With its top administrative job in flux, Columbia Borough Council is set to vote tonight on three contracts that would put key borough work in the hands of outside firms: management, finance and codes enforcement.
All three are on the agenda under old business. Council accepted the resignation and settlement agreement of former Borough Manager Diffenderfer at its Nov. 5 workshop. Jack R. Brommer is listed in tonight’s packet as interim borough manager.
Two management proposals
The agenda item reads only “Consider approval of Borough Manager agreement,” but the meeting packet includes two proposals for interim management:
| Keystone Municipal Solutions | Stonehill Ratliff | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Up to 30 a week, set by the borough | 24 a week, over a 5-day week |
| Price | $120 an hour, billed monthly | $24,000 a month ($6,000 a week) |
| Up-front cost | $5,000 advance, applied to the final bill | None listed |
| Extras | Mileage | $150–$200/hr supplemental services, mileage at 76 cents a mile, third-party costs plus 10% |
| Term | Either side can end it with 5 business days’ notice | Pricing through Dec. 31, 2027 |
| Team named | Chad Saylor | Jeffrey Stonehill, Eden Ratliff and Brad Gotshall |
At the maximum 30 hours a week, Keystone’s rate works out to about $3,600 a week, or roughly $15,600 a month. The packet does not say which proposal borough staff recommend.
Brown Plus to handle finances in 2027
Council will also consider an engagement letter with the accounting firm Brown Plus to provide outsourced accounting and finance director services from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027, or until the borough hires its own finance director.
The work includes payroll support, state and federal reporting, year-end and audit help, HR support and help recruiting a finance director. It is billed hourly:
- Associate accountant: $190
- HR coordinator: $210
- HR manager: $250
- Finance director (senior advisor John Weidman): $305
- HR director: $330
- Partner: $385
Weidman attended council’s Nov. 5 budget workshop.
Commonwealth Code for codes and zoning
The third contract would bring in Commonwealth Code Inspection Service of Manheim for code enforcement and zoning. Its 2027 fee schedule includes:
- $60 per address for basic complaints like grass, garbage or neighbor disputes, including two inspections
- $75 per single-family rental inspection; $75 for the first apartment unit and $60 for each additional unit
- $50 for each extra trip needed to get compliance
- $75 per citation, plus $200 for court preparation and the hearing
- An optional $65-an-hour rate for set weekly hours at the borough
The contract comes as council debates codes staffing. At the Nov. 5 workshop, council discussed hiring two full-time code compliance officers, and several residents have spoken about codes at recent meetings.
The meeting is at 7 p.m. tonight and will be livestreamed on the borough’s YouTube channel.
Disclosure: Chronicle owner Jesse Sweigart spoke during public comment at council’s Oct. 27 meeting about borough staffing and the manager’s employment contract.