Another tough night

It was another tough night on the hill for the Tide.
Columbia lost to York Suburban as they surrendered 521 yards on the ground.
Columbia had a couple of bright spots on offense.

Read this week's Columbia Ledger for a full report on the game and also a preview of Friday's game with Daniel Boone.

Obama visits

Thursdays are usually a busy day at the Columbia Market House. Usually the market’s slow time is around four o’clock in the afternoon.
That all changed last Thursday when a few police cars, a black van and two big buses pulled up to the historic market in the first block of South Third Street.
It wasn’t a raid conducted by police, or, a tour bus stopping to purchase some goods from the market.
It was Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama and his entourage, which also featured Senator Bob Casey.
“We found out about 10 minutes before he got here,” said Mark Vera, a standholder at the market.
Vera and his mother, Market Manager Renae Sears, said Thursday they saw a few people inside the market, who looked “out of place,” but they didn’t think to question them.
“The Secret Service told us they had been looking at the building for about a week,” Vera said.
“We never knew he was coming. It was a well guarded secret,” Sears said.
Obama stopped at the Columbia Market traveling Route 30 going from a speaking engagement in York to one in Lancaster.
When the entourage pulled up to the market, about 50 people were inside the facility. Thanks to technology, or the use of cell phones and word of mouth, that number almost tripled. Vera said he had about 75 people in his traveling party.
“Cell phones were going crazy,” Vera said.

For more check out next week's Columbia Ledger.

School meeting held

More than 100 people attended last Thursday’s meeting held by the Columbia School Board to discuss proposed renovations at the high school. But instead of hearing positives and negatives about the renovations, the board got an earful about property taxes in the borough.
Many of those who spoke at the two hour meeting said they didn’t want to pay more in taxes to fund the renovations.
Frank Doutrich was the first to speak about the impact the project will have on taxes. Doutrich asked the board how the project will impact the district’s debt, which he estimated at $19 million.
Laura Cowburn, the district’s assistant superintendent for business services, told Doutrich there are provisions in place that would have little impact on the debt and the state does provide funding for construction projects.
“Right now, there is no definite funding in place,” Cowburn said.
That’s because the project is still in the planning stages. The meeting focussed on two options for renovations. From that, the board will decide what to do and want not to do, depending upon the money available.
“I am concerned about the debt figures for this borough. The taxpayers need to know how you are going to pay for this,” Doutrich said.
Doutrich wondered if the district needed to make the changes detailed in the renovation plans.
“The poor people in this town can’t afford these taxes,” Doutrich said. “You (the board) needs to get more input from the public.”
Dr. Stephen Perry said he was surprised to hear about the renovations, especially after just paying his tax bill.
“Are you addressing the needs of the community and its tax ramifications?” Perry asked.
Cowburn said until the cost of the project is determined by the board, the impact might be 1.25 mills over a four to five year period.
“I don’t have time to come to all of the meetings. I understand though is you don’t have the money to buy something, it is not feasible to do. We can’t afford this study,” Perry said.
“Does the board understand the needs of the community and the hardship the taxpayers are facing. They can’t afford it,” Perry said.
Tim Swartz asked the board to take in the economic condition of the borough before deciding upon its course of action.
He said the citizens need to keep attending the board meetings and have their voices heard.
Jetty Gerfin also spoke about the impact the project will have on taxes.
“I can’t afford the taxes,” she said.

READ MORE IN NEXT WEEK'S COLUMBIA LEDGER.