Borough Council - Regular Meeting

We're going to do louder work award. Um being held at the funded law department, 2026 at 7 p.m. May have a roll call, please. Council person Cooper here. Council President Kaufman here. Council Person Buyers here. Council Person Zinc here. Council Person Gez here. Council person Murphy here. Council person Ziggler

here. Mayor Lutz here. Thank you.

Is there anybody like to give the invocation? Captain Algiance 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. Are there any additions, deletions, or revision of the agenda? I have a motion to approve the agenda.

Second. I have a motion by Councilman Yeezy, second by Council Murphy to approve the agenda as published. All in favor say I. I. citizen comments. Anybody have any comments? Yes, I'm like stand up and talk to me for the record, please. You may want to come up here.

I'm fine. Just go ahead. Mark Fritz and I'm chairman of the uh L County Firefighters parade that's going to be held here in Columbia on uh June 6th of this year. Um I know sorry I wasn't at the former council meeting. Um and our president was a little caught off guard. Um just before before I started uh it is just ironic that I that Mr. fought running a meeting at Susana Fire Companyy's old house and now the CVY fire department from an old Keystone donor. But all those things are gone now. Everything's all done now and we're all great. Um the event is moving along like a steam train. Um we have uh participants that are still signing up. Um we're getting like two or three a day. Um there's not a lot of fire departments themselves inside. Uh we have like 10 or 12 fire departments. Um and uh we do have a lot of antiques and private one fire trucks, everything else. Um we do have bands already planned. Uh the Westminster band out of Maryland will be in first division. That's our largest band. Um uh we have a sponsor to them. They'll be in first division as with the Columbia High School band. Um we do have a kill band and we have some other bands that are also registered too. Um we are very pleased that the construction project was put on hold. Uh that kind of put that out of the way. Um we're just hoping for great weather. Um, and if anyone's been following on Facebook, um, it's been, uh, pretty, uh,

on social media about, uh, the grand marshall that we chose. Uh, we chose Mr. Elwood Tim D. Um, for that, Mr. uh, Mr. Elwood D has served, and some of you older people here will remember, Mr. D served two terms at his company fire chief. Um he was he served numerous years as the zone 7 fire marshal uh investigating fires uh throughout the whole western end of the county and uh he served and I don't know what the number is yet but he has served many years as a vision fire company fire chief um and Mr. Jack Runner's father served right alongside of him. Um, and between the two of them, they were a pair. When Tim moved into the bur chief's position, Jack took over as chief of the vigilant. When Tim was done with the bur chief, boom, he came back to the division became chief and Jack stepped down as the assistant chief and they just worked hand in hand uh the whole time. And uh so that's pretty much the parade. It'll start off at 2 o'clock here at the choir company. Do the normal parade route that Columbia has designated. Uh we have some fantastic judges for the parade. Um not to give it away, but two of them are both honorable judges from Columbia. So know who that is. And uh pretty much at the end of the parade and probably a little bit during the parade uh beginning the uh parade to plate event will be out at Glers. Uh we have about 14 food trucks that that are registered um pay their dues and everything. And uh the event out there will kick off at 300 p.m. And we have uh

food trucks lined up all around the track. Uh canopies and whatnot will be on the infield. So, you'll be able to walk around the infield, all your food trucks and um Bright Speed has graciously donated their uh money to put on a kids uh event area. We'll have four huge uh bounce houses. We'll be giving away fire helmets and stuff like that for the kids. Um and then uh we'll have the awards ceremony where we we give out the trophies at that time. The Cracker Beach band will be playing during the event and we'll have a few uh organizations that will have uh tables and booths set up. Uh one of them I think Columbia B police department questioned about having a recruitment uh area. We have a uh uh an animal rescue group that uh contacted us wanted to know if they could set up food too. Um, so and there's like two other ones that are interested in being there, too. So, um, hope everyone is here and put the word out. We do have posters up. We'll try and get it on social media, but we're hoping for a good day and that's definitely going to be the kickoff to the 300th anniversary of Columbia. Mark,

yes. This was discussed a little bit last night, but maybe you can shed some light on either you or how are we making out getting fired from other department?

It's a little struggle. It's We're We're trying. Um, and it might be one of those two that they wait till the last minute to start uh, you know, sending stuff in or contacting us. Uh but we if if we don't hear anything within the next week, we're going to put another blast out uh seeking help. But um there are if if anyone's interested in helping also um feel free to to to to uh let us know, let me know. Let let the anyone on the committee um he's here?

Yep. um letting know uh if you want to volunteer. Um there's plenty of things to do. We have shirts for the volunteers that that help out. Um we have those ordered. So um yeah, there's going to be a lot of things. Most mostly it's going to be the traffic, you know, making sure we have people at the intersections, we have safety people in the freight route that keeps the, you know, uh public away from getting too close.

Thank you. Y Thank you. Anybody else have any leadership committees finance in your packet you'll see the finance reports for

well I have a question. Yes. Some of them are from March, but then the one that is the detail of all the accounts looks like that's April. Can you confirm that? I will confirm it

cuz it it says at the top here as to me, we don't we don't have one for March then. We just got the April one. I will also uh we added a new page to this. We'll be posting um a monthly bounce on the final page page 22 of the packet. Uh this will be Eventually when we have all our accounts under one account we plan on separating accounts and we will have a capital account uh reserve account general fund um and so forth what finance decides but those accounts will be published here monthly so that everybody can see what our total balances are month Um,

is there any other questions on the financial reports? I Yes. Um, so when you when I see this general fund account, are you telling me that's a combination of those accounts? That is everything. And you want to separate them out? We'd like to Yes. And then you're going to print the separated. Good. And when when is the audit? When will we see an audit? It's still undergoing. It's not finished yet. Oh. So, we're still in the audit process. Okay. So, we're hoping maybe uh within the next month. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Um I have one question. I'm sorry. Okay. Go ahead. So on page 10 of the statement of revenue expenditures um line item 429188 the WWTP contracting services. So the next set of documents, the the ones that

showing you.

So it got Yeah, I'll start talking through. It's uh I just wanted to ask because it was budgeted for $500, but we're already at 285% of that expenditure at 1425. What is that account again? That's the uh WWTP contracted services. WWT.

Yeah. I don't even know what we put in there. And I think the $500 was just the placeholder. Um cuz that's typically one of our like when we just have like a placeholder, we don't normally hook things to there. So, I don't know what all was in that, but all of that amount is rebuilt to the tenant. So, even though it looks like it's over encumbered, it we're getting it all back anyway. Okay. Just wanted to make sure I didn't quite understand that. No, that was the one question I got. Okay. Any other questions?

All right. The next topic is Truest Bank closure. I'm not sure if everybody's aware, but truest bank sent letter out to the account holders and said they are leaving Columbia Burough. So, um the the first and foremost is I don't know how we get another bank. We had to work on that. I don't know. the Ber responsibility if it's if it's uh um merchants responsibility trying to get a bank in Colombia. I do know that it's very hard to sell bank building because the bank building stipulation is a sale. It can't be used for bank but it's only designed for bank. So it'll be interesting. So, we'll have to work to get a bank in the burrows. But as of right now, the only thing we have available is the ATM for Wells Fargo and have the shopping plaza is Northwest Bank out there.

Excuse me. It's the third bank that left over the past 10 years. Yes. It's kind of like I think it's going digital. Did they give specific reasons?

They did the letter but it's not a profitable branch.

Um with that being said, I mean where the banks leave, we were initially back in January time frame looking for a loan and we talked about from January to February. One of the banks we dealt with is Folk Bank. We were very pleased with Fulton Bank. Folk Bank not only wanted to give us a favorable loan, but they also wanted our services. Uh they came in, they gave presentation to uh uh Frank Brammer, um assistant manager Williams and our uh accountants from Browns. and all three I believe were pretty pleased with what they offered. Uh once that was done, they also came into the burrow and talk to some of the burough staff to answer any questions they may have. So it is my opinion and this will be probably on the next agenda that we move our accounts to fullback. Full back has a range located right off of Route 30. That was for discussion.

Anybody have any questions on that? I have a comment on that. Sure. Um I know there was there was concern about the cash like what do we do? I I I heard a concern about Well, we have the uh all of the coins from the parking meters. I thought we were getting rid of all the parking meters. So that shouldn't be an issue. That is that is Jake's topic. Jake, if you want to jump right in here and explain, you know, if you recall, we had a uh had developed a plan. It's a multi-year plan. So we're still going to collect money over the next couple of years. Uh so we will need to come up with some uh plan on how to handle the uh change.

I thought that that multi-year plan was only like two years and we're already halfway into it. Yeah. Unfortunately, uh because of everything that's transpired over the last six months, Jake Jake and myself haven't had the ability to focus on it. We will make it a priority. So, my understanding is, and Jake, maybe you can answer this better than anybody else. Um really all we need to do is erect songs. Correct. Remove the meters and the erect signs. I think there is some sign we would probably use sign holes in other place already. Yeah, we would just mount them to the existing. Okay.

So, just to be clear, parking mobile would be our our primary means for individuals to pay for parking, right? Yes. Yes, Jess. Were the burrow residents I don't know if this is still the case or not, but are the burough residents still allowed to go down and like buy like an 8 hour key? Remember how it used to be back in the day? They could buy like a lot of amount of time like turn the key in it. Like any permit parking or something to maybe cover this? What about the people without permit or without smart apps like our older people,

you know? And what are you going to do with parking meters? Can we buy them? Are we going to option them? Like what's the deal with those? So Jackie if I sure um Jesse last year council and at the time Chief Romer um initiated a senior pass so that seniors didn't have to worry about having that app. Um the act electronics you you know better than anybody that's that's right. So, it's a it's convenience. It costs for me repairs, transportation, money, coins, and we already lost a penny, but who knows what we're going to lose next. Um, it's just that's the way to go. Yes, sir.

Hey, uh, I knew Truce was closing. I reached out to a couple of bankers that I know that are like up in management. Can you can you speak to me, Paul Snider? Okay. Um, where would a bank open in Colia? That was their first question. And the second question is they had asked would the burrow help entice them to come into Colombia? Is there any way I can direct them to you or where would I direct them? Let me right now to the manager. I mean we'll reach out manager. We'll actually reach out to different banks area and and see if we can get them in here.

They got to want to commit. But as far as physical real estate, was there any brainstorming as far as where that would pan out? Now, honestly, this caught us off guard. Yeah. Um, we looked at we looked at um Yeah. I bank there and they're three doors down from my office, right? It's as short as being for the burrow. So, I mean, it's the first the first thing I think any We we want them to have contact with Troust to see if indeed they can purchase that back, right?

You know, and and if not, then we got to look for some place where we can do that. But I I think there are several of us uh interested in contacting other banks and see if we can entice someone to come in. You know, if you think about it, Colombian not having a bank is going to be a problem with a lot of our citizens. people are they rely on walking to the bank uh you know driving up to the bank in the downtown. It's uh it's going to be tough. Uh I'm I'm hoping that uh at least in the interim anyhow they leave the ATM in the lobby. Yeah.

But I don't know if they're going to do that or not, you know. So it it's something as as council president said caught us off guard but several of us already actually closing. Yeah, several of us are already talking in July. July. Yeah, we're talking to banks.

And like I said, we were working down on a loan process, right? From January through well, we're still we were still having conversations with them. They never mentioned to the letter came out. So, well, they probably didn't even know they were going. You're right. Can I ask Eric what is obviously Fulton has been pretty helpful to us in the first half of the year so far. What would be the process for exploring other bank options as well just to give now that we are you know wanting to switch to or needing to switch to another bank. Do we want to is there is there a process other than our

uh so the finance committee met and we we talked about full bank um just from past history as well as how helpful they were and and their um how do I say what they offer in London was very good. It's very favorable in the world. Um, so we just naturally said that maybe uh we could reach out to uh Northwest and see what they offer. Um, but the reality is we got to get it close.

So, it's going to be Mount Will in that area to find a bank that's working. Yeah. And since end of July, it'll have to be quick, too. Yes. So, I would expect company to brought back this money up. I think just the fact that they came and showed interest and you know and they're showing interest in it and others are you know we've had what three banks leave Columbian the last few years you know they're not leaving they're actually actively showing interest in serving us so yeah I mean that money I don't know how many

no with right they have an office amount they're not going to put in another town right it is it is expensive for a bank to to put up a shop in in a small town like Columbia with everything, you know, 50%'s digital nowadays. Hex go right in. So, I mean, the money transfers aren't there like they used to be. It'd be nice just to have an ATM. Say your name, please. Michelle

ATM. Nice to have an ATM in town. Yes. Well, one that works cuz you know that doesn't that Wells Fargo is always Well, it it's like out money more than it has money just Oh, yeah. There's also that PNC experience. Yeah. Yeah,

we can reach out to them, too. I just I don't want to get too far out. Yeah, for sure. And yeah, I I just wanted to make sure that we did just get a chance to look at some other options rather than just going with the first one. Um, even if it's not a full RFP processor, If we if we know somebody, we should have to reach out to Jack.

Any other questions or comments on? Okay, the next discussion is the employment agreement for chief polyarm. Um, as council was aware, um, current manager, myself and chief arms sat down, reviewed the agreement that was sent out to everybody. Um the agreement is similar to the agreement that Jack worked under that program manager worked under. Um there is an exception. She's asking for council uh to consider in the future her uh achieving her master's degree. Um, and what out of that conversation Jack and I came up with, uh, they thought of a policy for employees to to go for higher education through the bur, but it's contingent on the bur having money and a vote from council to approve it. So, that's only a difference in the current agreement that they sent out to everybody. Um, and then as everybody saw today, attorney Mike Miller sent out an email. Well, it was forwarded to us um on his his thoughts and concerns about the So, um I would like to vote on the agreement that was sent out yesterday, but I understand people disagree with it or

would like to do more work. So, if it's a notebook, we'll just We just go on further if it's a yes then we'll leave it as is. So u question which agreement are we talking about the one that was set out last night. Okay. So I just want to make sure because I know you saw

I know. Yeah, I just want to say um I absolutely do believe that Holly is the right person for the job and I do not have a problem with that. But I do have a problem with the agreement that was sent out last night. It did not match what we had talked about in executive session. And then with the comments from the labor attorney who said it is missing language that he had put in there for a reason. I I cannot in good conscience vote yes on a contract that I do not feel is in the best interest of the bureau.

That's fair. I appreciate that and I would appreciate more work being done and I don't accept the whole the statement that well it's the same one Jack had but that was 14 years ago and things change and everything or how many years ago things change and you know case law is written and we want something that is going to be um that's going to stand up if there if there's challenges whatever we want We want a good contract. I mean we have we agreement.

We have Yeah. We want a good agreement. I mean we have seen over the last six years the struggle when we have contracts that are not well written and are contradictory and everything else. And there are contradictions in what we were sent last night that I think need to be resolved before I could Yes or not?

I hate to do it, but I kind of agree. I didn't know which contract we were voting on. I never saw a finished one with Mike's notes in it. And I I didn't know what what the hold up was. I didn't know what Holly wanted that we didn't have in there. Um, manager Robert, um, obviously we can't go into too many details, but, um, what is your opinion currently with the information that the labor attorney sent over? What how how do you feel about the current iteration?

So, ultimately, it's council's choice. Uh, I provided council the feedback from the labor attorney. Um, Ali did provide a contract that uh was very similar to to mine as uh council president uh Kaufman indicated. Um, so I would say at at this point it's going to be up to council to uh to decide. I think I've furnished you with all the information that you need to make a decision. Okay. I read that contract. I read it again this morning and having gone through I I let me back up. I read that agreement back

and I read it again this morning and having seen agreements with two former chiefs and I also read the comments from our labor attorney. I see nothing wrong with the contract or the the agreement that was written um that I think you should vote on. You got a chief that's waiting on an agreement that was pinned here tonight. Voted in ready to start work and and you're harass you're you're you're going about certain things. I read the attorney's comments and most of his comments were well you can do this but maybe you ought to think about doing that. You know that to me that's wishywashing. you know, uh, it comes down to most of it comes down to an at will employee that you have the have rights, the employee has rights. Uh, I I really see nothing wrong with it. Any anything maybe missing or amended is already in law or in or in uh law with the Pennsylvania Chiefs the the statute for the Pennsylvania Chiefs Association. So, you know, I really don't see anything wrong. I don't see anything any reason for you to stall this and keep this chief on the hook. At the meeting last week, there was one specific uh and I'll say it because it's it was there was civil service language in the contract and we said in executive session that we were removing that and there is a paragraph that directly contradicts the ser civil service language and we said we were keeping that one and removing the civil service language. and the one we got last night contains the civil service language. So we h So there is a problem because there's a contradiction

and I understand we had we had the celebration and everything else but I feel like council is being strong armed into voting for something that because we've already done the celebrations and we've done this and we've done that and even though it's it's not there's there's these contradictions and the labor attorney has issues with some of the stuff that was omitted from it. It's just just vote on it because we already pinder to me that doesn't that doesn't seem right.

It may not seem right, but when you talk about civil service, as I read through that agreement, there were many instances to civil service. uh a lot a lot of the a lot of what is written in there is also written in civil service. Uh when when basically you say that the chief shall receive the same in in other in in small words the same benefits and uh increases and all that is that is afforded in the contract to the other officers. basically you're speaking civil service language and that's that's the way it always has been. Uh and that's the way you know it doesn't say I didn't see the word civil service

but when you're

but I've seen I've seen uh comments or or paragraphs that basically said set up what the chief would be entitled to. I'm talking about the the contradiction between an at will employee and afforded the protections of the civil service in that they're given the for you know terminated or whatever employees. That's a direct contradiction. you're either an admiral employee or you have the protections of the civil service in that you have all of those um all of the steps and uh what's the word I'm looking for the mechanism for disputes. You can't it it can't be both.

What's the difference? What do you mean what's the difference? Not a civil service. an atill employee. I know what an atill is is is what we are. But CI the civil service affords um affords officers a mechanism for to dispute their firing or their termination or right. Correct. But she is a civil service employee. No no union. She is not in the union and and that would not be a civil service

thing. Now, if we are if we are agreeing to the to the benefits and and those things, yes. But when we're we have to decide is it is it at will or is it or are we affording the civil service protections? Those are the things I'm talking about. You can't have both language in the contract. So, so you're saying take out the fact, take out the part that uh if this person is discharged from their duties, uh they have no right to speak. No, no, no. I don't have That's what it's saying. I don't have it in front of me right now to show you the exact

but you're af you're affording you're affording that affords anybody the right uh whether you have that in there or not they still have that right uh through the state through the state no the question comes down and the chief of police association the question comes down to if she does something wrong she understands termination if a new council comes then and wants a different chief for any reason whatsoever other than conduct then she should have that right to go back to the tent. Yes. That's the difference. That's I wasn't even talking about that part.

What were you talking about? So like legal definitions between considered that that's what he's talking about. Yes, I understand that. She in her agreements clearly states that she understand this is a at will.

Then the agreement needs to needs to be clearly and at will. The the agreement needs to be what everyone understands and not just oh it's good enough. But nobody would take a position where a council, a new council or even this council can change their mind and just bump somebody out of a job. But we still could because there is no statutory uh standing for an a a contract like this to extend past a council a council's term.

No, I agree with that. So I I mean that's I don't see that as as the difference. My thing is if you I'm trying to think of a a good way to say it. If you have an employee that is not meeting expectations in the civil service, there are protections for that and it is very hard to get rid of a person that is not meeting expectations.

Right. I I totally

and the diff there is a large difference between that and an atill employee. And so the agreement needs to be either an at will or afford those civil service protections. It can't do both. And I don't have the agreement with me and I can't get into my email again. But that's I mean so I'm okay if everyone wants to vote on it but I will be voting no because I I don't agree with the language some of the language that was omitted and some of the stuff that was included after we had discussed removing

your your employee handbook basically lays out for employees or any other employee the procedures that you're talking about. So whether whether you leave, you know, leave it there as is or take it out, they're still afforded those same those same protections and those same rights. I get that through the employee handbook. We need to make sure that the contract does not contradict itself and it does. It has to say one thing or the other.

I'll get you back. Um, I respect Heather's comments. Uh, and she should not vote if she doesn't agree with this. Um, Councilman Ziggler, do you have any comments?

Uh, the only thing I can say is I thoroughly come over the most recent copy compared to the other ones we got to vote. So, we've been through it over and over and over. So, there's always going to be things that you think should be or should be. There's things I think other than what was discussed might be in there too, but it's not but it's not something that's that's going to override anything. And the last sentence of the contract says you're basically got to abide by those laws of the compost of Pennsylvania. So cover

I don't know which one was first. Uh Sharon, I'm sorry. Okay. I wondered if it is typical for you to hire someone prior to having the agreement in place because that seems backwards to me and I don't know what the real procedure is. So Sharon um let me I'm sorry. No, I don't care. Uh I just want to

both the bar manager's position and Missy position have been handled totally incorrectly. I was didn't want to say that but I wonder. So why did you do it a second time? You did it once. Why would you do it again? I'm just asking. And I appreciated Heather's remarks tonight. We need we need to set up a policy policy for hiring people.

We don't have a clear policy. Um I I'll take the language. I made a mistake not following through with things and uh they just got ahead of us. where I thought would be hiring or agreed to agreement and an hire. Turned out that we weren't going to agree that night, but everybody we officially agreed on the salary. So, everybody was okay with everything. It was just these few sticking points mentioning and therefore we voted red because we wanted a cheaper place. fair. We just kind of hatch out the differences. I think be very Eric policing has changed in a lot of years. We wanted the best chief with the Burough of Columbia and a lot of people's opinion thought that was chief arm and I believe there was a lot of enthusiasm to get her on board as our next chief which may have spiraled a bit but I think council's point was to get the best candidate for the best employee in that position possible. Oh, and I'm not arguing about Hollywood cheat that I

the project I think the process kind of went a little backwards in our enthusiasm to see our next shoot and Frank couldn't quite hear and I I lost track of it. You said something about a master's degree and okay, we couldn't hear that. So, in in the agreement I was requesting that if um She would like she would like to pursue her master's degree and she's asking a burough council pay for it.

Now, it's not in the agreement that we have we're committing to pay for her masters. It's in the agreement that it may come up in the future. She would have to come back to the burrow, seek approval, whatever she goes after for a masters, and the burrow must have the funding to be able to do that. and she would have to present the cost of that. Yes. But out of that scholarship, out of that, Jack and I talked about we have different burough employees in different areas throughout that go for special programs and stuff or may just want to better themselves.

We really need to create a policy for that purpose. uh the amount of money we spend on the programs and also um time of service after they complete the program and grade you know depend on the grade how much they get reimbursed so that that's on our agenda to to discuss do something about that I think that also builds retention a lot of hospitals do it yeah they're doing it your nursing degree you have to stay working there for so I've worked with numerous employers that do the same thing.

They'll pay a certain percentage. You got to get a C or above or B or above, whatever they want to. Yeah. And I understand private companies sometimes offer that as an incentive, but I didn't know how it worked with you. So, exactly. For example, our codes department, we've we've hired people and uh Anise, who is our zoning officer, we hired her without all the content she needed. So, she is continuing in education on that. The burrow is responsible for that. And you did that with that one finance person, too. You did some training, didn't you? Yes.

So, we just want to put a policy in place so that somebody doesn't come in, get a degree or get, you know, an educ zoning officer education and go somewhere else to work. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, along with that, I had given um Jake a copy of West Hefield Township's policy for that for CDL. That's true. I gave you that cuz Andrew I asked Andrew for that. He gave it to me. You could share that with the because they like we paid for the CDL and then you know Yeah. I think they have four year have to stay a certain amount of time.

Yep. For each year it's so much they would have to pay back. Yep. Jesse, I don't know if this is going to help your decision or not, but Holly has a really good track record and I hear you guys up here debating on whether you guys are going to vote for vote for again, you know, against her, you know. No, it's not it's not for the agreement. It's language. I mean, are we allowed to see a copy of this agreement or is it now? I mean, I honestly think no matter what the case is, you should work with Holly and you should make your dream happen. I think she deserves to have that higher education if it benefits our burrow. And with her given track record, I don't think she's going anywhere.

I don't think any of us have none of us have an issue working with her to get an agreement in place. All right. So, where's our solicitor then? Why why is he not here? Like, because this is a work session and we don't typically have him here for work sessions. The But he doesn't handle the contract anyway. That's the labor attorney. The labor attorney did give us feedback feedback. None of which was included in the in the agreement that we are being asked to vote on tonight. So can she work the chief still until your agreement stands? Yeah. Okay. Okay. That's useful debate then. That was only my question. If we if we as borrowers ourselves up to litigation if something happens under her command and she's not

no contract hired. No. No, because there's no requirement for or against having a employment agreement for a chief of police. That makes sense. And then on on this the the the giving her higher education. I know across different businesses they offer scholarship programs. If the burrow could the bureau adopt a scholarship program and have it funded by local merchants? Um I know you can't allocate if we donate funs. We can't we can't tell you where to put the funds, right? You can tell that we're going to threat, but I don't think we want to get in that situation right now. Right. That's a good idea.

It is a good idea. President Kaufman. Yes. I'd like to make a motion to uh table the agenda item. All right. I have a motion on the floor by Councilman Fires, second by Councilman Cooper to table the employment agreement for Chief Alarm

until we can get a contract that's has everything in it. Correct. Um, all in favor say I. I. No. No. No.

I'd like to make a a motion to approve the employment agreement for Chief Holly. Second. I have a motion on the floor from Councilman Gez. A second by Councilman Ziggler to approve the employee agreement for Chief Holly. All in favor say I. Question. Question. Yes. I always don't hear everything. I'm sorry. But does all the council people have the same information?

Yes. contract. They all have the same. Yesterday, yesterday we received the final draft and this morning they received um um our neighbor attorney's comments comments. Well, this don't always happen like that. So, I have to ask. Right. And did I hear someone say that if the person doesn't meet expectations, they can go back to their previous job? Yes. No. Hold on. Did I not refuse?

No, you didn't. There you is removed from by council for nothing else. Thank you. But the decision of council and yes, she goes backwards, but she clearly states in there that any wrongdoings, she can be removed from office completely. Well, if you move her back, she can go back. What about the next person that moved up and the next person moved up? They got to go back, too, or they fired or what do you what do you do with them? Two lieutenants. Yeah. Good question, Frank. That's a good question. They go back.

It don't make sense to me that they can do that. That they can go back. If you're out on the job, you're working in construction. You mess up. Well, you can't go back to being what you was before. No, this isn't this. It's not that, Frank. It's not for cause. If there's due cause, she's out of a job. She wouldn't be here. The question is, she works at the will of counsel. So tomorrow councelor comes in and says, "You know what? We don't like women as chiefs. We're going to move her out. We're going to be in litigation." Well, I understand.

I'm just making she would not lose her job completely lose her job because council chose to go a different direction, right? A new council gets seated. two years from now, you have these people come on board, they might decide, hey, you know what, we really think that, you know, from what we've seen, we're not really, you know, super pleased with it, but, you know, we think we should move in a different direction. If she if there's no cause reason for removing her from that position, then she gets a step back. That's the only time when it's not for cause. What we got, Frank, was a contract

from Holly. A contract an agreement from Holly.

We got the agreement from Jack. We got changes or notes from Mike Miller, the attorney, the labor attorney. And but at no time did we see a final contract with everything on it all done with Mike's notes in there somewhere or not in there, you know, saying that, okay, we're not doing what he wants. We're just leaving it the way it is. We don't we didn't get it all together. You got yesterday's agreement today comments.

The comments are to that agreement. It's just there hasn't been another iteration because Mike took a day to get too. Did Holly have a contract as a lieutenant? Holly did not have a contract. She had no heat. Okay. Okay. So, now that she's chief uh and apparently Jack, you got a gun, right? Yes. I'm just wondering how far you might be willing to go back now. The lieutenant says, "Wait a minute. They got a contract. I want one, too." The lieutenant may want one.

Well, because because the lieutenant does not work for the evening. Okay. Where does that start? What position does this start? I hear you. The mayor and chief of corporal, right, Sergeant. All right. I'm glad to hear debate because too many times this was pushed through on other issues, not particularly listen, but I'm I'm glad to hear if you're going to turn the table upside down, pound it, whatever, you know, get this out and make it right. Don't push it through. Right. I have That's what I'm saying.

Thank you. Sure. The notion to table. So that failed. That failed. What was the I didn't hear. Uh, two of us voted yes. Two to five. Are our patrol officers civil service protected? Yes. It stops at officer level. No. It stops just a chief. Sergeant and sergeant. So sergeant and above. Sergeant below is is civil service protected. And then corporal and up is is at will. Corporal's under sergeant. Oh, right. Correct. Yes. lieutenant in a giant Jeep, then they're they're not protected under the civil service, right?

And that's in the burough code, state the state code. A lot of like say we're a burrow. A lot of this stuff is covered. That's pretty typical for most police departments, right? It is. Yes.

All right. Can I have a roll call vote? I have a a motion by council easy by council to um are you did you not vote on that motion that she made? No. Has to be a rule call vote on approval of the agreement the employment agreement for Chief Holly. Right. President Kaufman. Yes. Council person buyers. No. Council person Cooper. No. Council person Gezy. Yes. Council person Murphy. Yes. Council person Ziggler. Yes.

Council person Zinc. No. That's three nos and four yes. Thank you. You're welcome. And again, my vote of no was not against Holly. was against the contract. No, I just want I don't want anyone setting a narrative that I don't like Holly. Yeah. Any of us has nothing to do with that. I I totally get I totally get the issue.

Um community development and zoning planning is a hard one to get back. Anybody have any questions? any more discussion with the previous Uh, public works in our package report.

Oh, wait. I'm sorry. The the code report. Is there a reason we had March and then December? Were we supposed to see something special from December? It was an accident. However, you can compare. I was like, "Wait a minute. Can I something in December?" However, you can compare last March with this March if you want since it's air. Thank you. I kind of like that.

All right. uh I just unless Jake has anything to add to say, you know, it's springtime, so season of snow, expect to see work popping up around town. Biggest thing I really wanted to comment on was the recent vandalism at Mel Park. Um, I know it's there's cost to it, but we don't have to speak vote on it tonight. I really think we need to look into the possibility of putting more cameras in strategic places down there because what really concerns me is the amount of money that was spent on the bathroom. And um, we cannot tolerate vandalism again. I mean, it's just the stuff that people have to start appreciating what they have. And this is a lot of money again that was spent there and we just can't keep saying oh well trash it again will fix it can't do it we can't keep repeating cycle so I'm asking the neighbors you keep more of a vigilant look on it and like say it has to stop right Kelly there's a there's a meeting being set up with our provider atte a camera that and directly on the doors the rest of the and and if we see any other areas hit that at that park that need be covered, you know, we want to be able to look into it. You're absolutely right. The neighborhood needs to take they need to step up and take control of that of that area. Uh to to have happened what happened uh someone else had to see someone else involved. They they need to start speaking up. You know, we did this a couple years ago

when we had some problems down there. We took the we took the rims uh off the backboard, basically closed down the the courts. I see no reason why if things continue on with the money that's been in invested, especially the money from DCNR, that if this continues, we don't have any resolution to it that we shut that park down. What's going what's going to happen is DCNR is going to come down. They're going to look say you can't you can't keep up the money we spent. You're not getting anymore. It will affect.

Do we have surveillance there? Yes. Is it not? We're working on adding. Sorry, I missed that. It's poor. Yes. Does Columbia have any neighbor watch committees? I think

we still do have the neighborhood. not not in not in form, but we we talked to the neighbors in that area prior to and during the the reconstruction down there and told them, you know, for example, several new homes were built on Fiser. Their backyards face apart. We talked to every one of those residents said, "You need to help us out." We talked to several other people uh about helping us out. So far, uh, we haven't got a lot of help out. Do you still have the the Suns Central for the parks? Is it being patrolled more actively? Yes. Yes.

Okay. I mean, could somebody offer reward for the for the recent vandalization? Like, is that is that a is that a thought? Jesse may come to that, but we're going to see what we can do here first. Okay. We're going to get the word out. You know, uh, pretty soon there will be some events there and We usually we usually during those events we ask the folks to talk during those events to help us police that area. You know the other day the other day the area it takes longer some days to pick up the trash than it does to mow.

That to me that makes no sense whatsoever. Is is is that the part that Kurt Evans? Yeah, I'll talk to Kurt and I mean maybe we should talk to Kurt about it because Kurt pretty much has a stronghold in that part of the neighborhood. We haven't talked to Kurt Kurt, but if you want to You're welcome. Yeah. Yeah. Well, like I said, I I mean I mean just an observation, you've been around a long time. Jack's been around here. I've been around. Joe's been around. Each neighborhood has that guy. Like my neighborhood has has that guy has that guy. Joe's neighborhood has that guy. the neighbor has that guy. I mean, let's let's find that guy and maybe we can get some kind of neighborhood thing going on,

you know, and and look out for each other. I mean, a little bit of of of civil service from our neighbors would turn. How's the dust and dawn lighting there? Is it decent? We just added new lighting that Okay. I know we were renovating a property right in that area a few months ago and the guy's work truck got ransacked all his tools and everything. So, it's definitely been an issue. It It is a problem. You know, it's the only park we have that kind of is out of the public view like in a hollow. Could we get some kind of motion sensor equipment back there at night time?

We our cameras are set up that way. Did they alert you when somebody's moving through a park at night? What happens is sometimes you have poor resolution. What about IR illuminators? Can we and now and nowadays with a hood on and a mask. True. You're looking at two eyes. We're going to see what we can do. We need the word out and I appreciate any help. Yeah. Yeah. reach out to Kurt Evans like get that part of the neighborhood looked at. I mean, like I said, Kermit's a pretty big figure. Talk with the union. So, we talked with Chief Martin. She has already stepped up here. Okay.

And Jesse, like I know the yearly there quite loves the park. I mean, he loves the park. So, maybe maybe we can get some kind of neighborhood watch or something. Get some more radios, you know. Yeah, I had, you know, last time this happened, I talked to people I know that live down there and they said the same thing is, yeah, yeah, we're working on getting a a neighborhood watch together. Well, the burrow would, you know, more than appreciate something like that. But again, you know, you not anybody, but that basketball tournament that Kurt has every year is a big thing for the damage was done to the basketball court. what if it was major damage instead of minor damage and the bro just said we don't have the money to fix it so it's going to stay that way and now it affects his ability to have these tournaments

children that's the kind of crash that you know that that's that's the seriousness you think it's just a minor thing you know no it's not a minor could have been a big thing

when we had the problem where the back one backward was broke and the rims were bent we took the rest of the rims down basically shut the basketball courts Kirk raised the money to put new rims up and a new backboard and and it went well after that. So, you know, Kurt did. So, hopefully he can get at it again. He can say, "Hey guys, you know, you need to take care of your losses." Well,

Kurt and I are pretty good friends. I'll reach out to him. I'll see what we can do. question. Yes. The new bathrooms that was put in there, how does this work? Uh, of what I seen, it had numbers that you have to push to get into the bathroom. So, they go ahead there. There it's push button lock. That lock is set. It's unlocked for a period of time and then it's locked. Um, but that's hammer by Wilson. Okay. So, you have a day that you have a function there. We can unlock.

We can unlock that. We have to have some kind of security there to make sure we're not going to trash it. Uh, that's what we're That's why we want to install the cameras, the camera. We looked when we installed the we did the renovations last year. We didn't have enough funding to put cameras in. That was a strong request by the mayor and chief at the time. But we didn't have the funding and obviously we didn't have the funds. Uh we said in phase two of that project is when we put the cameras in but obviously we have a need for those cameras sooner rather than later.

So you put the cameras in and they wear the hoods and things over their face. We still don't solve the problem. This has been going on for years especially there. So we spend all the money and we still ain't got a song. So it is my opinion just like downtown streets in any neighborhood. The more active they are, the less crime you have, the less the less everything there knows. Yep.

If if businesses are open downtown and lights are on, shady stuff's not happening out in the streets in our parks. and and I'll challenge parks and rent. If our parks are busy and occupied on a regular basis, then the trash won't build up. The uh bathrooms and stuff will be taken care of because they'll want to use those parts. But when they're left vacant and undisturbed for months on end, they they just feel like nobody's paying attention to them

and that's where stuff happens. So really it's we just have to create more activities in that area. For example, that Kirk Edmond uh tournament that's a lot of it. It's takes it's two weeks and that is packed with people back in. Yep. In that time you're not going to find anything big.

Wow. Has anybody ever toyed around with the idea? I know they're dust dawn like most parks are. But Columbia, we have our own little community here. You know, there's not much for the kids to do. Having it staffed and allow it to be played until 10:00 on certain weekends or whatever. Uh even if it's staffed by volunteer, you know, people and it's coordinated or maybe that's where a park wreck can get the churches or or other community youth organizations involved to do that kind of stuff. Summer programs are great. I know they're talking about trying to put one together, right?

Um but again, funding is funding. Sure. They a lot of it have to be volunteer. Just have to be and you got to get the kids out too. I mean Leo, you know, is well aware of this. Council did try this. I don't know what 17 2018. Yeah. For two years. Well, three years. Um at uh what's it called? Rotary. No, the other bought equipment, all kinds of box hockey, all kinds of stuff. First year we had what, seven people can't sign up.

Second year, three or four, third year, nobody signed up. This is like, you know, we really got to get that message out a little harder, I think, too. And we went through the school district helps out with, you know, get the message out. But yeah, I mean, like I say, if the parks are busy, no one's no one's messing around because too many eyes. So, I I do visit the parks. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Sean. Hoffman. I do visit the parks at least every other week, right? Just to go in and look at the play equipment so I can take it back to our committee and or advisory and look at what maybe we can do that's inexpensive. Maybe spray wash the equipment down. Sometimes it's spray painted. some things that are a little bit deteriorating. It's like the wood gets dried out from the sun. I've talked to uh to Jack about it, to Jake about it. I'll put flower pots making it more attractive, more inexpensive ways um to keep those parks attraction to them. And if they see us in there as a committee, I'd love to do something with Bury Park. But Mako Park was sad to see and I get that upset everyone. and it made me upset, more sad than angry. Um, I didn't understand. And I even went down the next day and called Kurt while he was on the road somewhere and he's like, "Can you send me a picture?" And I did. And he said, "I'd like to fund raise. Would you do that with me for cameras?" I said, "I believe that, Jack, you are looking up a system." And we are looking maybe to fundra for that depending on the cost. I mean, we're trying to figure out other ways, but that park is just so in a hollow down in behind everything. It's not out in the open like all our other parks. So, like your neighbors see it. Most of those are backyards. So, um, and I've been down there when it's been super busy and I've been down there when there's nobody on that in that park. It's just a really nice park. I don't want to see us close it up on them because of two bunch of hooligans that thought they were going to destroy it. But I do know Spring and Spur Park just had this problem at their

basketball courts and their police station is like butts up right against their basketball courts and they have a gate. They locked them out. Okay, you're going to go in there and fight and destroy stuff. we're going to lock the gate for a month and until everyone can get it together and go in there and behave yourself, then that's what you do. But I had thought about gating like blocking it in because what suffers here is the families in that community that really use that park earnestly and those kids. And if you have older or young adults destroying it, then we need to figure out how to keep them out of it if they're not going to respect it and to protect those families and those kids in that community. So, I do know that there's a lot in there. One time I was there, it was like 45 people on a beautiful day and they weren't hurting anything. They were just enjoying riding their bikes on the on the court. I mean, it is up to us to try to figure that out. And you know, Long's Park has a gate, a magnetic one.

Sorry. Maybe you just light it up at night. I mean, four big bright lights. I mean, I had an iate neighbor one night. Well, you guys know what happened. I live four street up. You know, Jack, I lit the whole block. Yeah, but then you got neighbors that will keep you up.

I mean, they're dressed in the park like, you know, somebody from the park. receive miss lights are on, you know, get them on a timer. Have them come on like 11:00, brighten up the park a little bit, turn them off at three, have them come back on four, you know, turn them off and on, you know, that way some spook around. You know, bright lights always work. Again, you're talking from a guy that used to live on four, right? That had a had a horrible neighbor and I couldn't have handled it the way I did. But I put a lot of bright lights out. Remember that, Jack? And and my problem disappeared. So maybe some bright lights, like maybe four big bright lights directly towards the center of the park. Anyways in there, everybody will see it at night. You know, I'd rather pay for the electricity than the $80,000 camera that you're going to have to install there that you're going to see a guy with a hoodie on when somebody out their window be like, "Hey, there's a guy in the park." So maybe some lights.

They're they're all really great suggestions and solutions. It's the cost, who's going to do it, who's going to watch the camera, all of that. And they're great, Jesse. If so could legal businesses I own in business. We're military ring. The question is will you accept our help? That's I don't think that's a most most of the newer cameras today are most certain and and the officers have the ability to monitor those cameras that are cruising. Oh, that's good. Oh, I didn't know that.

We get We get those cameras installed. If it's some of that, we can probably do some jobs here. Yeah. I think we really have to be much more firm with it this time. I This is my 15th year on camp. You got to get in someone's pocket. Get in their pocket. Wrestling in their pocket. I believe I think this is the third time to fix it up. I think we really need to get the message out. This is your last chance. Take care of it or you may lose it forever. All right. But yeah, the public's health anything like that any work up. I can't see why we'd be against it. Thank you. Public safety.

Before we get off the public works, I just want to publicly thank manager Graham. He was on the yard truck a couple weeks ago and I forgot to put my bag out Sunday night and I heard the truck coming down the street and until my little legs could run out with my with my bag, they were down. He ran up and took my bag from me and into the into the truck. So, I appreciate that because I was really I didn't want to have to have that bag sitting another week. Thank you. Thank you, Jake. I was running with my little legs. All right. Yeah.

Public camera. I know there's a lot going on public safety concerning the um position change at the chief of police. Um I would like to extend I know it's a day late extend appreciation comment to our firefighters. Yesterday was firefighters appreciation day and we enjoy a very um good relationship with our volunteer fire department here. So thank you. I'm going to steal uh Mayor Litz's thunder for a second. He suggested that uh we have a meeting public safety uh maybe the chief of police in regards to the ebike complaints um that we're getting and also seeing persons as you're going downtown. So, it's my intention to maybe pull some of the ordinances from different municipalities. I knew few have a few have a little bit more stringent policy uh written into their policies or ordinance than we do. So we would like to take a look at that and see if there's anything that we can incorporate to uh alleviate some of the ebike um traffic and mishaps that are going on.

Is that meeting the public? I don't think initially. I think it's just going to be factf finding at this point. We're going to take a look at some of the contracts, see if there's things we can practically or legally maybe look at introducing with the ebike and as we get something that looks uh feasible while we would certainly present it at a meeting.

Yeah, it'll come to a workshop before it gets voted on or anything. So, there'll be plenty of time for public comments and adjustments. Thank you. Uh market report. Anybody have any questions on the market report? All right. Five minutes. Right. Okay. Eric,

I'm sorry, Frank. Go ahead. I wanted to go back to Sure. Absolutely. Does anyone sitting there know where we're at financially at this time of the year? Are we kind of breaking evening or are we still in the whole world where we at? Does anybody look at the finance? We don't have a finance report. Well, I I've been looking at the finance reports. We're not breaking. We're not breaking. Are we in the hole? Yes. How much? I don't know the amount. I would have to go back to what I know. I know that was a kind of a dumb question asking at this point, but somebody should be watching this. If you don't have a finance manager, somebody should be on top of this.

How about Brown? Brown is doing this work. Are we getting anything from them? I mean, they're not looking at at each individual. They're not looking at something specifically like that like you're talking about. I mean, that's the finance committee. That's our job is reviewing these finance reports and seeing, you know, where different things are at. And I'm telling you, yes, I do review that. And yes, I can tell you we are in the hole and we will be sure. Is there any looking ahead to the future that we might be making? You probably follow it more than anybody. That that will probably be a negative

forever for for a long long time. I mean, it's it is not going to be I mean that's unless you jack rents way up and start having a huge amount of of like rentals in there. We're just not generating the revenue. I think the market house is working and people are making money, but it's the people doing the business there are making the money. Shouldn't the taxpayers be kind of breaking even at least we would have to increase scan rental.

So that I'm just telling you that's what it would understand. Um I'd like to announce um the a speaker event on May 9th sat this Saturday at 2:00 at Columbia Crossing. It is hot time in the Old Town Columbia firefighters history speaker event. Um that's part of the 300. Um the bike rodeo we had this Saturday. Um we didn't get as many attendance as we thought but um the idea was like a fifth grader and below would come and that's what we got with their parents and they all registered. It was at the river park. It was I think it went very well. It was a gorgeous day. The kids didn't want to leave. We wanted to stay with the officers and do the obstacle. That was really cool. And we decided that um perhaps we have it in August again like on a fourth Saturday when they have like a carnival. Mac does their fourth Saturday. Have it uptown so kids can come cuz really what we want to get to Tom is the ebikers, the kids on the scooters. Because I had two coming at me the other day straight on. I was like, "Okay, are you guys going to stop? Cuz I'm going to stop." So, there needs to be some education if they're even allowed to have them.

That's where you start.

Their parents need to be educated. So, it's not just these kids, it's adults, too, riding these scooters all over. So, we would I would love to be part of that meeting. Our committee be part of that meeting um to address it. Maybe we can do something again. And we have everything that we bought from there left over for August. So, it was good though. We had the pilot club there who did brain injury classes, measured kids heads. Um, uh, Chicky's Outfitters, um, checked the safety of bikes, build tires, check chains, that kind of thing. We had two volunteers from Velocity. They were two students from Penfield High School, 10th graders, who needed to do their volunteer hours to graduate. They came, so they were they were having a grand time. SNHA um, provided giveaways. We have a lot of giveaways.

Michelle, what's Velocity? Velocity, I guess, is a club. Okay. To that they can gain their um volunteer hours. We didn't get them to come, but the pilot club of Lancaster brought them. So, they just helped with the event. They were two students. It was a great opportunity for them to be part of that. They said, "If you do this again, let us know. We need hours." It's kind of cool. Um the police department did all of the um they were really great with the kids. Um the obstacle course and some training and then they also gave free lensures for their bikes. A lot of people took advantage of that. Free bikes.

Yep. Free bike license. Yep. So, it actually was um I felt like for our very first one, I don't think we did too bad. So, we're hoping to do it again in August towards the end of summer. Thanks for your effort. Thank you for your effort. Thank you very much for your effort. You're welcome. You're welcome. Yeah. Force that I would like to see us do with that like when you guys have your place. Thank you. Is there anything else?

Um I would like to encourage since we're Is this being videoed? Um, I'd like to encourage the community of Colombia now that the Burough Hall has their decorations up um up at the Burough Hall that we encourage the Colombia community to start decorating for the 250th America 250 and also also Columbia's rights fair at Columbia's 300th and knowing the parades coming on the 6th. Memorial Day is coming and on flag day like it's a good opportunity to start getting your houses together for that if you can. We are going to do some type of campaign as a 300th around town. We just have to discuss that. Going to meet with Jack on that and see how we how we can do that. Much better. Thank you.

Thank you. Is the school going to volunteer to paint windows again? You know that was brought up and um they will be out of school. We were hoping there are some artists in town though that love to do that and we talked about having them do the patriotic thing. Great idea. We buy new windows every year and I haven't seen anybody. Okay. Well, I'll definitely check that out. I know that was on the agenda a few months ago to do that. It's a perfect way of doing that. Yeah. Um I love it.

I would like to bring up one other item. Um, we have a board member who's been on our board for some time, for over a year, year and a half, and um, I would like consideration to have that board member removed because of inactivity. I understand the circumstances in that, but my committee is moving. The board is very strongly moving and rolling with the 300. We need more people. We need people on our committee to help facilitate and do things. So I'm going I'm asking you the consideration to remove Christopher Beer. I've seen him in person. We've talked. I've never mentioned it to him, but he's included in emails, but he doesn't come to any meetings. He knows when they are. Um I don't have any ill will about it. I just need to get another committee member on and It's been well over a year and I think it's time. Yeah,

I held off because it's a sensitive subject, but it's time now. Anything else? Nope, that's it. Thank you. Thank you. Boards and commissions vacancies. Zoning hearing board. There's one vacancy, although we did receive um an application for zoning. Um I I don't know if everybody's aware

see that application for a vote two vacancies on the zone. We have none right now. One vacancy on one. One registered for two. They're alternates. They're alternates. I said was there always two alternates. There's two two rows available. Say it again. Two were always available. Okay. Don't even play. It's very hard to fill these seats.

How long are you taking applications for for the zoning? And uh where do we sign up? Um applications are on the website. applications on the website for all our committees. Uh a committee is full. You want to apply for it. If the committee loses the purchase, your application will be considered each month. Uh we'll take applications through the 20th of each month and then we have to make a decision for council has to make a decision for the month. So you guys have one application so far.

We received Um, parks and reccks has an open seat. Zoning has two alternate seats and planning commission has three alternate seats. Volunteer applications will be considered through the 20th of each month. Burough council comments. We'll start with council buyers. Yeah. So, uh, only thing I have is over the weekend I went to the collaborative governance academy in Philadelphia. Um, got to meet, uh, some good other representatives there, different sizes. Some from, uh, Phil, one of them, for instance, was, uh, a member of the Philadelphia City Council. Um, and we learned uh, a lot about just a lot of different things. One thing that's very interesting was discussing the restrictions on a progressive tax rate in Pennsylvania. Um, for people who don't know, a progressive tax rate means that the more you earn or the less you earn, that changes the actual tax rate that you pay. In Pennsylvania, it's in our constitution that it has to be a uniform tax rate. um and it is pretty limiting for a lot of um revenue development um in different areas. So we spent a good amount of time talking about some different options what some other municipalities are doing to try to increase the revenue that they are able to pull in. Um and you know that's I I can give more details in the future to the to the finance committee. Um but yeah it was really interesting um among the the things that we learned. I was really happy to spend time here.

That's it. Thank you, Councilman Cooper. Um, I've got my committee for homelessness together. I sent everybody an email with the list today. And, um, our ne our first meeting will be May 21st at 3:30 at Bar Hall. Thank you, Councilman J.

Um, first of all, the uh county elections board held their meeting. There are no polling place changes in the burrow for the upcoming primary. So, wherever you voted last time is where you will vote this time. We didn't have a formal report on legislation, but I just want to say that the food truck ordinance has been reworked and I was waiting to see if it was coming back to a workshop to be reviewed again or voted on or just voted to advertise. Um, and then the rental ordinance is almost ready for re-re. I am waiting for the language that um the solicitor said is we legally need to include um for disruptive conducts. There's some changes that we need to do there for legal reasons. I'm just waiting for that verbiage to be able to integrate that into the um rental ordinance and we'll be able to bring that back for another look. um been following just so everyone's aware Derek had mentioned it there have been changes to the CBDG program and we most likely will not be submitting an application well we won't be submitting an application this round um but they may open up um around a second round in the fall um the changes they've made have made it very difficult. I don't know that any municipality is going to be able to

fit into those into those requirements. Um I mean they want all money to be expended by February, the end of February. Well, no one does projects in winter. Like no one's paving in winter. So it it's just really it's really disheartening to see um that happen. But um and then finally last year, I don't know if anyone remembers, but last year uh the Liew County MPO had approached the burrow because PennDOT was interested in doing um some design work and streetscape work um with complete streets and road paving and markings and things like that um in some of the burrows they they graded them based on crash data and age of the the roadway, age of the road deck and things like that. And Columbia Burough was at the top of the list for where they wanted to to look at some projects. Um so last week we had a kickoff meeting with PennDOT and KD I think it's KDON KDON, I don't remember. I think it's KDson. Um to talk about to to brainstorm where we would like to see um some safety improvements and everything. Originally, they said they wanted to give us designs for three three block sections. until it was all said and done and we were talking about things, we realized that a lot of our safety improvements are centered around intersections and not necessarily whole block or multiple block sections. So in the end um we left it that they are

going to look at um the area of Linster Avenue between 8th Street and basically the shopping center. Um they're going to look at safety improvements for there. They're going to look at front the intersection at front and bridge fourth and Union. Um the five points five points and there was one other one. Fifth and

fifth in Chestnut. That's right. Fifth and Chestnut um for for safety improvements. So um we'll see more more to come later. Um this is it's all being funded through the no. it's not at a cost to the burrow and um once the design and stuff is done it makes it easier for us to look for funding um to implement those projects. So you know there I think there's two other municipalities I think one is Epherta and I think Denver is also getting some work done as well. That's it.

Thank you. I just know with the CD um is still Yeah, he isn't here. He wants to get up on the whole thing, right? They've had a they have a change over and they now have some new people and things are just a mess right now. But he does have an upcoming meeting with them to try and discuss this fix because they They have the same process they follow every time and that process was followed from here. Thank you.

I was going to speak about the CPD out and I just say comments change in leadership and change in their process from last year without you know proper notification to the people applying. Not well thought out. Thank you. Um, I recently received a u invitation to a webinar from the Department of Transportation in regards to grants available for um safety crossings at railroads and obviously we have a very heavily traveled um crossway at our railroads. I'm going to attend that see if there's anything applicable. Is that a webinar?

Yeah, it is tomorrow. Oh, good. 1:00 tomorrow. So, see if there's anything applicable or rail roads are not exactly a wheelhouse. So, I'll take a look at it, see if there's anything that the world can find use. That's a really good one. And they they're they're touting that they have uh $1.1 billion 1.1 billion available for grants uh this year. So, so it's possible with something that we could use. Is that everything? Yeah, that's all I

Thank you. Um, first I'd like to thank uh the fire company for uh having us out here. Appreciate it. Thought the ceremony got called tonight. I was I was glad that everybody had the opportunity and I think we want to see everything. Uh secondly, I'd like to thank for staff for making this transition out here. uh for helping us getting supplies and everything else he did. Nice to meet you first. Um got a lot of work ahead of us. Going to be a busy year.

It's all right. Announcement of next meeting will be at 700 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12th. Uh council water meeting I have a motion for today. I have a motion by Councy, second by Counc Ziggler to journal. All in favor say I. We had a taste yesterday.