Johnstown council hires JRA head, city fire chief as acting co-city managers

Russ O'Reilly, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Johnstown City Council on Friday appointed the city’s fire chief and the head of the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority as acting part-time co-city managers on an interim basis until a permanent city manager is hired.

JRA Executive Director Melissa Komar was hired at a rate of $70 per hour as part-time co-city manager for “operations and all other duties including sharing personnel duties with Robert Statler,” according to the motion.

Statler, the chief of the Johnstown Fire Department, was hired as acting part-time co-city manager for human resources at a rate of $20 above his current hourly rate.

The vote was unanimous, with all seven council members present for a special meeting Friday.

Melissa Komar

Melissa Komar

Councilwoman Marie Mock said Komar and Statler were selected to share duties because the workload involved with the city manager position is heavy.

Komar and Statler will both continue in their full-time positions while serving as acting co-city managers.

They will temporarily fill a vacancy left by City Manager Ethan Imhoff, who is exiting his contract early to take a job in June as Hollidaysburg Borough’s manager.

Capt. Anthony Henry and Chief Robert Statler

Johnstown Fire Department Capt. Anthony Henry and Chief Robert Statler, right, confer at the site of a truck accident at the Stone Bridge in Johnstown on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022.

The appointments of Komar and Statler are effective June 15 and will continue until a permanent city manager is hired. Mayor Frank Janakovic said the council anticipates making a permanent hire by the end of the summer.

Komar previously served as Johnstown’s city manager in 2016.

‘Revolving door’

Johnstown business owner Dustin Greene attended the meeting Friday and said he is tired of the turnover in the city manager’s office.

Greene is co-owner of Top Dog Productions, which managed the city-owned Frank. J Pasquerilla Conference Center from September 2022 through February.

Johnstown has hired nine city managers since 2015, including those who have held the job on an acting or interim basis, The Tribune-Democrat archives show.

“It’s a revolving door, and it needs to stop,” Greene said.