Rental ordinance tabled as landlords ask who’s running codes
By Jesse Sweigart, The Columbia Chronicle Columbia Borough Council on Tuesday put off a vote…
Rental ordinance tabled as landlords ask who’s running codes
By Jesse Sweigart, The Columbia Chronicle Columbia Borough Council on Tuesday put off a vote to advertise long-planned changes to its rental and property rules, after members said they got the meeting packet that afternoon and hadn’t had time to read it. The changes amend Chapters 112 and 166 of the borough code. Council tabled…
Longtime EMS leader urges Columbia to drop ‘pending’ ambulance call program
By Jesse Sweigart, The Columbia Chronicle A former head of Columbia’s volunteer ambulance service asked Borough Council on Tuesday to back out of a program that lets the borough’s ambulance provider hold lower-priority calls before responding. Frank Splain Jr. of Maytown said he joined Columbia Ambulance and later ran Columbia Quick Response Service for about…
Resident calls on Mayor Lutz to resign, asks council to remove Brommer now
By Jesse Sweigart, The Columbia Chronicle A Columbia resident called Tuesday for Mayor Leo Lutz to resign and urged Borough Council to end Jack Brommer’s service as borough manager immediately rather than wait for his resignation to take effect. Robert Thompson, the first speaker of the night, said he had planned to talk about pedestrian…
Parking coin bags still at Columbia police station, waiting on armored truck
By Jesse Sweigart, The Columbia Chronicle The bags of parking-meter coins that Police Chief Holly Arndt found in the department’s evidence room are still at the police station, borough officials said Tuesday. They’re waiting for an armored truck to haul them away. Resident Frank Doutrich asked during public comment whether the money was still there….
Codes manager’s exit takes over council meeting; members say council never voted
By Jesse Sweigart, The Columbia Chronicle The departure of longtime borough codes manager Paula Diffenderfer took over Tuesday night’s Columbia Borough Council meeting. Residents, landlords and her daughter lined up to ask what happened, and two council members said the full council never voted on it. Diffenderfer resigned Monday, Oct. 26. Council President Eric Kauffman…
Editorial: Columbia Needs an Independent Investigation, Not Another Quiet Resignation
By The Columbia Chronicle Editorial Board On Monday, a long-serving Columbia Borough employee resigned. She worked in the codes department, served as the borough’s Right-to-Know officer and trained new employees. By every account, she did the work of three people. Council President Eric Kauffman confirmed to the Chronicle by text message that her resignation came…
Columbia’s Beloved Halloween Parade Draws Thousands as Community Celebrates Its Roots
(Columbia, Pa) – By Tiberius James For 79 years, Columbia’s Mardi Gras “Halloween” Parade has brought neighbors together, and on Thursday night, the tradition once again proved why it remains one of the community’s most cherished events. Thousands of residents and visitors packed the streets as more than 90 floats, marching bands, fire apparatus, community…
Columbia’s Draft 2027 Budget Raises Borough Taxes 10% After Reassessment
Your tax rate is getting cut in half. Your tax bill isn’t. Welcome to reassessment math. COLUMBIA — Good news: Columbia’s borough tax rate is about to drop from 10 mills to about 5. Bad news: your house is apparently worth twice as much now, so the borough will still collect about 10% more. Borough…
Editorial: Columbia Can’t Afford Another Tax — Vote No on the Library Referendum
This is an opinion piece by The Columbia Chronicle. On Nov. 3, Lancaster County voters will be asked to create a new, permanent property tax for public libraries. We value our libraries, including the Columbia Public Library on South Sixth Street. But for Columbia homeowners, this is the wrong tax at the wrong time. We…
Home Goodies Hosts Pumpkin Carving Before Thursday’s Parade
COLUMBIA — Before the floats and marching bands roll down Locust Street on Thursday night, a downtown coffee shop is handing out carving tools — free of charge. HomeGoodies & Coffee, 336 Locust St., will host a free pumpkin carving ahead of the 79th annual Mardi Gras “Halloween” Parade on Thursday, Oct. 22. 5PM-7PM There…
79th Mardi Gras Parade Steps Off Thursday, Celebrating Columbia’s Roots
COLUMBIA — Columbia’s oldest autumn tradition takes to the streets Thursday night, and this year the town itself is the theme. The 79th annual Mardi Gras “Halloween” Parade steps off at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, from the Columbia Borough Fire Department at 10th and Manor streets. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Our Roots: Columbia…
Communication Gap Identified During School Evacuation Drill, Changes Planned
(Columbia, Pa) What began as a moment of confusion and concern for some Columbia-area parents has led to changes aimed at improving communication during future school safety drills. Earlier this morning, police vehicles blocked traffic near the school as students were evacuated from the building and walked to an alternate location as part of a…
Mayor Leo Lutz Should Consider Stepping Aside for the Good of Columbia
Opinion | The Columbia Chronicle For nearly three decades, Leo Lutz has served the people of Columbia. That fact alone deserves recognition. Public service is not easy, and few individuals dedicate such a significant portion of their lives to a community. Whatever one’s political views may be, that commitment should be respected. But leadership is…
Plenty Happening This Fall for Columbia Families!
As fall settles into Columbia, local organizations are gearing up with opportunities for kids, families, and community members to get involved. The Columbia Boys Athletic Association (CBAA) has announced that winter sports registration is now open, with registration closing on November 8. Families interested in winter athletics are encouraged to sign up early and take…
Columbia’s Next Generation of Leaders Starts Here: Pack 35 Invites Local Families to Join the Adventure
By The Columbia Chronicle Ask almost any longtime Columbia resident about their childhood, and chances are they’ll tell you stories about riding bikes until sunset, exploring the neighborhood with friends, camping, fishing, building things with their hands, and learning life lessons that couldn’t be found on a screen. Today, many parents worry that those experiences…
Columbia Borough Council Meeting Recap: Big Projects, Budget Questions, and a Little Licorice
The October 13, 2026, Columbia Borough Council meeting covered a wide range of topics, from traffic safety improvements and development projects to library funding, neighborhood concerns, and future borough planning. While the meeting stretched past the two-and-a-half-hour mark, residents who stayed the course were treated to equal parts public policy, spirited debate, and at least…
EDITORIAL: The Public Deserves Answers, So We’re Releasing the Records
Opinion | The Columbia Chronicle Editorial Board Transparency only works when the public has access to information. Over the past several months, The Columbia Chronicle submitted numerous Right-to-Know requests seeking information about Borough operations, Police Department administration, employment agreements, payroll records, leave balances, timesheets, departmental finances, and other matters involving local government. Those records were…
