"AS PARENTS of young children, my husband and I chose Manchester for our home for all that it had to offer. We recognized it for the vibrant city that it was and saw its yet untapped potential. We saw it as a great place to raise our children as it seemed filled with opportunity.
"Our children have been involved in city sports since they were very young. I worked with other volunteers to create and run a theater program at their elementary school for seven years. We embraced the community of Manchester and made great friends.
"Sadly, many of those friends now have made or are making the choice to leave the city. Their reasons vary from dissatisfaction with the school district, to the inability to enjoy the parks and trails as they once did, or that they are simply concerned regarding the reputation that is developing surrounding homelessness and the overall quality-of-life issues the city is facing..."
