MANCHESTER — Residents, complete this sentence: “Manchester:”

Town officials are seeking ideas for a new town motto, something that conveys to the rest of the world what it is that makes Manchester, Manchester.

“We’re trying to capture the essence of Manchester,” said Jeremy Pare, chairman of the selectmen. “We’re looking to residents to provide ideas for an eight to 10-word quote, to say what our town is all about.”

The motto would take the place of one already used on the town’s website, “Manchester, The Way Life Is.”

Pare said that motto didn’t come from residents. Instead, he said it was largely the creation of a former town manager, the late Mark Doyon, manager from 2003 to 2010, who came up with the motto to have something to put on the town’s new website.

Pare said if residents and officials decide to keep that motto, it’s fine, the town could stick with it.

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But he also wants to hear ideas for new mottos from residents.

“We’d love to have everybody in town submit an idea,” Pare said. “We’re trying to confirm what Manchester wants to be known as. We’re looking for creativity, something fun. It’s an opportunity to have a little fun, for folks to think about what their town is, and take some pride in it.”

The motto will be used on the town’s website, which Pare said is being updated, and, potentially, on town letterhead and promotional material sent to out-of-towners.

“This could be the first thing people see when they open up that envelope, that picture of what we are,” he said.

Ideas should be submitted by May 23. They may be emailed to: townclerk@manchesterme.org, or jpare@manchesterme.org, brought to the Town Office in person, or by calling the office at 622-1894.

Pare said the public is invited to the 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 27 selectmen’s meeting at which the submitted entries will be read and discussed.

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The new motto will be unveiled at the Town Meeting on June 12.

Pare said seeking motto ideas fits in with a goal of selectmen to increase communication with residents, as well as encourage them to participate in town government.

“We’re looking to get people more involved in the community, and want to hear more from our constituents,” he said. “We want to get more people involved in Town Meeting. We’re hoping excitement around what the town motto is, which we plan to announce at the Town Meeting, might help.”

Pare said submissions from either children or adults are welcome, and said town officials invited school officials to encourage students to submit their ideas, by either coming up with ideas in their classrooms with their peers, or at home as individuals.

Pare said the motto should be 10 words or less.

Keith Edwards – 621-5647 | kedwards@centralmaine.com | Twitter: @kedwardskj


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