Columbia Spy

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

At Tuesday night’s Columbia Borough Council meeting, council decided not to reopen its 2026 budget. 

The subject had been broached at the January 5 organizational meeting when Council President Eric Kauffman said he wanted to open the budget and possibly raise taxes. At last night’s meeting, however, Kauffman said he had wanted to give new councilors a chance to weigh in, since they were not yet on council when the budget was passed in December.  “I am giving you guys the opportunity if you would like to reopen the budget and maybe look at some cost savings.” Kauffman said, addressing new councilors Ethan Byers, Jeanne Cooper, and Thomas Ziegler, Jr.

Before councilors responded, resident Sharon Lintner addressed Kauffman and pointed out the inconsistency. “Tonight you said cost saving was the reason [for opening the budget]. But at the last meeting, you said it was because you were thinking about raising taxes,” Lintner said. 

Kauffman responded that he had heard there was discussion by councilors about raising taxes to protect financial reserves. Currently, general fund reserves stand at about $300,000, much lower than the recommended 15% of the budget, and the millage is 10 mills. “I just wanted to give everybody the opportunity, since we have three new council members, to speak their mind since they didn’t have an opportunity,” Kauffman said.

Ethan Byers suggested splitting the difference not just through taxes and reserves but with considerable cuts, adding that he doesn’t want to raise taxes for 2026. Byers also suggested a hiring freeze “maybe for the first six months of the year.” 

Acting Borough Manager Jack Brommer announced that a hiring freeze is already in effect. “We have enacted a hiring freeze as far as the new positions that were placed in the budget,” Brommer said. He also noted he is expecting at least one retirement from the police department in the near future.

Council is still looking to hire a finance manager, though, according to Kauffman. The borough’s most recent finance manager resigned in December, as Columbia Spy reported HERE. Currently, finances are being outsourced to Brown Plus, an accounting firm. 

Councilors Cooper and Ziegler said they don’t support opening the budget. Byers ended the discussion with a promise to move aggressively on finances: “Our plan currently is to be pretty aggressive about making financial changes this year. So, as long as we follow through on that, which I hope we do, I hope that we can make some sizable changes before the next year and not have to make any tax increases—or keep them as low as possible if we do have to do that.”

https://crimewatch.net/us/pa/lancaster/columbia-boro-pd/10552/cases/shooting-incident-0

At Tuesday’s Columbia Borough Council meeting, council decided not to reopen the budget, meaning there will not be a tax hike for 2026. Millage will remain at 10 mills. In addition, Borough Manager Jack Brommer said a hiring freeze is currently in effect.

Details will follow.

The meeting packet is HERE.

This week’s photos of Columbia 

Click on photos to see larger, sharper images. 

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

A few days ago, a bulldozer arrived at 750 South 9th Street, to begin a project to construct nine single-family attached dwelling units on the 0.55-acre lot.

The lot, which Valley View Capital LLC bought from the borough for $70,000 in 2023, is located at the intersection of South 9th and Avenue X.

Here’s another look. Avenue X is in the foreground. 

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Based on the painted lines, it looks as though some digging is planned for the first block of South 4th Street. 

Here’s what the colors represent. 

Clover Tattoo just opened across the alley from the Columbia Market House . . .

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No Poop at Columbia River Park 

Meanwhile, at Columbia Curiosities . . .

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On Thursday afternoon, there was gridlock through town for about two hours. 

Also on Thursday was this vivid sunset. 

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On Wednesday morning, there was fog and ice and ice and fog . . .

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UGI dug up a portion of the 100 block of North 3rd Street, but did a very poor job of filling in the holes afterwards. 

Racing towards completion at the Habitat for Humanity Linden Street Build 

Where the decisions are made

Mr. Rehab was inspecting and cleaning the sewer lines on Manor Street this week. Lancaster City’s pipeline installation project is scheduled to begin in February. The backstory is HERE.

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How they get the equipment way up there

Duck hunters, camouflaged

Converging clouds over the river Sunday morning (1/11/26)

The bumper stickers are a dead giveaway.

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There seems to be some confusion here. This map at Columbia River Park says motor vehicles are prohibited on the trail, but Google’s AI Overview says they’re permitted (assuming e-bikes are motor vehicles):

E-bikes are generally allowed on the

Northwest Lancaster County River Trail especially pedal-assist models (Class 1 & 2) but with specific rules: they must have a low wattage (under 300W for county parks) maintain safe speeds (around 15 mph limit), and be used at the rider’s discretion. as it’s a multi-use trail with pedestrians. E-bikes that allow pedaling and/or battery power with <= 300W output are permitted on all Lancaster County Park trails.

Key Rules & Guidelines:
Power/Wattage: Electric bikes with <= 300 watts are allowed on county park trails, including this one.
Pedal Assist: They must allow the user to pedal or run on battery power; electric- only operation is restricted.

Maybe Officer Claus can figure it out.

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https://crimewatch.net/us/pa/lancaster/columbia-boro-pd/10552/cases/shooting

NATHAN WILLISON | LNP Staff Writer

A Harrisburg man already facing bank robbery charges in York County is charged with attempting to rob a bank in East Cocalico Township, police announced Tuesday.

Shannon Steckbeck, 59, walked into a Truist Bank in the 2600 block of North Reading Road (Route 272) on Nov. 14 and demanded a teller provide him with cash from the register, according to a criminal complaint filed by police.

Police say the teller initially assumed it was a joke before Steckbeck repeated his demand. The teller handed over $2,300 from the register. No weapon was displayed during the robbery. Steckbeck was seen leaving in a black Volkswagen Jetta. 

Police in York county arrested Steckbeck outside a Days Inn on Nov. 21 without incident.

Steckbeck had previously been convicted of robbing banks in Columbia Borough and York County in 2017.

According to LNP | LancasterOnline reporting at the time, Steckbeck was being given a ride home after drinking at a tavern on Jan. 28, 2017, when he asked the man driving him to stop at the Union Community Bank in Columbia Borough. Once inside, Steckbeck demanded money from the register. The Columbia man who had been giving him a ride later identified him to police. 

Just a few days before the robbery in Columbia, Steckbeck robbed a York County bank by claiming to have a bomb. 

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/harrisburg-man-with-history-of-robberies-charged-with-robbing-bank-in-east-cocalico-township/article_c01f9d4a-58dc-4196-bea6-6a730cf974fa.html

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

At the January 5, 2026 Columbia Borough Council Organizational meeting, District Justice Miles Bixler administered the oath of office to the following people:

Leo Lutz—mayor 

Tom Ziegler, Jr.—councilor 

Jeanne Cooper—councilor

Ethan Byers—councilor

All four prevailed in the November 2025 election. 

Council subsequently elected Vice-President Eric Kauffman as council president. Heather Zink, who held the position previously, made the nomination, which was voted on unanimously.

Councilor Ethan Byers nominated Zink for vice president. Council voted unanimously to elect Zink.

Kelly Murphy was elected to the position of borough council president pro tem. Zink made the nomination, which council voted on unanimously. 

Council also voted to appoint the following borough officers:

Jack Brommer—borough manager/secretary/treasurer/open records officer 

Paula Diffenderfer—assistant open records officer

Elyse Crawford—zoning officer

Evan Gabel—borough solicitor 

C. S. Davidson—borough engineer

Councilor Joanne Geesey did not attend the meeting. 

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY

Shortly after being seated as the newly elected Columbia Borough Council president Monday night, Eric Kauffman suggested reopening the budget and raising taxes for 2026. 

“I would like to consider reopening the budget and possibly raising taxes,“ Kauffman said, noting that reserves had fallen below the recommended 15% of the general fund. However, Kauffman had already voted to adopt the current budget at the December 9, 2025 council meeting. 

Council would need to raise taxes by at least two-and-a-half mills to make up the $1.1 million it took from reserves to balance the budget. Doing so would put the total municipal tax rate at 12.5 mills. The millage increase would add $250 annually for a property assessed at $100,000. Kauffman said council will look at the issue at its next meeting on January 13, 2026.

Council adopted the current budget on December 9, 2025, with no tax increase but with a considerable drawdown of reserves.

Council voted unanimously to adopt the $17.80 million budget for 2026. The approximately $300,000 remaining in reserves is considerably lower than the recommended minimum of 15% of expenditures in general fund reserves. 

Council also voted to keep the millage the same—at 10 mills—although council members Kelly Murphy and Joanne Geesey voted against the measure, without explanation.

In December 2024, council raised taxes by 2 mills —from 8 to 10 mills—for 2025. Raising taxes for this year would be the second hike in a row.

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY

Columbia Borough Council Vice-President Eric Kauffman was elected council president at Monday night’s council organizational meeting. Heather Zink, who held the position previously, made the nomination, which was voted on unanimously. Zink was elected vice president. 

District Justice Miles Bixler swore in Leo Lutz for another term as mayor. Bixler also swore in Tom Ziegler, Jr, Jeanne Cooper, and Ethan Byers as councilors.

Tom Ziegler, Jr.

Jeanne Cooper

Ethan Byers

Leo Lutz

Details will follow.