Dear American Towns,

Here's what's new in Manchester:

Holiday Schedule
Town Offices will be closed on Monday July 4th for Independence Day.
The Transfer Station will also be closed Monday; Trash will not be collected Monday, and will be delayed one day for the remainder of the week.
Town Libraries will be closed on both Sat. and Monday July 2 & 4.
Pool schedule: on July 4 Globe Hollow is the only pool open, hours are 1:00-6:00 PM.

2022 Tax Bill Information
Tax bills were mailed Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Taxpayers may pay by mail, online, or via the drop box behind Town Hall. The Office of Assessment & Collection is open weekdays from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Contact the Tax Office by calling 860-647-3018, or emailing [email protected].
To pay online, go to www.manchesterct.gov  and click on the link for online tax payments.
Convenience fees for Motor Vehicle tax payments by debit/credit card and E-check are currently being waived. Convenience fees for Real Estate & Personal Property tax payments of 2.95% for debit/credit cards and $.95 for E-checks apply. To avoid this fee, pay by check or money order. The return envelope enclosed with the bill can be used to mail or drop off the payment at the drop box behind Town Hall.
All tax payments listed as due on July 01, 2022 must be paid by Monday, August 01, 2022 (a US Postal Service Post Mark is acceptable) to avoid interest penalties. Interest will accrue on August 02, 2022 at 1.5% per month from the due date, July 1st, which cannot be waived. Minimum interest charge is $2.00.

Landfill/Transfer Station
Starting July 1, 2022, the new hours of operation are: Landfill/Commercial Customers: Monday – Friday 7:15am-2:30pm (closed Saturday and Sunday).
Residential Transfer Station: Tuesday – Saturday – 7:15am – 2:30pm (closed Sunday and Monday). Residents can apply for their FREE recycling permit online; visit our webpage for more information:
https://www.manchesterct.gov/Town-Facilities-Locator/Transfer-Station

Dog Licensing for the June 2022 to June 2023 license began June 1st. For options of how to obtain a new license please go to https://www.manchesterct.gov/Government/Departments/Town-Clerk/Dog-License
For detailed instructions on renewing a dog license, please go to:
https://www.manchesterct.gov/Government/Departments/Town-Clerk/Dog-License#section-4

Emergency Replacement Program: The Town of Manchester runs a program to assist in situations where a boiler, furnace, water heater, water line  or sewer lateral, etc. is beyond repair and is in need of replacement.  Documentation of an inspection by a licensed contractor or CNG red-tag will be needed to prove it is beyond repair and must be replaced. To qualify, your household must meet specific income eligibility criteria, be up to date with taxes and fees due to the town and be current on mortgage payments.  For more information on eligibility requirements or to request an application, please call (860) 647-3044 or visit
https://www.manchesterct.gov/Government/Departments/Planning-and-Economic-Development/Community-Development-and-Housing/Emergency-Replacement-Program

Redevelopment Agency
Special Meeting, Thursday June 30, 2022 at 7:30 A.M. This meeting will be held virtually.  Any member of the public wishing to participate and/or speak must submit a request to [email protected]
Only individuals who make such a request will be allowed to join the Zoom meeting and meeting information will be sent to individuals who submit a request.  Attendees will need to join the Zoom meeting and will only be allowed to participate if directed by the Chairman.

So, You Want to Start a Podcast?
The Manchester Public Library is pleased to host Mike Brown, CEO and Founder of Ember Studios, a multimedia company that specializes in Podcast Production and Coaching, for Part One of our podcasting mini-series on Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at the Whiton Branch Library on 100 North Main Street.
Part One of this mini-series, “So, You Want to Start a Podcast”, is geared toward helping you transform from someone who isn’t quite sure into someone who can confidently start a podcast tomorrow. If you are ‘pod-curious’ this is the perfect first step. In the course of editing over 700 podcasts and producing thousands, Brown has learned key insights to help people go from Confused to Confident about their podcast or podcast idea. He also hosts 'The Ember Studios Podcast' which is dedicated to passing along inspiration, creative methods, and Podcasting advice.
This program is the first in a two-part series on podcasting – a separate session entitled “Podcasting: First Steps” will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at the Whiton Branch, with more information to follow.
No registration is required for this free program. For more information on this event, please call (860) 645-0821 or visit the library website at https://www.manchesterct.gov/Government/Departments/Library

The Spruce Street Farmers Market will run Wednesdays, 6/1-8/31, 4:30-7:30 on Market Field, 153 Spruce Street. The Northwest Park Farmers Market will run Wednesdays, 9/7- 10/26, 4:30-7:30 at Northwest Park, 448 Tolland Turnpike. Both markets feature Connecticut farms, prepared food vendors, and artisans. Both accept SNAP/EBT and double the value of SNAP purchases. Spend $10.00 using your EBT card, receive an additional $10.00 to spend on fresh produce. New for 2022: POP (Power of Produce) Kids' Club. Each child will receive a free $2.00 POP Bucks coupon weekly to be redeemed for fresh produce. Please contact Cynde at [email protected]  with questions.

Veteran’s benefits counselors, Neil Duggan, Service Officer/Chapter 17/DAV and Paul Scappaticci, Commander of DAV Chapter 17, will be available at the Weiss Center by appointment.  Please call 860-647-3270 and select option #7 to leave a message for Neil or Paul. The Weiss Center is located at 479 Main St. in Manchester. Park in rear of building. Use the parking lot entrance, ground level. The conference room is located on the 1st floor, follow the signs marked for the Veteran’s Counselor.  For your convenience there is an elevator located at the ground level entrance. This is for all veterans, regardless of branch of service, combat or non-combat.

The Manchester Art Association's (MAA) newest exhibit is opening Friday, July 8, 2022 at the Manchester Town Hall located at 41 Center Street. It is a beautiful watercolor exhibit of pieces created by MAA members and will run through Wednesday, October 12. The exhibit can be seen at Manchester Town Hall during normal business hours or online at https://www.manchesterart.org/town-hall. For information on visiting Manchester Town Hall, please see their website: www.manchesterct.gov

The Spruce Street Neighborhood Blockwatch will be meeting on Wednesday July 6 at 6:30pm at the Eastside Neighborhood Resource Center  at 153 Spruce St., located in the former firehouse, and everyone is welcome. This is an opportunity to meet with your neighbors and our local police area representatives regarding any issues concerning the neighborhood. Our PAR officers also share updated information each month. We meet the first Wednesday of each month except for August when we celebrate National Night Out with our Annual Ice Cream Social which is held on the first Tuesday in August. We hope you will consider joining us.

Make A Powerful Impact! Blood donations are critically important at this time of year. Give by June 30 & get a $5 e-gift card, plus a chance to win a VIP trip for two to Memphis and Graceland!
Upcoming Manchester blood drives include:
June 30 from 9:00am-6:30pm at North United Methodist Church, 300 Parker Street.
July 7 from 1:30pm-6:30pm at North United Methodist Church, 300 Parker Street.
July 10 from 8:00am -1:00pm at Academy of Martial Arts & Personal Development, 1404 Tolland Turnpike.
For more info and to schedule your appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit us online to find drives in nearby towns:  
http://www.redcrossblood.org

Share this service with a friend:
Forward this link to sign up for Manchester Matters E-Mail service to those you know who live or work in Manchester:
https://www.manchesterct.gov/Government/Departments/Customer-Service-Information-Center/Manchester-Matters-E-Newsletter