Cityhood study committee continues its work

Manchester–village or city?

According to the Michigan Municipal League (MML), “since 1931 there has been a steady conversion of villages to cities in Michigan.” The Village of Manchester is one of the more recent additions to this long list of villages making the decision to pursue cityhood.

In January, the Manchester Village Council voted to establish a Citizens Advisory Committee of village residents charged with the responsibility to investigate the road to cityhood and to get public input, information that meets the criteria for becoming a city. The committee will then bring back a recommendation to Village Council. The committee members are Denise Collins, Scott Dunsmore, Pat Fielder, Rick Finger, Jack Gould, James Keller, Lelie Kiesel, Carol LaRock, and Herb Mahony.

At its April 2 meeting, the committee received reports from village administration (Jeff Wallace, Village Manager); Chair Jim Keller; and the finance committee, represented by Jack Gould.

Wallace reported that Mariah Fink, an attorney with some experience in the cityhood process, had agreed to attend the group’s April 23 meeting to give a brief presentation and to answer any legal questions that the committee may have. In addition, the City of Jonesville will be at the May 7 meeting to go over the process and results they went through to become a city in 2014.

Keller discussed inviting Manchester Township Supervisor Gene DeRossett to the committee’s June 4 meeting to present the township’s perspective and any impact that the village becoming a city could have on the township.

According to the MML, “changing from a village to a city, reduced to its simplest terms, means withdrawing from the township and providing through  a new city government the local services formerly provided by the village and whatever necessary and non-duplicating functions were provided by the township government.”

Gould presented information on millage and taxes, and a discussion of cost impact to both the village and township ensued. Services currently provided by the township (for example, elections, assessing, and tax collection) would need to be provided by a new city. Also, as part of the township the village currently participates in the cost of fire protection. Should the village decide to become a city, the township taxes supporting the Manchester Township Fire Department would not be assessed within the city limits. Costs of future contracting were also discussed. The financial impact of cityhood decisions will be the primary agenda topic at tomorrow night’s meeting.

This meeting, and all other subsequent meetings of the Citizens Advisory Committee, will be held at 7 pm in the Village Council chambers, located on the lower level of the municipal building at 912 City Road. For more information, contact the village office at 734-428-7877.

Stay up to date with the city status investigation on the Village of Manchester’s website here. 

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.