As September winds down and October baseball begins we are once again privileged enough to be able to cheer on our Boston Red Sox as they make another appearance in the playoffs this year. Over the years many got used to watching a Red Sox team whose post season trials and tribulations were nothing more than ordinary. Now, patience seems to have been rewarded in these last years with not only two World Series trophies, but five playoff appearances in the last six years.

           This week the Manchester Police Department held a press conference to announce the success they have had with a three month drug sweep in the Queen City. The efforts of the Police Department have accounted for thirty two drug related arrests in the past three months, an achievement all Manchester residents should be proud of. I would like to thank Chief David Mara for his exceptional leadership in this effort, as well as all those officers who have worked so hard to help this crackdown on drug offenses come to fruition.

            It has been just over a week now since the Board of Mayor and Alderman met for a special meeting on the Spending Cap proposal. Friday September 5^th saw the Board stalemated late into the evening as we adjourned just after the midnight hour, minutes after the statutory deadline for placing the cap proposal on the November ballot. The principle behind this voter backed proposal deemed it completely necessary to hold the Board in the chambers until state law superseded our deadlock.

            Today we commemorate the 7th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon the morning of September 11, 2001. Across the country today marks a day of solemn remembrance for those lost, and a day to honor the memory of the victims of this terrible tragedy. While we remember those lost, let us also not forget those heroes whose selfless courage in the face of danger helped to save so many lives that day.

           In the coming months voters in Manchester will go to the polls and have the choice to vote up or down on a city wide spending cap charter amendment. The question that has now come before the Board of Mayor and Alderman is when that election will take place. It is imperative that this charter amendment question come before voters this coming November 4^th and not be withheld in favor of a special election that will cost the taxpayers an estimated $40,000.

            Today I announced the new plan for intercity bus service between Concord, Manchester, and Boston. After the June announcement that Concord Coach would be pulling service from downtown Manchester my office and I began negotiations with all stakeholders involved in order to ensure that service between Manchester and Boston would continue.

I would like to congratulate everyone who participated in the CIGNA/Elliot Corporate 5K Road Race, as well as all those who volunteered their time to make this race possible. For 16 years this race has brought thousands of runners and supporters to Manchester’s downtown, and this year was no different. It was wonderful to see so many people enthusiastic about competing in or simply enjoying the 5K road race as well as all those folks who came out to support runners and walkers they knew.