Council receives updates on city status

Manchester–village or city?

The topic of Manchester seeking to possibly become a city, rather than a village, at some point in the future, was again on the Village Council agenda last week.

Village Manager Jeff Wallace reported on his meeting with the State Boundary Commission on September 10 and presented an updated “Home Rule City Incorporation Procedure” as of September 2019. This nine-page handout details each step of the multiple-year road for a community pursuing city status.

Wallace also noted that according to Council’s direction, he had engaged Arbor Land Consultants to do a survey of the current village boundaries. During his meeting with The State Boundary Commission, he learned that the last updated map on file at the state is from 2007.

President Pro-Tem Marty Way gave a short response to some concerns he has heard expressed about cityhood in light of recent losses to the village’s business population.

“The loss of retail is not just a Manchester problem,” Way stated. “And cityhood is not a ‘retail’ problem.”

He listed several big-box stores that had recently announced closures or significant downsizing efforts, and pointed out that malls, which had once been blamed for the undoing of downtown businesses, were also affected by bankruptcies and closures. “Competition from the internet is now listed as the biggest reason that malls are closing,” he added.

All retail business are needing to re-think and reinvent their strategies. “If a business wants to succeed in a small town, they need to figure out what kind of store will work in that environment,” he said. “We aren’t going to solve this by committee.

“But,” he added, “I have asked myself, and haven’t come up with an answer yet–how would any of this be any better if we remained under the township?”

Village President Pat Vailliencourt pointed out that that in the past five years, there had been more than $7 million invested in the downtown and local parks; 75% of that investment has come from grant sources. “The village is doing a great deal to enhance the atmosphere in our community,” she said. “And now we need the support of some thoughtful and creative people to help us restore our downtown.”

Following that, Vailliencourt requested a motion from Council: “Based on the recommendation of the Citizens’ Advisory Council, and the input from the public meeting of August 5, 2019 meeting; that we assure the map, legal description, and any forms required are prepared; and that when these tasks are completed, we proceed to obtain the required petition signatures.” The motion was made by Dresch, seconded by Woods, and unanimously approved by Village Council.

Way’s final comment was, “People keep asking, ‘Why now?’ And I just want to say, ‘Why NOT now?'”

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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.