28 separate units of government make for a rich and diverse Washtenaw County. 1Washtenaw, is a meeting point, advanced by Washtenaw County government, for those cities, townships, and villages to compare notes and priorities, seizing opportunities for collaboration.

“Meet 1Washtenaw” is a series of interviews with local unit of government officials that highlights these municipalities and their leaders. The interviews are conducted by Nina Johnson, the County’s 1Washtenaw Coordinator.

Manchester Township is located in the southwest of corner of Washtenaw County, bounded by Sharon Township to the north, Bridgewater Township to the east, Jackson County to the west and Lenawee County to south. As I traveled M-52 south, I began to see miles and miles of farmland. At one point, I thought I might be lost and didn’t want to be late for my interview with the Township’s Supervisor, Ron Mann, so I reached for the cell phone (hoping I would get a signal). At that instant, I saw what I looking for…..Main Street. As I drove down Main St, I noticed the historical architecture of the buildings, the gazebo, the river flowing under the bridge through town, the families strolling and enjoying ice cream and immediately felt a real sense of “community”.

Tell me a little about Manchester Township, what sets it apart?
We are one big community! In my mind, automobiles, television and air conditioning have destroyed the “closeness” that communities in this country once had. Neighbors rarely interact or know one another as they had in the past. We are a very closely knitted community. We really focus on family and helping one another.

We are best known for the Manchester Chicken Broil which occurs on the 3rd Thursday in July. We usually have about 500 men who volunteer each year, serving 14,000 participants in 4 hours! It’s a wonderful opportunity to interact with others in the community. People who have moved out of the area continue to come back for the event. As the word spreads about the event, we are also starting to see residents from other parts of the County join the festivities. This is a very active community. Many clubs and organizations like the Boy Scouts, Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce, Men's Club, Legends, 20th Century, to name a few, sponsor events for families to enjoy: Blues and Ribs Festival, Christmas in the Village, Community Fair, and the River Folk Festival. Outdoor concerts are held at the Gazebo located on Main Street.

How has technology changed Manchester Township?
Email has changed how we communicate. We still have some that are resistant to the change, but overall email has been extremely helpful. Keeping everyone informed of what’s going on can be a challenge. We use every available means of communication to keep residents abreast of issues. We are still developing our website. Foot traffic into the office has not changed much. Our office is a part-time operation due to the lack of tax dollars. However, we are planning to add features to the website that will make it more convenient for the residents to conduct business.

Michigan’s “home rule” status has made many things possible over the years, but do your think attitudes are beginning to shift as population increases?
In this part of the County, Freedom Township, Bridgewater Township, Sharon Township, Manchester Township, Manchester Village and Manchester Community Schools have collaborated efforts and formed the Southwest Washtenaw Council of Governments—SWWCOG. The SWWCOG was formed to engage in and promote joint planning and sharing of resources for matters affecting the life, growth and business of its participating members. A while ago, we realized that all of us were facing similar issues and began to combine our efforts and resources to address issues and accomplish goals.

What County services do you use—GIS, website services, map store?
We use services available through Equalization, Treasurer, Clerk/Register of Deeds and GIS.

What about the relationship with the County would you change?
I recognize that the County is putting forth a real effort to make things better. We still have a ways to go. Building relationships and gaining rapport take time. We have a ways to go, but the County is making some positive steps.