Letter to the Editor: New city prepares for our future

November 10, 2023

To the Editor:

November 7 was an important day for our fire department, our schools, and our town. Voters again demonstrated their trust and support for those willing to give of their time and talents to serve and protect our community.

I certainly recognize and understand the concerns with the change of the legal identity from “village” to “city.” Just the word “city” has a negative sound when we think of our town, our quality of life, our future. Many assume it will mandate “change.” It will mean we will no longer be the Manchester we all love. The City Charter lays out how we are governed. I highly recommend you take the time to read it; it’s available on the website. You will be pleased how closely it resembles the previous Village Charter, how it does not require growth, or tax increases, how it mirrors the previous council/mayor responsibly. It also includes (Section 8.12) provisions for a referendum on an enacted ordinance.

Giving “village” voters the opportunity to decide how they want to be governed was not a decision taken lightly. Over almost five years, volunteers put in countless hours of research, investigating, meeting with officials from other communities that have gone through this, attending seminars, and considering the impact on the township. These volunteers were village residents. They were your friends, your neighbors, maybe even your relatives. They were multi-generational professionals, young parents, seniors, new residents, and (as I love to say) some were born and bred here. This was not a group of “meme” newbies or one person’s agenda. It was people who love Manchester. They
unanimously supported that it was time to let the voters decide whether they wanted to continue supporting two municipalities.

Your newly elected Council will be sworn in at the next meeting and will get right to work doing the job we were elected to do. This Council is committed to protecting our quality of life, supporting our downtown, keeping us fiscally sound, and working with the school and our townships in preparing for the future. It is our job to work together to leave the same amazing community to our next generations.

Pat Vailliencourt
Mayor-Elect
City of Manchester

Views expressed in any Letter to the Editor are always exclusively those of the author. Do you have something you want Manchester to know? Send your Letter to the Editor to themanchestermirror@gmail.com. 

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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.