Cityhood making progress at state level

Manchester is on its way to becoming a city — at least at the state level.

by Marsha Chartrand

Last Monday, March 27, the City Charter Commission wrapped up its responsibilities by reaffirming Manchester’s new City Charter with several minor changes as suggested by the State Attorney General’s office. The newly revised Charter was submitted back to the AG office on Tuesday morning to be forwarded to the Governor’s office. This move puts the village in “good position” to meet the deadlines for a November 7 election, according to Village Manager Michael Sessions and Charter Commission Chair Jeff Wallace.

“We are hoping for quick approval, allowing us to move forward with a November 7 election,” Sessions explained. “This also means that there will be an election of new City Council members concurrently with the vote for cityhood. Anyone wishing to file to run for City Council or Mayor will need to obtain a petition that will need to be signed by 15 registered electors and filed with the Township Clerk’s office by Tuesday, July 25, at 4pm.”

Sessions also said that the village will be posting frequent reminders, newsletters, and e-mails to keep the residents informed about any issues involving the upcoming election. Since 2023 is considered an “off year” for elections, there may be no other proposals on the ballot, so voter turnout will be important. “We have some ideas brewing,” Sessions added, to keep voter interest high.

Wallace said that once the Governor approves and signs off on the Charter, that puts the village back in charge of the process. The Charter will need to be published (it currently can be viewed on the Village website) and if necessary, public hearings may be held, including both members of the Citizens Advisory Committee who recommended in August 2019, after eight months of deliberation, that the process move forward, and the City Charter Commission, who were elected in November 2022 to draft the actual Charter within a 90-day timeline.

The Charter Commission “did its homework” and was prepared to move forward quickly, Sessions added. “The people at the state level seemed surprised that we were able to pull things together so promptly,” he said. “We just wanted to meet the established deadlines and be able to get this measure on the ballot after waiting for four years.”

Wallace gave a nod to his fellow commissioners: “Everyone was great to work with,” he said. “And we were fortunate that we didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. We had plenty of guidance and support, especially from Jonesville, who had recently gone through this same process. That was very helpful.”

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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.