Latest news with #JohnstownCityCouncil
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Community members, politicians react to approval of Central Park renovation designs
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ)– If you've been to any recent Johnstown City Council meetings or spoken with community members it's clear that there is a divide on where people stand regarding the Central Park renovation project. 'If they're going to listen to the people directly, then I'm for it, but if it's just wham bam thank you ma'am just out the air, then no,' Johnstown resident Tereah Henderson said. Several people took advantage of the good weather on Friday morning to check out the farmer's market around Central Park. Some say that they hope a revitalized park will help create new events like it in the future. Johnstown companies awarded $256 million in military defense contracts 'I mean there's businesses down here and if they're still going to do a lot of these events close by, I don't see why it would hurt,' Johnstown Resident Vicky Cobaugh said. The City Council voted on Wednesday to approve the final plans for the project. The project uses funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to cover the cost of the $6 to $8 million renovation. More than one and a half million has already been spent in the design phase, and as for the rest of the money designated for the project, the city either has to use it or lose it. Using funds from the American rescue Plan Act has come under scrutiny throughout the discussions of the project, even from State Representative Frank Burns. 'We have a police station that is falling apart, and it needs attention quickly,' Burns said. Now whether that's a new police station, or building, building a new one, renovating the one that's already there, all that matters is that we have a suitable place for our police officers to work out of and protect the public. They could have used that money to hire more police officers. I've been touting that for 3 years now. That they should use this money to hire more officers but they chose the park as their top priority. ' 'Truthfully, I told them on Wednesday night to give the money back,' Republican Candidate for Mayor John Debartola said. Debartola said that he believes the project will devastate downtown businesses and is upset that it will remove some landmarks like the Pasquerilla Fountain. The plans also call for a new and expanded gazebo and a new Walk of Honor. Instead, Debartola said he would rather see repairs to the current design. 'Take a look at this park when you do a video pan, it needs improvements, it doesn't need eight million dollars,' Debartola said. 'It doesn't need two million spent on plans to friends and family.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Johnstown City Council approves designs for Central Park project
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ)– After changes and years of discussion, the Johnstown City Council voted Wednesday evening to approve the designs for major upgrades to the city's Central Park. The plans from CJL Engineering and UpStreet Architects passed in a six-to-one vote. Since the original designer stepped away from the project, a few changes were made to the plan, including the addition of a platform in the center where the Christmas Tree will sit. WTAJ News spoke with Councilman Taylor Clark, who has been on the council for almost three months of this years long process. Clark said that he disagreed with the former council's decision to use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act for the project, as he believes they could have been better utilized elsewhere in the city. Clark said that he voted yes because of all of the good that he and some fellow council members feel it will bring to the city. 'At the end of the day I'm not willing to give up all of the good about the Central Park project because of the aspects that I disagreed with,' Clark said. 'We can not potentially lose a brand new park with three phase electricity, seven new water outlets, a brand new extension on to gazebo park place, a new walk of honor, a new irrigation system and a new park that will be ADA compliant and more inclusive for all to use. I'm not willing to give up all of that just because of what I disagree with.'Clark said that for the city to back out now would be bad due to the amount of money that has already been invested into the planning process. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Johnstown City Council field set for general election
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The primary races for the four full four-year terms open on Johnstown City Council this year were mostly formalities. All four Republicans were guaranteed to get through to the general election. There were five Democrats running, meaning only one would miss the cut. The Republican order of finish was Mike Hamacek (492 votes), Nick Spinelli (469), Joseph Taranto (433) and Charlene Stanton (374), according to unofficial results posted by the Cambria County Election Office late Tuesday night. PHOTO GALLERY | 2025 Primary Election | Johnstown Democrats Taylor Clark (763), Lorraine Brandon-Taylor (652), Jasmine LaRue (581) and Samuel Barber (546) advanced. Gregory Brown finished last with 418 votes. The eight candidates will now go up against each other in the general election. Seven of them have never served on council. Clark is a current member of council having been appointed earlier this year to fill a vacancy created when former Deputy Mayor Michael Capriotti resigned to become assistant city manager. A special election is being held to find a council member to fill the final two years of that term, beginning in January 2026. Clark won the Democratic nomination with 497 votes, placing him ahead of Brandon-Taylor and LaRue. Hamacek earned the Republican nod, getting 338 votes to beat Spinelli. Clark and Hamacek will now run against each other in the general election.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic candidates gather
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Democratic Party candidates for Johnstown City Council and mayor explained their reasons for seeking office and general political goals Wednesday during a meet-and-greet at Bottle Works. The primary for mayor is a head-to-head race between two current council members – Laura Huchel and Deputy Mayor the Rev. Sylvia King. Four regular four-year seats are being contested. Five Democrats are running for those positions. A special election is also being held for the remaining two years of a seat that became vacant when Michael Capriotti resigned to become assistant city manager. 'To have this many people running is fantastic. … I think it's a great way to have all the candidates come together and put their ideas out there so that more people can get involved and hear them,' Cambria County Democratic Party Chairwoman Nina Licastro said. Each candidate was given five minutes to address the audience. Council candidates spoke first, then Huchel, followed by King. • Huchel, a Princeton University graduate, was the first millennial ever elected to Johnstown City Council. She has been active with the City of Johnstown Planning Commission, Johnstown Redevelopment Authority, arts community and Johnstown Animal Welfare Society. 'Before I was elected to council, I promised different conversations would happen around the council table,' Huchel said. 'I spent four years on council – until Taylor (Clark's) appointment (to council a few weeks ago) – as the youngest person on council by 20 years. So there was a different perspective going on. I was very pleased to bring that perspective and to hear the perspectives of others.' • King is pastor at Christ Centered Community Church. She has been involved with numerous organizations, including Greater Johnstown United Neighborhoods Association, Cambria County Drug & Alcohol Program, NAACP Johnstown Chapter, Vision Together 2025, and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. 'All these things and more have uniquely qualified me to serve as the mayor for the people of Johnstown,' King said. 'I offer wisdom, knowledge, experience, servant leadership and grace. But most of all I offer myself. I am the Johnstown of yesterday. I am the Johnstown of today. And prayerfully I will be your Johnstown of tomorrow.' The following council candidates are listed in the order that they spoke. • Clark was appointed by council to fill Capriotti's term through the end of this year before the special election winner takes on the position for the remaining two years, beginning in 2026. Clark, who co-owns Coney Island Lunch and high-end men's clothing store Miller's of Johnstown, said he wants to promote transparency, honesty and small business development. 'When I say 'honesty,' I'm not saying that former council members, or city managers or anything like that have been dishonest,' Clark said. 'What I'm saying is I am going to be honest with you. And what I mean by that is if I don't know something I'm going to tell you. … But what I can promise you that I am going to do is I'm going to find out and I'm going to get back to you.' • Gregory Brown has been involved in real estate, web development and data analytics. 'I'm very versatile,' Brown said. 'I expect people to talk respectfully and legitimately to themselves and to others, too. … You've got to offer to people resources, where they can go for help, what's going on in the city, what's not going on in the city, how they can get involved. It's just a lot. If elected, he plans 'to collaborate with people, and listen and see what I can do.' • Lorraine Brandon-Taylor owns America's Tax Office. 'I have had the opportunity of working with people in all income brackets in this city,' Brandon-Taylor said. 'I've had the ability to listen to them, understand where they're coming from, and I am able to hear the voices that are unheard.' One of her goals would be to address the amount of 'misguided information' in the city with hopes of providing better services to residents. • Samuel Barber is a former city codes enforcement officer. 'I'm running for City Council because I believe in the promise of our city and the power of its people,' Barber said. 'I'm not here to make any empty promises or offer quick fixes. I'm here to work with you, to roll up our sleeves and do the real work of restoring Johnstown to a strong, and safe and thriving community we all know it can be.' • Jasmine LaRue is a published author who said she wants 'to be a change agent for the city.' 'My goal is to bring practical solutions for everyday problems,' LaRue said. 'I want to honor those that the city was built on, which were our elderly, our senior citizens, who worked the steel mills, who worked the coal mines, and also honoring our young people, and if we honor our young people and the elderly and our senior citizens who built the city, everyone else in the middle would flourish.' Cambria County Court of Common Pleas Judge Tamara Bernstein and Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer also attended the event. Bernstein has a retention vote in the general election. Neugebauer is running unopposed for a judge position. He cross-filed. The Republican Party field of City Council candidates consists of Joseph Taranto, Charlene Stanton, Nick Spinelli and Mike Hamacek. Republican John DeBartola is running for mayor.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council tweaks plans for Central Park; construction timeline goals conflict with annual Christmas tree installation
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Johnstown City Council is tweaking its plans to transform Central Park with aims to break ground this fall. The plan, designed last year by New York City-based Scape Landscape Architecture with local CJL Engineering as a subcontractor, will largely remain intact except for a few changes, CJL project leader Alyssa Rouser said. Council discussed the plan at a workshop Wednesday. CJL is taking over the completion of the plan. The former iteration of the plan had no cement walkway through the park. Rouser said CJL recommends adding a path cutting through the park, corner to corner. The path would be anchored by a water feature in the center of the park, which she suggested could be the existing fountain or a new feature. The council generally agreed that a path through the park would be a good idea but unanimously dismissed the idea of retaining the current fountain. 'The fountain has maintenance issues,' council member Chuck Arnone said. 'I don't know what we can put in there, but that particular fountain is not worth putting in the money to save.' The fountain's stonework has become high-maintenance over the years and is not suitable for the area's weather, he said. CJL is working to finalize a design, a plan to advertise for construction bids in June. A construction contract would then be awarded in August and construction could begin after Labor Day and be wrapped up in the fall of 2026, Rouser said. Funding for Johnstown's plan to transform Central Park is coming from the federal government, but it has an expiration date on it. The funds must be used by the end of 2026, the council said. City officials have designated $8 million in American Rescue Plan funds provided for COVID-19 pandemic relief to the overall budget for the Central Park project. With construction potentially beginning in the fall, a hallmark Johnstown event could be in jeopardy. For 10 years, the volunteer- led nonprofit organization Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership has funded an annual Christmas season celebration from November to January in Central Park. The key feature of that celebration is the installation of its 40-foot fiber optic Christmas tree in the center of the park. The tree and the accompanying Christmas Village have drawn thousands of people downtown each year to celebrate the Christmas season. Council members at first indicated Wednesday that the Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership was seeking alternative plans for the tree this year, but Nick Spinelli, a member of the organization and 2025 city council candidate who by chance was present at the meeting, informed the council that there had been no such discussion. After the meeting, council members said they would find a way to accommodate the tree. 'We will be working collaboratively to find available space for the tree,' Councilwoman Laura Huchel said. Councilwoman Marie Mock agreed. 'We will make it work,' she said. Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership President Melissa Radovanic issued a statement to the Tribune-Democrat following the meeting. 'I am stunned that the Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership would find out in a public council workshop that the Christmas Tree in Central Park and Christmas Village need to be relocated this year,' she wrote in an email. 'We have had zero communication from city management or City Council regarding Christmas. The last update was provided to us in February 2024 from then City Manager Ethan Imhoff. Additionally, beyond construction, all initial plans, as we were told, were to allow for the Tree and Christmas Village in perpetuity which also no longer seems to be the case as far as the Christmas Village is concerned.' Radovanic said the volunteer organization has put more than $450,000 worth of enhancements and initiatives into Central Park and Downtown since 2015. 'Where is the respect? I'm totally shocked,' she said.
