Burns seeks more info on Cambria Assistance Office move

RTK request centered on Hiram G. Andrews Center specifics

Rep. Frank Burns January 8, 2024 | 11:54 AM

EBENSBURG, Jan. 8 – Amid news that the state has begun renovations at the Hiram G. Andrews Center to accommodate moving the Cambria County Assistance Office from downtown Johnstown, state Rep. Frank Burns has filed a request seeking additional specifics.

Among the information sought in the Right-to-Know Law request filed by Burns, D-Cambria, are any documents and emails between the state Department of Human Services and CamTran pertaining to bus transportation for people affected by the move.

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“I’m trying to piece this puzzle together on both ends – the vacating of the downtown Johnstown location, and the new tenancy at Hiram G. Andrews Center – so we have the full picture of how and why this proposed change went down.” – state Rep. Frank Burns

Burns said that according to a news report, a new bus stop has been recently added to the current Cambria County Assistance Office downtown location, to take people to the new Upper Yoder Township location starting this spring.

Burns said availability of public transportation was one of the points he raised in an email to DHS more than a month ago, as part of his effort to ensure the department is in full compliance with the state Downtown Location Law, and he wants to see how that concern may have percolated behind the scenes.

“I am curious to see how this, and all the other points I’ve raised concerning DHS compliance with this important law, have been and are being addressed,” Burns said. “Before any move occurs, these questions should all be answered – but history shows that Harrisburg and certain Cambria County interests are no strangers to putting the cart before the horse to achieve their agenda.”

As DHS apparently moves full steam ahead with their CAO relocation plan, Burns is still awaiting a response from the state agency to verify its compliance with the Downtown Location Law – including a copy of its state-required guidelines. DHS has invoked a 30-day extension to conduct a legal review of that request, which includes current CAO lease information.

“I think it’s premature for DHS to proceed as though this move is a done deal, when they haven’t been able to show how they have complied with a law that clearly comes into play in this situation,” Burns said. “I’m trying to piece this puzzle together on both ends – the vacating of the downtown Johnstown location, and the new tenancy at the Hiram G. Andrews Center – so we have the full picture of how and why this proposed change went down.”

In his recent RTK request, Burns asked for:

Any and all documents, including, but not limited to emails, regarding the Cambria County Assistance Office move to the Hiram G. Andrews Center.
Any and all documents including emails pertaining to any fee agreements or lease information associated with the move to the Hiram G. Andrews Center, along with renovation work orders, plus any and all associated costs of any current or future renovations being done for the move of Cambria County Assistance Office to the Hiram G. Andrews Center.
Any and all documents including emails between DHS and CamTran pertaining to bus transportation for people affected by the Cambria County Assistance Office's move to the Hiram G. Andrews Center.