Columbia borough manager says he terminated market manager; council ratifies action amid public questions about security notice

Borough Manager Steve Kauffold told Columbia Borough Council on March 27 that he made the decision to terminate the market manager and asked council to ratify that action.

“Although I can’t talk about the reasons that I had to terminate Chris, I want to make it known that it wasn’t an easy decision, but it was my decision as borough manager,” Kauffold told the council. The council subsequently voted to ratify the termination.

Public questions and legal limits: during public comment and later in the meeting, residents asked about a borough-issued no-trespass letter that reportedly prevents the former market manager from being on borough property. An audience member asked whether the letter was legal and whether the borough could comment. Solicitor and staff responses in the meeting emphasized personnel and legal confidentiality.

A resident who identified himself as Ethan Byers asked why a “letter of no trespass” had been issued to the former market manager and whether the borough would explain the reason. The borough’s solicitor and borough manager said they could not discuss personnel matters in public and declined to provide details. Separately, a citizen, Frank, questioned how the borough could bar a former employee from borough-owned property and whether that would prevent the former employee from paying a parking ticket or handling other routine business; borough staff explained that the letter was intended to keep a former employee off borough property, particularly because the person is not a borough resident.

Why it matters: the action affects market operations and prompted public concern about transparency and procedural authority. At the meeting a council member noted that, under the borough code, council is the ultimate appointing body and that the manager’s decision comes to council for ratification. Kauffold stated the termination decision was his, and council ratified it by voice vote.

Ending: Council ratified the termination and instructed staff to proceed with human-resources follow-up. The transcript notes the ratification vote but does not record a roll-call tally. The meeting included subsequent personnel and market-house hiring actions on the same agenda.