Manchester: Where We’re At Six Months In From The Desk Of The Mayor

- By Manchester Mayor Robert Arace

In the fi rst six months as your mayor, our administration has delivered on several of our campaign promises to residents, including:

• Lowering administrative salaries

• Protecting our seniors from outrageous rental increases

• Purchasing available open space

• Establishing inter-local water agreements

• Ensuring that our fi rst responders have adequate funding

• Overcoming budgetary challenges

• Enhancing community services and outreach

In the next few editions of this paper, I will highlight each one of these issues and what we have done to overcome these challenges.

Lowering Administrative Salaries

I would like to start with what we have done to save taxpayer dollars and deliver quality services. One of my most important goals after taking office was to reduce the mayor’s administrative salaries. First, I needed to fi nd an experienced Business Administrator. I am happy to report that we have appointed a Business Administrator with thirty years of experience. He has a salary that is $7,000 lower than the previous administrator and will not be taking any township benefits. This results in a savings of $37,000. In addition, I cut the cost of the mayor’s confidential aide position to ensure that both sides of town had access to my office. The previous administration’s confidential aide was a full-time employee making $62,000 per year with an additional $30,000 per year in benefits. My solution to this was twofold: to reduce the position of confidential aide to two part-time roles eliminating $30,000 of benefits. Second, to reduce the total salary, while servicing two key areas of need in town. We now have a confidential aide for Economic Improvement and a Confidential Aide as a liaison specifically dedicated to our senior community to serve the needs of our retirees better. The combined annual cost of both aides is $48,000 – reduced from the previous salary of $62,000 – a $14,000 decrease in total salary. Considering that neither of my aides will be taking benefits, this is a $44,000 savings to the taxpayer.

Between our new Business Administrator and the restructuring of the confidential aides, we are saving $81,000 per year for our taxpayers. This is a $324,000 savings over the next four years.

Enhancing Community Services and Outreach

During the campaign, I heard concerns voiced by our residents regarding the need for more direct representation and access to the mayor and administration.

To better serve the needs of the community, we are pleased to announce the creation of an administration office in Whiting. The new office space in the Whiting EMS building will house administrative representatives, including my Confidential Aide and Senior Liaison, Judy Noonan. We know that many of our residents in the Whiting area feel they need help accessing our township resources as easily as the east side, and this expansion is a step to remedy that gap.

As Mayor, I am committed to ensuring that every resident of Manchester has equal access to government services, regardless of location. This new office space on the west side will provide a hub for community engagement and better access to government services.

Next month I will talk about how we are protecting our seniors from rental hikes and preserving open space.

I wish you a safe and happy start to summer and as always, please reach out to my office directly with any questions or concerns.