Mayor talks about school and housing issues in third town hall meeting of 2025

Last week, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais held a town hall meeting in Ward 12, the 15^th of his term to date. Here’s an overview of what was discussed.

Affordable Housing/Homelessness

Ruais mentioned 30 news transitional housing units coming to Merrimack Street thanks to funding approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen recently. These housing units are aimed at helping those who are ready to leave local homeless shelters but cannot find housing they can afford.

Ruais said that an estimated 300 units meeting that projected rentof approximately $1,100 to $1,600 per month. level have been built so far this year and 700 more are being built right now.

However, Ruais also noted that he cannot force developers to build affordable housing, he cannot ethically pressure members of the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment regarding applications relating to affordable housing and that developers often need financial assistance from various organizations such as the New Hampshire Housing Authority to include affordable housing in their proposed developments.

Ruais also said that Manchester’s voice will be heard on a proposed housing development located in Goffstown that is completely disconnected from the rest of Goffstown and would require residents to enter and exit the proposed neighborhood through Manchester. Discussion on that development will take place among Goffstown land use boards in upcoming months.

Additionally, Ruais said that he has recently been in contact with New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte for infrastructure support in the Hackett Hill area to help develop areas near I-293, which until recently was expected to include an expansion of biofabrication facilities currently located in the Millyard.

City Finances

Members of the audience expressed concern about property tax rates, particularly for elderly residents.

Ruais noted that the 2024 budget process was a difficult one, with contractually required cost of living and healthcare coverage increases for city employees, an unexpected tax abatement for the Mall of New Hampshire and needs from first responders and the school district.

He also noted that the city is facing federally-mandated renovations for much of the city’s sewer system, with 100 out of 400 miles of the city’s current sewer system being built over 100 years ago. That age and the 280 million gallons of raw sewage dumped into the Merrimack River each year has caused property damage to many Manchester residents, necessitating action regardless of the federal mandates.

“We can be thoughtful and methodical in our budget, we don’t want to cut tens of millions of dollars,” he said.

He told the crowd that the school district is unlikely to receive the full amount that it requests for its upcoming budget, but he is unwilling to skimp on funding for police or public works. As of the night of the town hall, he said that the Police Department needs 23 more officers to reach its recommended roster complement. In recent months, representatives from the Department of Public Works told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that significant increases to the city’s road repair budget will be needed to keep up with proposed repair schedules given under funding in recent years.

Schools

Members of the audience asked why the school district’s facilities renovation plan was necessary given dropping enrollment in recent years, to which Ruais responded that enrollment has levelled off this year.

Regarding individuals in the audience who expressed frustration with the funding of a new Beech Street Elementary School, Ruais said that he would not have agreed with the first phase of the facilities plan that included the new school, but that decision came before his term began.

Additionally, given that the nearby Wilson Elementary School has been closed in recent years, he shared that it would actually be cheaper to build a new school to house Beech Street and Wilson students than renovate Wilson.

There were concerns about the new school impacting available parkland in the area, although Ruais disagreed with this assessment. While the proposed school is slated to be built on a portion of Sheridan-Emmet Park, the location of the current school will be transformed into a park and there are several other parks in the neighborhood.

He also said that he opposes the second phase of the school district’s facility plan as it currently is propose. While there were concerns that he did not have a comprehensive alternative for all schools in the district, he says that he is open to discussion over portions of the second phase if it can be amended into proposals that he considers more fiscally responsible.

“This isn’t an either/or proposition where we do nothing or we do all of it,” he said. “From a governing standpoint, you can’t just say no to things, you have to come forward with a plan.”

There was also frustration among individuals in the audience with the absence of Ward 12 Board of School Committee member Carlos Gonzalez, asking whether he could be recalled due to his frequent absences from school board meetings. Ruais said that he would talk to the school district relating its policies and also noted that this is an election year.

Other

Regarding a question on whether Manchester is a sanctuary city, he says that it is not and the city cooperates with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also said that he talked to Hillsborough County officials and confirmed that the county is not a “sanctuary county” either.

Ruais also said that the Trump Administration is focusing its enforcement efforts on terrorists and other dangerous individuals who have violated immigration laws.

For previous town hall meetings from Mayor Ruais, see below:

• February 16, 2024 (Ward 1) – Ruais discusses city issues during Ward 1 meeting
• March 13, 2024 (Ward 11) – Ward 11 Town Hall: Talking the talk with residents on crime, housing, garbage and West High School
• March 23, 2024 (Ward 3) – Mayor hears from downtown residents at latest town hall
• May 17, 2024 (Ward 9) – Ward 9 Town Hall: Mayor fields questions on tax breaks for developers, bail reform, traffic and school safety
• June 19, 2024 (Ward 7) – Ruais tackles questions from Ward 7 residents
• June 20, 2024 (Ward 12) Sparse crowd at Mayor’s Ward 12 Town Hall
• July 24, 2024 (Ward 10) Homelessness, housing, education and more discussed at Ward 10 town hall with the mayor
• August 28, 2024 (Ward 8) Eighth mayoral town hall held in Ward 8
• September 9, 2024 (Ward 6) Ruais holds town hall meeting in Ward 6
• October 9, 2024 (Ward 5) Ward 5 residents talk about litter, fireworks, illegal parking and more with Mayor Ruais
• November 22, 2024 (Ward 4) Schools, homelessness, Sununu Center and other topics discussed at Ward 4 mayoral town hall
• December 6, 2024 (Ward 2) Ruais talks about schools, homelessness, transportation in final neighborhood ward meeting of 2024
• January 15, 2025 (Ward 1) Ruais returns to Ward 1 for first mayoral town hall meeting of 2025
• February 22, 2025 (Ward 11) Ward 11 mayoral town hall covers parking, housing and more