Village continues to seek public input on city status

Village Council met last Monday night with an agenda item to field public questions or comment on seeking city status, but no citizens came forward.

Village President Pat Vailliencourt announced that she will be available to meet with residents to answer their questions on at 9 am each Wednesday in the lobby of the village hall, beginning on September. Anyone with questions regarding the village’s intention of pursuing city status is invited to these informal events.

In addition, Vailliencourt and Council members will be available 1/2 hour prior to each of the next several Village Council meetings to speak with those residents who might not wish to attend a full meeting. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 3, due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 2. Village Council meetings are normally held the first and third Mondays of each month at 7 pm.

Following the close of the public participation, a discussion of the recently released report by William Fahey, a municipal law attorney who gave his opinion on the process of Manchester becoming a city to the Manchester Township board last week, was also held.

In commenting, Village Manager Jeff Wallace indicated that Fahey’s 40+ years of experience, in particular while dealing with the Michigan Township Association’s platform, had likely informed his presentation more than the specific situation in which Manchester finds itself.

At next Tuesday’s meeting during the open discussion of the village’s cityhood status, there will be a response to Fahey’s presentation by Council.

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

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.