Councilman resigns.......

[PSUROCKS]

http://tribune-democrat.com/local/x993499626/Williams-solicitor-quit

I thought the circus was in Altoona this week?

Tactics aside, you have to admit Williams was right about a lot of things.  It seems that the council is now divided into two factions:  a small one bent on spending money they don't have, and a larger one that doesn't care what happens as long as they get their $200 a month.  I'm not sure which one is worse.

I'm just not sure what part of "we have no money" certain councilwomen don't understand.  It reminds me of a  scene from Cheers when Woody is telling his girlfriend Kelly he has no money.  "Kelly, if you take all the money in the world and take it all away, that's how much money I have.............."  Jack Williams is playing Woody, and a certain two councilwomen combine to play Kelly.

Countless studies have shown that the city has too many employees..........way more than municipalities of comparable sizes.  I truly hate to see anyone lose their job.........but they just don't have the money.  It's that simple.

What ever happened to the ideas these two had to raise revenue?  As summer approaches, what is planned for the Point Stadium?  Does anyone even know if they have someone to manage the place?  How about the parking bureau...........still losing money?  What ideas does council have...........do they even talk about these things?

Maybe they could plant money trees down in the West End instead of petunias.  I haven't heard any ideas better than that............      

[RobinQuillonsHair]

This could be the dawning of a new day for the city though.  These new councilmen have been on the job for awhile and supposing they are not stupid, reality should be setting in.  Sure Jack is right (in some things; he is wrong with regard to raising sewage rates--yes the money that was supposed to go to sewage repairs shouldn't have been used for other matters but they were and now you have to raise rates to make sewage repairs) but he has proven that he can't work with others and ultimately can't get anything done.  The city will be better off without him. 

Besides, the Valley Inn is now open for business.

[PSUROCKS]

This could be the dawning of a new day for the city though.  These new councilmen have been on the job for awhile and supposing they are not stupid, reality should be setting in.  Sure Jack is right (in some things; he is wrong with regard to raising sewage rates--yes the money that was supposed to go to sewage repairs shouldn't have been used for other matters but they were and now you have to raise rates to make sewage repairs) but he has proven that he can't work with others and ultimately can't get anything done.  The city will be better off without him. 

Besides, the Valley Inn is now open for business.

Naw, they don't have a clue.  You can't spend money you don't have.  At least he talked about it.  The other bunch just goes through in a daze.  When have you heard anything from any councilperson.  The mayor? 

[Alfred E. Neuman]

What ever happened to the ideas these two had to raise revenue?  As summer approaches, what is planned for the Point Stadium?  Does anyone even know if they have someone to manage the place?  How about the parking bureau...........still losing money?  What ideas does council have...........do they even talk about these things?

Maybe they could plant money trees down in the West End instead of petunias.  I haven't heard any ideas better than that............      

Why have they not sold 'Naming Rights' for the Point Stadium?

you know, "Gap Vax Stadium" , 'AmeriServ Stadium',  'Habits Stadium', "Waste Management Stadium".......
or JARI Arena at the War Memorial, or Pasquerilla Wine Bar Arena at the War Memorial....

c'mon, who's in charge ??

[Alfred E. Neuman]

Maybe they could plant money trees down in the West End instead of petunias.  I haven't heard any ideas better than that............      

Maybe they can buy a helicopter or two and start giving helicopter rides...........they would fly over the path that the 'wall of water' took that destroyed Johnstown way back when, and end it with a fly over of Grandview Cemetery and the 'Unknown Plot"..........

....then show how the Army Corp of Engineers made Johnstown the 'Flood Free" City, and then fly over the dams that broke to flood the city again in 1977..............

This stuff would sell, no foolin'...........we need to hire a sales staff though.....

[freejohnstown]

Council should be out every freaking day working to get business in the city. Go door to door in richland and offer tax incentives even. Anything at this point is better than sitting on your ass complaining about how a certain councilman is ruining things or "King Jack" this and King Jack that. At least King Jack gave a **** and did things, not sit on his high horse and bitch about how things should be.  Sitting in a room a few days a month does nothing. There were a lot of election promises made and 0 progress towards any of them.

[PSUROCKS]

All kidding aside, they should see if the can hire an independant company to manage the city.  I mean do everything.............. hire, fire, manage, etc.  Offer incentives if they can balance the budget, give them certain parameters to work within.  A pipe dream I know, but it may be the only hope thay have.

[Alfred E. Neuman]

I remember a few years ago there was a proposal for the city of Pittsburgh to merge with Allegheny County.  I am not familiar with the in's and out's.  I found this information, but I really do not know if something like this is viable for johnstown.  i don't know anything.  There are probably a few on the forum who would know more on this subject.....


http://www.alleghenyinstitute.org/government/citycountymerger.html#



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_city%E2%80%93county

[pbal]

At least King Jack gave a **** and did things...

How can you look at the condition Johnstown is in after almost 40 years of 'Jack' and type this with a straight face?

[Wiener]

Seriously how do you expect them to keep those promises when what they were given has been driven into the ground and covered with dirt already?

It that now the excuse we allow Obama to use?  So the leaders you elected for J-town can use the same excuse.

As the one congressmen said  "If you don't vote us out, we will just continue to rob you."

[Alfred E. Neuman]

Haven't the same people been 'running' Johnstown for the past 50-60 years, maybe more?   Maybe some of them have died off, but not all.

[dogman]

All kidding aside, they should see if the can hire an independant company to manage the city.  I mean do everything.............. hire, fire, manage, etc.  Offer incentives if they can balance the budget, give them certain parameters to work within.  A pipe dream I know, but it may be the only hope thay have.

The state did hire an "independant company" to manage the city, BUT...  They are not required to meet any benchmarks!  If this company was in the private sector they would have been FIRED years ago!  The state needs to reevaluate how they deal with ALL the money that they throw away on ALL the Act 47 communities.  Have the interested groups that want to EARN money to help place a bid, lowest bidder accepts the terms which would include benchmarks that must be met or there would be penalties.  Give them a lump sum of money and the remainder after that community is solvent for at least 5 years.

[PSUROCKS]

The state did hire an "independant company" to manage the city, BUT...  They are not required to meet any benchmarks!  If this company was in the private sector they would have been FIRED years ago!  The state needs to reevaluate how they deal with ALL the money that they throw away on ALL the Act 47 communities.  Have the interested groups that want to EARN money to help place a bid, lowest bidder accepts the terms which would include benchmarks that must be met or there would be penalties.  Give them a lump sum of money and the remainder after that community is solvent for at least 5 years.

Yeah, I guess that is true.  What is it now, approaching 2 decades under distressed status?  Must be nice to work for the government...........jus t show up, no results required.

On a different point, anyone ever hear if the city is finally getting money from the convention center they own?  Naw, no one on council even mentions it.  I bet half of them don't even realize the city owns it.

[Alfred E. Neuman]

http://tribune-democrat.com/local/x993499626/Williams-solicitor-quit

I thought the circus was in Altoona this week?

...........still losing money?  What ideas does council have...........do they even talk about these things?

Maybe they could plant money trees down in the West End instead of petunias.  I haven't heard any ideas better than that............      

Yes, the Shrine circus is in Altoona this week.......

Ok now, here's a couple more ways for the city to pocket some dough..........

After selling the 'naming rights' to the Point Stadium, they get rid of all groundskeepers except one.  Then they get a couple of goats to take care of the grass this summer.  You could probably pick them for about $20 bucks or so.  We will need one person to broom/rake the infield and pitchers mound and to 'pick up' after our 'grass cutters'.  They are also quite amazing with weed control........

Secondly, we require all city employees to donate plasma 2 times per week.  This will bring in about $20 to $30 per person per visit.   This money will be invested into gold and wal-mart.