Johnstown Budget Approval Delayed After Procedural Fiasco

Frustration mounted in Johnstown as the city’s 2026 budget process was thrown into disarray during a special New Year's Eve meeting.

The result was a Johnstown budget approval delayed yet again, this time by a failure to make the complete document public.

City Council was forced to hold the last-minute session after an earlier advertising error prevented a timely vote.

However, during the meeting, residents pointed out a critical flaw.

Only two of the budget's eight sections—the general fund and the capital projects fund—had been made available for the required public inspection period.

This revelation sparked immediate concern and criticism from both the public and council members.

Faced with this procedural misstep, the council amended its resolution to vote only on the two funds that had been properly advertised.

Councilman Taylor Clark openly expressed his frustration, questioning why the full budget was not properly displayed for residents to review.

City Manager Art Martynuska attributed the problem to a “mix up in communication.”

He conceded that the entire budget should have been accessible to the public as required by law.

The partial passage is a significant setback for city planning.

Key financial areas, including Liquid Fuel funds and American Recovery Act funds, remain unapproved.

The responsibility for passing the remainder of the 2026 budget now falls to the new city council, which will take up the issue in January.

Despite the turmoil, Martynuska remains hopeful the rest of the spending plan will pass at the next meeting, allowing the city to move forward with its financial objectives for the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the Johnstown budget approval delayed?

The approval was delayed because the full eight-section budget was not properly advertised for public viewing. Only the general and capital projects funds were accessible, leading to a partial vote.

Who is the Johnstown City Manager?

The City Manager for Johnstown is Art Martynuska, who acknowledged a communication error led to the budget display issue.

What happens next for the Johnstown budget?

The newly seated Johnstown City Council will vote on the remaining six sections of the 2026 budget at a meeting in January.