First, I want to remind all of us for a moment that we serve at will by the people and for the people. We have a lot of rich history that runs through the village of Manchester and I am truly thankful that I have had an opportunity to serve.
I trust that I have served the way our village founding forefathers envisioned it, that we would be led by citizens who recognize that the blessing of governing ourselves requires that we give something of ourselves.
Being sworn in to serve the people makes no mention of party, faction, or title, contains no reference to agendas or platforms, but only to the Constitution, Laws and Ordinances.
Put simply, we are sent here not to be something, but to do something – to do the right thing. It’s a big job, and it comes with big challenges.
Over the past four years we have turned on $15,000 worth of street lights, over-seen several dilapidated houses torn down, (This, previous administrations ignored and didn’t want to participate in. We started when the program was ending). In the past four years six properties were torn down.
We have seen fruitful efforts of the Karma Points, Inc. and with the efforts of private citizens together with their involvement of using our FEMA property to produce a bountiful harvest that has been distributed to the Manchester Community Care Center and other places.
The Storm Sewer (Broadway, Pike and 5th St.) Project was completed and when it rains it doesn’t flood the intersection and along 5th Street and Pike and 5th.
When I came into office I urged the council and members of the public that the main arteries of the village such as US Route 52 (2nd Street), St. Rt. 136 (Jack Roush Way) and the riverfront to be clean, nice and appealing. For the most part we had done just that. Efforts first led by Wayne Blythe to start painting the buildings in the Business District and then others followed. Lights were finished up on Front Street at the River Park and park benches installed along Front Street towards Broadway Street
The Jack Roush Committee installed the Street Light Project on 2nd Street in the Business District.
We had no tornado sirens in operation. Over the past four years we fixed that problem by installing and repairing the broken sirens for the east and west side of town. Now our citizens can be alerted if storms should strike.
We had a severe drug problem in Manchester four years ago when I took office. Other police agencies were combating OUR drug problem. Under my administration we put a crack down on that and I appreciate what Chief Jeff Otis Bowling and K-9 Officer Jason Mallott have done to stop this problem. I recall before I ran for Mayor I was standing in the bay of the Manchester Firehouse and witnessed a drug exchange in the middle of the streets. We called the police then, but it was a long delayed response. Today, it certainly isn’t that bad. The police protection and presence has greatly impacted Manchester and I trust it will in the future and that this Council and Mayor-Elect Hilderbrand will continue to strengthen the department which I built.
Some members have went on the record in public meetings saying we have done nothing. I have just taken a few moments and explained what we have done and it was only made possible by people working together.
As former U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner said, “Public service was never meant to be easy.”
In closing, I am reminded that there is a time to every purpose under Heaven. May God have mercy upon us, The United States of America, the State of Ohio, Adams County and us as the Village of Manchester.
Mayor Troy A. Jolly
Manchester, Ohio
