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Revitalize Johnstown with a viable action plan
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Action Items
Borrow from Pension Fund
Unfortunately the $30.7 million received by Johnstown from the American Rescue Plan is gone and one of the few sources of available funds moving forward will be the City Pension Fund - which is currently very well funded. Before 2020 the average annual return for this fund was often less than 1 percent per annum. Given the average return of more than 10 percent in recent years and borrowing from this fund should be relatively easy to repay.
Repair Public Safety Building
Currently the roof of the local Public Safety Building has multiple holes and leaks and there is black mold throughout the location that is the base of operations for the local Police Dept and Fire Dept. While some of the ARPA $30+ million Federal Grant money received by the City of Johnstown should have been allocated for reapairs to this facility - no funds were allocated - allowing it to continue to fall into further disrepair. There are literally dozens of grants and loans available to make these repairs - which at this time have become a gigantic lawsuit waiting to happen against the City whenever those individuals working in this building are diagnosed with cancer or worse from the interior space.
Purchase State Theater
Duke Lifepoint Healthcare has been asking the City for almost one decade to accept the State Theater for $ 1 - and the City has refused. Many City own a variety of theaters - which is really no different than owning a Conference Center, etc or any other venue that provides entertainment for its local residents. Keeping things simple - and not trying to host an IMAX screen with lobster tails - are projected to generate more than $400,000 per year for the City - which could be used to lower taxes. Simply hosting Friday movies and Saturday concerts with a galley kitchen showcasing 10 or 12 different vendors with each leasing a small space in the basement for a modest monthly cost would guarantee success for this conservative endeavor.
Repair Roxbury Park
Many or all sections of the Park are in extreme disrepair and require immediate attention. Invest the necessary funds up to exceeding $1 million to make all necessary repairs to the Park to ensure child safety etc moving forward.
Terminate Berkeley Hills Golf Course Lease asap
The City currently leases the Berkeley Hills Golf Course and receives approximately $35,000 per year income from the lease - which it then pays taxes - and does minimal capital investment projects netting an annual income of $0 or less for the City. The average annual gross income generated from the gold course is more than $500,000 per year. Hiring a golf pro and having him/her manage all aspects of the course would result in an additional $250,000+ in annual income for the City. Investing in modernizing the course and adding beverage carts and a small rope tow for winter sledding recreation would increase the desirability and attract more local residents.
Change Convention Center Lease, Management and Business Plan
I have attended many events in the past where the local Convention Center was trying to compete head to head with Bedford Springs, Seven Springs, Hershey Hotel, Nemacolin Woodlands, etc by promoting that Johnstown has a incline plane, AABA baseball, hockey and hot dogs. This is very foolish and not practical. The Convention Center needs to become the low cost option to host all proms, Association Meetings and Events etc by offering low cost services. Two part time Sales Agents should be hired to promote the center via outbound calls, email and social media - as the last thing I was told from the past management is they " wait for the phone to ring " which may be why the Center has lost money for the past decade.
Change Sergeant Field Concession Lease
For more than the past decade the City has leased the food and beverage distribution rights for Sergeant Field for approximately $3,000 per year - which is next to nothing. The City needs to consider purchasing a special license from the PLCB at a very minimal cost to serve beer at certain events and contract with a vendor willing to serve local ethnic food items more in demand than what the current menu provides.
Complete a 4 year Forensic Audit
A detailed 4 year Forensic Audit would cost the City more than $250,000 - which it can't afford - which is why I am offering to do this at no charge for the City. I'm challenged to believe the City has received and spent more than $200 million during the past 5 years - and I'm offering my services at no charge to review the past spending in great detail.
Launch a Summer Intern Program
Allocating $100,000+ to a Summer Intern Program to hire as many high school and college Summer interns as possible would go a very long way towards increasing the visual appeal of the City by utilizing them for various maintenance, repair and beautification projects.
Hire more Police !
No matter what matrix is utilized crime in Johnstown is getting worse - a lot worse at a very rapid rate. Johnstown broke a new record for shootings and homicides last year and no matter what source is referenced for the crime rate in Johnstown the City nearly always receives a D- or F grade. More police simply need to be hired (and more canines utilized) and Neighborhood Watch Programs while only very marginally successful can be initiated for very little cost as a first step.
CEO Outreach
While some of the local elected officials do work very hard - there's simply none of them or any local leader who can pick up the phone and leverage a current or past relationship with any Fortune 500 CEO - but I can. I worked extensively with the past JRA Executive Director to coordinate and arrange meetings with the CEOs of the six or seven largest steel companies in the world to consider Johnstown as location for a new facility. Unfortunately my past success was met with distain by some leaders within the City and these opportunities that could have brought hundreds or even thousands of jobs to the City abruptly ended. I remain very able and available to investigate potential opportunities with manufacturing, retail and grocery etc CEOs.
Blight Plan
Unfortunately the mortgage foreclosure rate continues to remain higher than the rate of exterminating blighted properties in the City of Johnstown - which means no matter how many blighted properties are razed every year - there are more the following year. Economic growth is one part of the solution - but a formal plan greater than tearing down blighted properties at a rate less than they are abandoned needs to be created and implemented.
Allocate individual local Communities among City Council Members
The City of Johnstown is composed of many unique communities with induvial goals and needs that include downtown, Moxham, Coopersdale, Morrelville, Kernville, Oakhurst, Hornerstown, Prospect, Cambria City, West End, Old Conemaugh Boro, 8th Ward, etc that are lumped together as one and managed by the City as one entity - which makes no sense. The City needs to assign each individual neighborhood to a City Council member who can provide updates and reports on each area moving forward. Hopefully this would ensure each neighborhood can provide the most basic community needs including a playground for children, library box, food box, etc.
Invest to build businesses with past success and think outside the box with new opportunities
There were thousands and thousand of businesses that closed as a result of Covid that remain closed or have completely dissolved. An example of one of these businesses is the Michigan Wooden Ladder Company that was earning more than $6+ million per year prior to Covid. Both Lowes and Home Depot are actively seeking a wooden ladder provider but not a single one exists in North America. The former Michigan Ladder CEO is willing to support anyone wanting to restart this business. This is just one example of literally thousands of businesses that could be restarted in Johnstown. I also know of one national retail department store interested in the Penn Traffic space that has been vacant for decades and an auto manufacturer from India (Nissan/Renault JV) interested in starting a manufacturing plant in Johnstown.
Create and Offer a " Johnstown Pass " to residents for recreation and entertainment
The City currently owns Sergeant Field, Roxbury Park and Berkley Hills Golf Course as recreation centers for its residents. It would not be difficult to create a "Johnstown Pass" to offer free admission to all events at these facilities - as Berkley Hills Golf Course currently offers annual unlimited golf memberships to seniors, adults and juniors. A negotiated deal with the War Memorial Management Board could include all Tomahawk games - and the Highlands at North Fork have already expressed an interest in adding their location to this pass for an additional fee - offering indoor tennis, dining, golf, etc for any individual having a pass who pays a modest monthly fee (less than cable TV) offering unlimited year round entertainment and activities for local residents.
Revitalizing Johnstown Together
Our Mission
At Johnstown16pointplan, our mission is to collaborate with local leaders to revitalize the City of Johnstown. We believe in creating sustainable solutions that benefit the community and enhance local services.
A revitalized Johnstown can be achieved through good decisions
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Johnstown16pointplan
Johnstown, PA
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