Our view: Johnstown must leave petty politics behind as it selects its future

The Advocate Editorial Board
·2 min read

Johnstown has been in the vortex of the storm seemingly since Intel announced it would invest at least $20 billion into a microchip processing complex just a mile outside the city limits.

While some of the uproar would have been inevitable with a small city facing such enormous pressures, many of the community's wounds have been self inflicted.

The list of controversies suffered by Johnstown has been seemingly endless, culminating in the recent overwhelming recall of the city's mayor and council president.

And while we could harp on the numerous failings that led to many of those controversies, that would not help Johnstown make the progress it needs. We want to focus on the future of the community, and we implore its leaders - and residents - to do the same.

The four remaining council members have a unique opportunity to set the course for the community's future. We ask that they take this job seriously and focus on what candidates can bring to Johnstown and ignore whatever slights might be felt based on where they stood on the recall or other issues.

On Oct. 4, the four remaining council members plan to meet and interview candidates to fill the now three vacant council positions - two from the recall and one from the recent resignation by Councilman Doug Lehner. The council then plans to vote to determine who will fill these seats that will make up almost half of their entire body.

It is critical the council select members who are not only committed to see Johnstown thrive, but who are also willing to put in the hours of work necessary to plan for the inevitable growth of the region.

The council interviews with the candidates will be done in private, which is allowed under Ohio law. We do ask the council to set a firm time when they plan to meet in public to vote on the appointments so residents interested in the outcome aren't forced to sit and wait for hours while the interviews take place.

Holding a public office can be difficult at the best of times, and it is far from the best of times in Johnstown. With that said, we ask the residents of Johnstown to at least give whoever is selected a chance to succeed. While some residents will no doubt have reservations about someone who is picked, we hope people will base their opinions on what the new council members do while in office. The elections of 2023 will provide residents to change course on council if needed.

There has likely never been a more pivotal time for Johnstown and its residents. We ask the current council members to weigh that when selecting who will help shape the city's future.

Editorial Board

  • Jim Bidigare

  • Olivia Biggs

  • Tim Huffman

  • Paddy Kutz

  • Benjamin Lanka

  • Jody Richter

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Our view: Johnstown must leave pettiness behind as it picks council