED. Who's DCED? That's my question. Yeah, I don't know. That's what I'm ask. Yeah. I have no idea. That information came from the lease. That's a DCED involved with our Exactly. I was wondering that too.

And if you look down, there's another one. first time I saw it on this list. There's also accessory polling units now that I know I know Jessica with CS Davidson was going to be working on that. That says the same thing. Yeah, Jessica Jessica Fieldhouse. Why do we still have Mary saying she's working on stuff? Now, she was supposed to be working on this. I don't know who's working on it now, but some of the things that you mentioned. Yeah.

This was sent to me for comment on what planning commission was working on

and I went back and I commented. I said some of these are being worked on with our combined zoning that we didn't we were going to start I'll tell you this the second street what it was out there they didn't like the way we want to reszone them so that got put on hold some of these things that it says the 2019 zoning we were ready to move on that Jeff Helm retired co did. Then we got into the idea with the comp plan of combining the zoning districts, narrowing them down. So when you do that, you're going to go looking at your verbiage then and see what fits and now we're even looking at simplified zoning which is really

Paul DCD comment. What you want to say? I believe that the lease is for people with some of the people. I think I think this is where it's coming in. Why she told you to put that on there? They're looking at the supervisor. Correct. Right. Correct. DCED has nothing. No, that's what Lancaster County Planning on. No, no, no, no, no. She's been in touch with multiple um groups uh referencing all these different um areas. Yeah, I was going to This is the first I've seen. That's what I'm asking. That's

I've got multiple copies of this and this one is the first I've seen this DCED on here and I thought, where is that coming? At your last planning meeting. Yes, ma'am. Come in. It's late. I'm getting ready. I get it. I get it. Tomorrow's going in tomorrow. Uh at your last planning meeting, you talked about uh possible grant or something like that with the DCD, correct? On modifying the zoning. Maybe that's where she's coming. That's from That's what I'm saying. I think that's where she You probably expected to go that way.

Yeah, because we had the gal there from EC, right? I think that's where that came out of. Yeah, because there was so much we could apply for, we had to outline, right, criteria, which I think is a really nice option. Yeah. So, I I know Justin was looking at that, you know, he was thinking since I'm not chairing I understand. and find out. So, does everybody agree or not agree that these all the one, two, three, four, five, six ordinances with the changes?

With the changes to the added to Tuesday's for advertising? Yes. stands have an issue though with the food truck. I I have not had a chance to review it and Evan was pretty clear in his email that he wanted another look at it. So I I mean I'm I will not be ready to vote on that one to advertise that one by Tuesday. Or I don't know if I will. I cuz I don't know why he's going to want to see the new Yeah.

Oh yeah. I don't think he did. He did a long time ago now. But yeah, recent changes. And I don't know. Yeah. Respond. This has to be It has to be priority one. He was told that. Trust me. the other. So, we still are waiting a uh legal direction on our disruptive conduct process. Yeah.

In light of the complaint filed by the ACL. So, I we haven't received any updates. Um Evan indicated there was some internal discussions about it. They were looking at it but we are not prepared to move forward

and that is part of 112 can go with 112 can go with 166 paired together was was done well on that retreat. Maybe we can put the food truck one on the docket for next week and then if Heather has a problem, we can table that specific one for a future meeting. Yeah. The food truck one he sent back.

Yeah, he sent back but he, you know, said he needed to he needed someone else to do a good eyeball. So yeah, I just didn't get to it yet.

Back up for a second. the disruptive conduct section that's being argued in a lot of courts or it's just a matter of there hasn't been any official action taking taken on notice and some concerns were expressed about the ordinance specifically the uh eviction session so it's been in the hands of office That's kind of So I think council It's getting late. I'm getting a little

I think council needs to establish something shortly on what we're going to do about our council. This should not take four months. I understand. I I truly get that stuff takes time and you got to go over everything and everything else. But for example, the rental is is probably four years, three years, four years on a rental. We're still waiting on a food truck which they knew about we got today or yesterday. It it doesn't make sense why we're it's taking this much time and I think that needs to our school needs to be addressed.

He is attempting to make potential changes to the ordinance for the conduct. All right. So, we are still going to put a couple on the agenda. Yes. Some small ones. Anything else under legislation communication? Uh, I'll be quick on this. Um, so for communication, we didn't just because of circumstances and time availability between myself, Tom, and Jack, we weren't able to sit down with staff to go over the communication plan, but there's progress on it. I'm hoping to have a meeting soon, so we could sit down and go through it all. Um, but there is one thing I wanted to mention. Um, Frankie brought up the live stream from last week. Um, Sharon actually also emailed me last week asking about it. So, I'll just tell you the same thing I told her, which was the what happened last week with the laptop was the broadcast laptop specifically that Jack has in front of him had a graphics error where it would not display the screen and it wasn't just like a blue screen that we restarted. It was fine. We restarted it twice and it still did not boot or display anything. Um, so that was about 45 minutes before the meeting started. Um, so we were trying to get it to work on a secondary laptop, but the c the software with the cameras needs something specific installed on the computer. So, we didn't have that on any of the other computers, so we weren't able to just swap out the laptop. Um, we

did uh discuss, Eric did bring up, do we want to like, you know, do something about the meeting? Do we want to like postpone or something like that? we decided not to because Paula was able to record as she said that they used to have to do before. Um, not the best solution. I totally understand and I know like parts of it were cut off in the recording that was posted on YouTube afterwards. Um, but we did uh Jack had the IT people come in the next day to repair it. So, just wanted to give some background on why that happened. Um, as far as what we can do to fix it, I do think that we could set up a better solution, a better backup solution than recording it on the phone. Um, not it doesn't necessarily have to be like a second laptop or anything like that, but we should I agree with that. I like that idea. I I'm glad you brought that up. Why can't we take the software that's needed to run from that laptop and just put on another laptop?

We certainly could. Yeah. that multiple of the staff laptops here could have the software installed so we could swap it out in the future as we need to.

Yeah, we could absolutely have that done. Um and then even if for some reason there's a hardware problem with one of the cameras, we can have, you know, if there's any other laptops or iPads or anything with a camera, we can set up the stream to go from that. It won't be as nice, but it'll definitely do the job um as a backup. And you know, I think we can include that in the communication plan as far as fallbacks for when this happens in the future. So I hope that addresses your concern from last week, Frank. Um, but that's mostly what I have for communications for this week or this week.

Question. You you've mentioned it several times. Communication to review the communication plan with staff.

Yeah. So, I've been working on a communication plan that outlines specifically the intents of our the intent behind our communications, the uh methods that we use, the scheduling, sort of stuff like that. That's not something that the burrow currently has. Um, it's something that I believe Todd had mentioned before, uh, but he said because also a conflict of interest, him doing graphic design and stuff, he didn't want to make one for the burrow. Um but again that our job is to give the priority not the means and methods. So to for you to come up with a plan that's staff's job.

Yeah. And what I'm mostly doing is just a draft that I'm going to hand off to Jack and the staff to do what they want with it as like a research and suggestions. I'm not saying that I'm going to write all this and then it's immediately going to go into, you know, policy. Um, but I know how short staffed they are and I just want to be able to help out and address some of the issues that I see coming in from the outside. So, yeah, it's not a hard policy necessarily. It's going to go through staff and everybody else before it becomes anything. But

I just want to make sure that I because I I I don't want anyone to be overzealous to the point of overststepping where what council's role is supposed to be. But that's all I have on communications. Thank you, Mark House. You have anything, Bonnie? Do you have anything house? She already gave her report that was supposed to be given this month. It was given last month. So, we already gave that the last workshop. No,

there's nothing updated, nothing you want to tell us. I will say last Saturday, not only was it the jail bell event and I don't believe people were there for that event specifically. They kind of found out about it, but that market house was packed all day. Well, it was a nice day. It was such a nice day. Oh, I know. They were all over town. Yeah, it's been very good. The the only real update I have is that we do have a new um produce vendor coming in. Oh, you do? For April 1. Yes. And we were told too that all of the vendors were current in rent till March 1st, right?

Which has been an issue in the past, but it Yeah. And all the stands are people coming on board. So everything's going well. Thank you.

Thank you. appeals. I don't believe there's any just the uh code reports in here and the condensation report and we did not have any new meeting other committee. Um, next meeting is on Monday the 9th. Um, that's going to be a monthly thing. I spoke to the newly hired uh staff member with the land bank authority. Uh, and I got a couple just quick updates. Um, this is from the last meeting. 154 to 156 South Fifth Street. Plans were submitted to Columbia Burrow finalizing financial security for the burrow and other remaining items before the project is released for bid in the spring. uh 149 151 Stump Avenue purchased through tax sale. Land Bank Authority is the current owner. Um and then 118 North 8th Street. This is one that I brought up before that was actually purchased in December. Um and they are going to be working the land bank of redevelopment authority are going to work with them. Uh but they are the people who purchased it are going to be doing the actual redevelopment of the property.

So So is a developer or sold individual? It was sold to an individual and it was resold. It's still in the It's still in the blighted property. It's still in the bladed like the determination of BL is still there, but the um because we talked about it at our last vac property reinvestment board meeting. They're going to be um contacting the new owner to make sure they understand the plate determination and what's required for that and uh make sure that all of that is taken care of. Yep. Will they be sending out the new uh invite too because I haven't Yes. Out because everything else was all

Yes. Apparently the old invite was they can't remove it because it was like the previous staff member is who owns the meeting, but they're going to be sending out a new one. I'll check in with them this week. I appreciate it. Is the sand bank meeting going to be virtual or It's going to be virtual and I do want to have some in person, don't they? They were talking about wanting to do like a hybrid, some people in person, some people online. Um not to they didn't settle on anything right now. You said one and a quarter. It would be nice to have at least like one a quarter in person. Yeah.

So that's it. All right. It is 10:00. Do we want to table the single trash hauler or I just I don't think I I have a draft from another burrow and I look I look for Pennsylvania. I look for bur. I don't look for another state. I don't look for city or township. It's Pennsylvania. So I don't have to worry about is legal. So there is one I found that's very good. I just want to know what council's flavor is, what what council think of it because if council thinks this is a waste of time, I'm not going to pursue it any further.

If it's something that we need to do, then let's get on table. But I'm it's not going to be something I'm gonna initiate in the middle of the year anyway. Probably be something we have to start like January one of next year. Maybe a million contracts specifically. He's talking about an ordinance because we have to do an ordinance change. Yes. But we don't want to do the ordinance work if we're not going to pursue Yes. a single hauler. So, we have to know is council interested in looking at an RFP to issue to explore this further or what?

Personally think it should be a priority. I agree. I also think we should look into it. Anybody else? I'm I'm open to anything. I was against it initially, but the wide open things it kind of does make sense. So that's Josh and why we need to make sure that we're very specific in our RFPA

as to what we are asking of the of the haulers. when our ordinance besides saying we want those sing when our ordinance pretty much describe what we want to No we saw no that's yeah that's not the point of the the ordinance

but like we we want to specify in the RFP do we want to do the collection here and pay the hauler or do we want the hauler to bill each individual property owner How do do we want them to do and this is not normally happen but do we want to require them to do residential and commercial or is commercial separate and residential but it would be hard for us to find existing examples right so it's been done before

oh yeah and we got we get we got all the RFPs from from Laxama they I mean they can provide that information we just have to make sure we really look at as council and say this is how we want it to work here. So effort just switched like a year and a half ago to single hauler. So we can also speak to some of their people and see what the effort of friends.

Let let me ask this then um the last giant February's workshop parks and records at the bottom. I moved them up one, dropped everybody down. Do we want to move? Wow. We want to put discussion on this at the top next work work session. I think so. And I think we're going to we're going to ask you guys to to move on this whatever. Um I'd like to be completely clean and ready to go for next year if we're going to go. So it does take time.

Yeah. Yes, it does. Um, so we'll make that a discussion key for the next work session as a priority. Yeah. And if we see some of those other RFPs, that may give us ideas that we didn't think of as well, because I know when I was reading through them before, Jake, the ones we got, it it I I was like, oh, you know what? I never thought of that. That's good to have in there. So, the Alex one was a huge resource because You know that's what they did. That's all I needed to know for that. Have any input on it?

Council comments. So no.

Next meeting will be 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10th, 2026. Council holder schedule meeting motion second motion by council easy second by council zinc. All in favor say I. I do get a motion to adjourn. Somebody told me