I’m not from Manchester. That feels like a good place to start before diving into what is going to be (spoiler alert) a pretty honest conversation about communication in this town. I might not be from here, but I am proud to be here.

In my limited exposure to the community a few things have become glaringly obvious. The residents of this town are fiery and passionate about the place they live. It used to be that exit #60 was just something I drove by on my way to Boston, now it feels more like the off ramp to M-Town. 

In almost every meeting since starting with the Office of Neighborhoods and Families, new and lifelong residents alike speak about Manchester like it’s the center of the universe, as if they are privy to some big secret that the rest of the state just hasn’t caught onto yet. For the people who have chosen to make this place their place, Manchester is anything but drive by country.

It’s no surprise then to anyone who has lived in town for any significant amount of time that Manchester has a rich history; a boom town, a bust town, homogeneous, and increasingly heterogeneous in its makeup. The last twenty years have seen an incredible shift towards the latter. The diversity of the town’s residents is undoubtedly one of its greatest assets and among its most obvious strengths. This then begs the question why do so many of our neighbors feel like they are disconnected, and out of the loop? Focus groups, and surveys have told us that residents feel like it’s difficult to stay engaged and sometimes the communications for our resources and services never make it to the people who will benefit most, or even worse that the communications simply weren’t meant to reach them at all.

We are undeniably living in an age of growing technology, where sharing and receiving information is more integrated, complex, and accessible than ever before. People expect seamless communication at every touch point in their lives, including the interactions they have with their local governments.

Trust in government remains at a historic low, the good news, according to the 2020 Census, the local government level is one of the most trusted by the public. Communities are looking towards their local governments to champion the sharing of accurate information, counter false information, and most importantly foster a trusting relationship.

So how do we change? Well, we listen. Not the sit quietly while waiting for your turn to talk kind of listening either. It sounds simple but it isn’t. Listening requires time, patience, empathy. Fortunately, this town has a lot of proud people ready to do some talking, and a vested group of folks who are all ears.