CITY OFFICIALS FACE some difficult decisions ahead regarding the future of recycling in Manchester.

MANCHESTER — Aldermen are expected to discuss several new labor contracts, including tentative three-year deals with the Manchester Police Patrolman’s Association and superior officers, when board members meet this week.

ALDERMEN WILL HOLD a second public hearing this month on a proposed charter amendment involving changing ward boundaries, after a state review of the proposed ballot question resulted in some suggested revisions.

Members of the city’s Heritage Commission are continuing efforts to save the manager’s residence building at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center from being demolished as part of a planned expansion of services at the site.

More than 100 people turned out last week for the grand opening of Mayor Joyce Craig‘s campaign office at 264 Mammoth Road.

Republican former state Rep. Victoria Sullivan, a candidate for mayor of Manchester, hosted a downtown business roundtable at the Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant on Elm Street, where attendees voiced concerns over the homeless, drug use and the perception by some that downtown Manchester is “unsafe.”

Last year, city aldermen amended the City Hall Care & Use Policy to create a policy on the use of flagpoles on City Hall property.

The school board fell one vote shy of passing a second attempt at getting a question on the city’s tax cap on municipal ballots this fall.

“Are you in favor of a student from each high school having a seat on the School Committee as a non-voting member?”

RESIDENTS and stakeholders are invited to take part in a visioning session for the proposed redesign of the city’s South Millyard this Thursday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown hotel on Elm St.

Mayor Joyce Craig announced last week that a community meeting on the homeless in downtown Manchester will be held June 3 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown hotel from 5-7 p.m., a discussion Ward 3 Alderman Tim Baines has been requesting for weeks.

The hot issue? The lack of a new contract with city teachers.

At a meeting of the Manchester Police Commission earlier this month, Capano said the permanent cameras will go up in the area of City Hall.

The number of days left for Dr. Bolgen Vargas as superintendent of the state’s largest school district is dwindling, but one doesn’t get the impression he’s in any hurry to leave.

LESS THAN A WEEK into the 2019 mayoral race, both candidates for office are ramping up hirings within their campaigns.

Ahead of a mediation session this Tuesday between representatives of the Manchester Education Association (MEA) and the school district’s negotiations team, a newsletter sent by union leadership updating the membership on the talks contains some interesting tidbits.

The municipal election season has yet to officially kick off in the Queen City, but members of the two top boards are already talking about a possible trade.

Manchester remains the last of a few cities that still define their ward boundaries by charter, instead of codifying them within local ordinances. 

WHEN CITY school board members chose a consultant to led the search for a new superintendent, the vote was not without controversy — despite those same board members expressing unanimous support for that same consultant in a phone poll conducted just 10 days prior.

Mayor Joyce Craig vetoed the proposal despite a 12-0 show of support for the plan from fellow board members.

Another closed-door discussion on handling homelessness in the Queen City has opened the door to additional frustration among city officials.

City aldermen recently voted to approve a partnership with Trinity High School and replace the lower athletic field at Derryfield Park with a new, lighted synthetic turf field.

It’s not a full-fledged movement just yet, but at least one downtown business owner appears to be pushing back against a perceived lack of action by officials in addressing the growing number of homeless in downtown Manchester.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Even as the district prepares to search for his replacement, kudos continue to come in for departing Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bolgen Vargas.

The city’s municipal election won’t be held until November, but potential opponents of incumbent Mayor Joyce Craig — assuming she seeks reelection — are already mulling possible runs for the corner office.

Outgoing Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bolgen Vargas hasn’t responded to questions from the media surrounding his decision to resign.

Muscle Beach, Manchester-style?