Village at a new vantage point in seeking city status

Manchester–village or city?

Village President Pat Vailliencourt updated the Village Planning Commission last week on the most recent developments in the process toward possibly becoming a city.

“Our boundary survey, using the existing village boundaries, has been approved by the State Boundary Commission,” she stated. “This means we may proceed with using the exact same boundaries that we currently have. Nothing will change in that regard.”

However, with many recent changes at the state level, the next steps seem less clear.

“There have been changes made to the recommended petition language,” she explained. “We are working with our attorney to determine how to word the petition that will be circulated among village residents.”

That petition only allows the process to get to its next step. Petitions will need to be signed by a minimum of 5 percent of registered voters in the village. The petition circulation drive will not start until the weather improves and coronavirus cautions have eased, giving the village time to develop its language and get it approved by the state. Even then, the petition drive only indicates agreement that the process should continue to its next step. Submitting the petition does not commit the village to going further in its pursuit of cityhood, and signing the petition does not commit the resident to an eventual vote toward becoming a city.

Once petitions are submitted, the State Boundary Commission will begin its own investigation process, which will include a series of public hearings of both the township and the village residents. Following that will be selection of a charter commission and an eventual village-wide vote on cityhood status.

Changes in governance may happen, but that is still on the horizon.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.