Johnstown's environment plays role in councilwoman's decision to seek reelection
Mar. 4—The Rev. Sylvia King compared Johnstown's current political, economic and cultural environment to the winter-to-spring changing of the seasons that has started within the past few days.
And the transformation she feels is occurring played a role in her decision to seek reelection to Johnstown City Council this year.
"Sometimes when you look at the world or where you live, it seems a little bleak, especially this time of year, where everything has been covered by the snow, and the snow begins to melt and it looks a little dirty and gray," said King, a first-term Democrat who works as a community development officer at AmeriServ Financial.
"But, if you just look beyond that, look beyond that and you can actually see some budding of trees, maybe a couple of flowers blooming. That's life. That's revitalization. And that's what I see for our town."
King pointed to new businesses opening in the city, volunteers working to improve the community and organizations finding new uses for historic structures such as the train station as positive developments.
"That says something and that speaks volumes not only to the spirit of the community, but to the trust that they have in the leadership moving forward that we will implement these projects," King said.
Her nonprofit volunteer activity includes involvement with the Cambria/Somerset COVID-19 Task Force, Cambria County Drug & Alcohol Program, Cambria County Planning Commission, NAACP Johnstown Chapter, Greater Johnstown United Neighborhoods Association, Vision Together 2025, Johnstown Area Regional Industries and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.
One of her top priorities, if reelected, would be to encourage neighborhood groups to improve their sections of town. "I would like to continue to work on neighborhoods, on the neighborhood projects, and continue having community meetings with the various neighborhoods to see what they would like to see happen in their neighborhoods for the future," King said.
King is pastor at Christ Centered Community Church.
She spoke about the role faith played in her originally running for council four years ago.
"When I first made the prayerful decision to run for City Council, I saw it as being my next step in service to the community," King said.
"It was also a way for me to become more involved in the inner workings of the same community. Being on council has afforded me the opportunity to become more aware and attentive to the needs of the people that I serve."
Religious reflection also helped her get through a recent COVID-19 infection that required a weeklong hospitalization.
"When I was laying there in that hospital bed, I just looked up and I just felt the Lord speaking to me, and I said, 'OK, I know what my next assignment is. COVID is something that I'm going to have to speak about,' " King said.
"People just don't realize what all you go through and what all's involved until you actually go through it, even down to the financial part of it."
