— With a $10.4 million budget, 1,504 apartments and 602 Section 8 housing vouchers, it seems those who administer Johnstown Housing Authority would have their hands full.

But lately, the authority’s five-member board has been preoccupied with infighting and a battle with Johnstown City Council. In fact, an ongoing legal dispute has left the board’s makeup in doubt.

Those representing the board’s two conflicting factions insist that they just want to get on with the business of providing public housing – that is safe for residents and others living nearby.

“You’re not being productive when you’re fighting these little battles,” said the Rev. Ralph Johnson, JHA board chairman.

Responded board member Brian Vuletich: “There are no personal vendettas. There are no personal gains here. We are community-minded people.”

Vuletich launched the first public volley about a year ago when he penned an opinion piece in The Tribune-Democrat blasting the board for what he calls wasteful spending on travel.

He also criticized executive pay, use of authority-funded vehicles and other spending. The piece called out Johnson and authority Executive Director Dan Kanuch.

In a recent interview, Vuletich did not back away from that stance. He cited trips Johnson took last year to places including Las Vegas, New Orleans, Atlantic City and Key Largo, Fla., adding up to 47 travel days and nearly $4,000 in per diem expenses even before hotel and airfare costs are added.

He also cited the use of authority vehicles by Kanuch and others.

“We have employees taking cars home every night,” Vuletich said.

Both Johnson and Kanuch defended their vehicle policies, saying “only those individuals that have to be on-call in emergency situations have these vehicles.”

And Johnson contends that, as board chairman, he has an obligation to travel to conferences in order to keep up with evolving federal housing policies.

In some cases, Johnson said, he attends such meetings on Kanuch’s behalf.

“I’m a part of something,” Johnson said. “I want to be educated on what I’m a part of.”

MORE IN THIS SERIES:

• Click here to view our interactive map of JHA housing sites
• Funding at risk: Housing authority braces for drop in federal money
• Manager: Untaxed housing areas ‘a burden on city resources’

Kanuch does not believe such disputes are relevant, arguing that travel and vehicle costs “are not even 1 percent of our total operating costs.”

Vuletich, though, maintains that even relatively small savings could help the authority better target its resources.

“The private sector is cutting back and cutting back,” he said. “You save a few thousand dollars here and there, and before you know it ...”

The board’s latest dispute, however, has nothing to do with cost-cutting. It has pitted board members against board members and the housing authority against City Council, and the matter now is in Cambria County court.

The problem began Aug. 1, when City Council appointed Michael Vuckovich to replace Theresa Holliday on the housing board. But when Vuckovich appeared at a board meeting one month later, he was not permitted to participate.

Authority Solicitor Tim Leventry contends the city did not follow its own rules in appointing Vuckovich and unfairly slighted Holliday, who had sought reappointment.

Holliday has been allowed to retain her board seat.

City Solicitor Dave Andrews says council’s appointment was “entirely legitimate.” Last fall, Andrews filed court papers seeking to force the authority to seat Vuckovich.

The board’s balance of power could be at stake. Currently, Johnson, Holliday and John Slezak are perceived as allies who outnumber Vuletich and Raymond Arcurio – both of whom walked out of the authority’s Sept. 1 meeting to protest the rejection of Vuckovich.

“Obviously, I’m a member of the minority,” Vuletich said, adding that it’s “possible” that Vuckovich’s addition to the board could change that.

Johnson believes Vuletich is pursuing a “vendetta” against Kanuch – a charge that Vuletich denies.

Asked whether he believes his job is in jeopardy, Kanuch said he does not.

Regardless of the eventual outcome, the fight is costing time and money at a time when the authority’s federal subsidy has been slashed.

Vuletich would argue otherwise, but Johnson contends the matter has nothing to do with public housing.

“They’re making it personal,” Johnson said.

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