Johnstown endures nightmarish year as 'dream' development begins on its doorstep
JOHNSTOWN − Its first year as a city turned into a nightmare for city officials and residents of Johnstown.
Growing pains were to be expected in making the transition to a city and being the closest population to Intel, the largest commercial development in Ohio’s history.
Johnstown officially became a city in October 2021, based on the 2000 census, when the village surpassed 5,000 residents.
Then in January, the White House and state officials announced Intel Corporation planned to build a $20 billion computer chip manufacturing facility a mile south of Johnstown in Jersey Township. It plans to hire 3,000 employees and 10,000 construction workers, and may expand to a $100 billion project.
But, 2022 in Johnstown will not be remembered for attaining city status, or even the Intel announcement. Internal tensions decimated the workforce while the massive development began on its doorstep.
In 10 months, beginning in December 2021, Johnstown lost a mayor, council president, five of seven council members, two city managers, a police chief, finance director, service director, city planner, and at least two police officers. And, it appointed a new mayor without realizing it.
Mayor Chip Dutcher and City Council President Marvin Block were removed from office in an Aug. 30 recall special election. The recall followed months of accusations, investigations, resignations, interim appointments, social media attacks, bitter feelings, numerous city council executive sessions and a reference to a "civil war" in the community.
Block attempted to intimidate or pressure the police chief to get rid of a mayor's court clerk/police dispatcher, in violation of the city charter, according to an investigative report for the city. Block was also accused of spreading false rumors of an affair between the police chief and finance director. An investigative report cleared Block of spreading the affair rumors, but a fellow councilwoman said she heard him "allude to it."
On Nov. 1, more than two months after the recall election, council filled the vacant positions, appointing Donald Barnard the mayor in a 6-1 vote and Jon Merriman city council president in a 7-0 decision. Councilwoman Sharon Hendren cast the lone vote against Barnard, saying the mayor should be Ryan Green, because he was elected by the people, not appointed.
Barnard initially said he was not interested in becoming mayor after former police chief Abe Haroon endorsed him for the office. At the time he cited his full-time job, young children and other volunteer positions.
"It was a discussion with my wife, that I’d step back from some of those other roles to balance our home life, and also trying to figure out if I’d be a good example, a good leader for the city," Barnard said.
The new mayor said, however, it's not his plans for Johnstown that everyone needs to follow. That's not how the city works, he said.
“It’s not really my vision," Barnard said. "It’s the vision of city council. It’s important council works together, creating what we feel is best for Johnstown, with input from citizens, and that it works for everybody.
“I’m one of seven. It’s a team effort. When you start having one individual thinking they’re above the team, you start having issues. Sometimes, I think that’s what happened in the past. My role is just to facilitate it.”
The 2023 budget process was an example of a process involving the entire team. The process was complicated by the fact five of seven council members were appointed since the 2022 budget was approved a year ago. But, it became a valuable learning experience, the mayor said.
“Five of the seven members were actively involved in this budget," Barnard said. "No other year can say that.”
The mayor said the budget process also revealed, "We’ve taken on more debt than we should.”
Councilman Ryan Green said, “That budget’s tight. There’s not a lot of room to play around with that. I’m more worried about enforcing that over the course of the year next year.
“As we go through this, as long as we’re paying close attention and doing the budget the right way, we won’t have to sift through it and decipher what was what, because that was an interesting process to figure out where everything was.”
City Manager Sean Staneart praised council's work on the budget.
“I’m excited that there’s a huge understanding of the budget from this particular council," Staneart said, "So, for me, it makes my job a little bit easier as far as the explanations and decisions that have to be made that you all have the background whenever these decisions are made.”
Council also approved the following appointments for 2023: The firm of Frost Brown Todd LLC as law director; Mark Gardner as assistant prosecutor; Tracy VanWinkle as magistrate; Prime AE Group, Inc. as city engineer; and the state auditor as its auditor. The city will also hire a human resources firm.
So, Johnstown has a 2023 budget and most positions filled to start the new year. Now, they're just hoping to avoid all the drama and resignations of 2022.
"The city of Johnstown is on a new, exciting journey," Merriman said after being appointed council president. "I’m grateful for the opportunity to help lead that initiative and look forward to the growth and development that will benefit all of our residents."
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Troubled timeline
Johnstown became a city in October 2021 and its first year with that label was filled with resignations, recalls, accusations and frustrations as internal tensions erupt while the biggest development in Ohio history begins on its doorstep.
Dec. 3, 2021: Jim Lenner resigns as Johnstown city manager after 12 years and Utilities Superintendent Jack Liggett becomes interim city manager in addition to his utilities job.
Feb. 9: Police officer Mike Ballistrea resigns. He became a Johnstown police officer in July 2020.
Feb. 15: The spouses of Johnstown Finance Director Dana Steffan and Johnstown Police Chief Abe Haroon call for the resignation of City Councilman Marvin Block for spreading false rumors about their spouses.
March 22: Cheryl Robertson announces her resignation from Johnstown City Council after serving eight years.
March 30: Benjamin Lee announces his resignation from Johnstown City Council after serving six years.
April 19: Donald Barnard and Jon Merriman sworn in as new Johnstown City Council members.
April 19: An investigative report for the city prepared by Julia Baxter of Training Marbles human resources training and consulting firm states City Council President Marvin Block attempted to intimidate or pressure the police chief to get rid of mayor's court clerk/police dispatcher Meghan Ward, in violation of the city charter, but cleared Block of two other allegations.
May 4: Former Johnstown City Councilman Sean Staneart appointed assistant city manager, a part-time position.
May 6: Johnstown Police Chief Abe Haroon fired and deputy chief Rusty Smart appointed interim chief until new leadership found.
May 10: Matt Hill, director of the Licking County Area Transportation Study, requests the LCATS Board fund a feasibility study to determine if semi-trucks can be re-directed to avoid gridlock at the U.S. 62/Ohio 37 intersection in downtown Johnstown.
May 11: Transportation Improvement District Projects Director Bill Lozier meets with Johnstown Mayor Chip Dutcher and Johnstown City Manager Jack Liggett about the possibility of doing a study of a roundabout at the U.S. 62/Ohio 37 intersection.
May 17: Johnstown City Council announces Meghan Ward has accepted position as Johnstown police officer and will leave her job as mayor’s court clerk. Council lifts police department hiring freeze to seek a new mayor’s court clerk. Ward later changes her mind and remains employed as the city's clerk of courts.
June 9: Johnstown residents Autumn Sauer and Robert Roberts file written notice with the council clerk of their intent to circulate petitions for the recall of Mayor Chip Dutcher and Council President Marvin Block.
June 17: Finance Director Dana Steffan submits her resignation, effective July 1.
June 21: The investigative report said Block did not spread false rumors of an affair between the police chief and finance director, but councilwoman Cheryl Robertson told Block during the council meeting, “You alluded to it, Marvin.”
July 5: Johnstown resident Stephanie Giannini delivers to council recall petitions with 332 signatures for the removal of Block and 305 signatures for the removal of Dutcher. She asks the pair to resign to avoid the cost of a recall election.
July 8: Johnstown City Council Clerk Teresa Monroe announces the petitions to recall Dutcher and Block have been rejected because they were determined insufficient. Monroe said the petitions did not satisfy the charter's 6-month rule, which states a recall could be pursued for any council member who "has served at least six months of a council term." The recall effort began after five months of the council members' second terms.
July 18: City Planner Bailey Morlan submits her resignation, effective Aug. 11.
Aug. 3: City council votes 7-0 to set the recall election for Aug. 30, after receiving a second set of signed petitions. Licking County Board of Elections Director Luke Burton said 95 valid signatures from registered Johnstown voters were required on each petition, and there were about 140 on each one.
Aug. 8: Council voted 5-2 for a revised employment contract for city manager Jack Liggett, who had served as interim city manager since Jim Lenner left the position in December. The new contract removes the “interim” tag, identifies Dec. 31, 2023, as the latest date Liggett would remain city manager, and provided a fallback provision for him to return to his position as service director.
Aug. 16: The Advocate learns the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services ruled the city of Johnstown terminated former police chief Abe Haroon without just cause. The ODJ&FS made its initial ruling in favor of Haroon on June 1. The city appealed on June 23, arguing the chief resigned instead of being terminated, and the state rejected the appeal on June 27.
Aug. 30: Johnstown voters resoundingly remove Block and Dutcher from office in a special election. Block received only 23% of the vote and Dutcher got 28%.
Sept. 6: The final council meeting for Block and Dutcher included the awkward scene of police officers trying to remove Judy Haroon, the wife of the former police chief, from the speaker's podium after the mayor said her time had expired.
Sept. 12: The Licking County Board of Elections certified the results of the recall election, officially ending the terms of Dutcher and Block. The final certified results showed 76.5% (712 to 218) voted to recall Block and 71.6% (663 to 263) voted to recall Dutcher.
Sept. 13: City Councilman Doug Lehner resigns, one day before he may have been appointed mayor. Lehner cited ongoing health issues of a family member as the reason for his resignation. Four council members remain, with no mayor or no council president yet appointed.
Sept. 14: Council votes to immediately begin a search for a permanent city manager.
Sept. 27: The four remaining council members vote unanimously to move City Manager Jack Liggett to service director on Oct. 6, and appoint Assistant City Manager Sean Steanart to acting city manager on Oct. 7.
Oct. 4: City Council appoints Bob Orsini, Nicole Shook and Charlie Campbell to fill three vacancies created by two recalls and one resignation. The four current council members chose the trio from among 13 candidates. Only two council members remain from those who began the year on council.
Oct. 18: Two council nominations to fill the vacant mayor’s position rejected. Councilman Ryan Green falls one vote short, as council deadlocked 3-3 with one abstention. Councilman Jon Merriman was also nominated, but the motion dies for lack of a second.
Oct. 18: Council then appointed Donald Barnard as council president, but unknowingly made him mayor because the charter states the council president automatically fills a mayoral vacancy.
Nov. 1: More than two months after Johnstown residents voted to recall their mayor and city council president, council fills the vacant positions, appointing Donald Barnard the mayor in a 6-1 vote and Jon Merriman city council president in a 7-0 decision. Councilwoman Sharon Hendren casts the lone vote against Barnard, saying the mayor should be Ryan Green, because he was elected by the people, not appointed.
Nov. 10: Former Johnstown City Manager Jack Liggett and current City Manager Sean Staneart joined officials from around the county to vent their frustrations at the county commissioners and ask why they weren't consulted before an Oct. 6 decision to extend the service area for Southwest Licking Water and Sewer District all the way to the southern edge of Johnstown.
Nov. 15: Some Johnstown City Council members blasted the county commissioners' agreement extending the Southwest Licking Water and Sewer District service area to the edge of Johnstown, saying it threatens the city's future.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Johnstown endures nightmarish year as 'dream' development begins on its doorstep
