A new municipal administration was inaugurated in Manchester on Tuesday. Among those in the crowd for the event at the Palace Theater was Coleen Stankiewacc, a Central High School senior who plays the trombone and flute. She was excited to hear Jay Ruais, Manchester’s new mayor, talk about her city’s future.
“I would like to see more focus on the school system,” she said.
In his inaugural speech, Ruais outlined similar expectations for improving the school system, with the goal of attracting more people to live and work there. He promised to lead Manchester, which is home to about 115,000 people, to become the best mid-size city in America.
Ruais, a Republican, defeated Democrat Kevin Cavanaugh in November. He replaces Democrat Joyce Craig, who is now running for governor.
On Tuesday, Ruais said he aims to bring harmony and unity to the city. Heasked fellow elected officials to fight for their ideas without making it personal or using over the top rhetoric.
“It doesn't matter if we don’t line up on every simple issue,” he said. “I just want to get things done.”
Among the biggest challenges facing Manchester — and the state as a whole — is a lack of affordable housing, and a growing number of people facing homelessness. In his inaugural address, Ruais said he accepted a position on the New Hampshire Council on Housing Stability and hopes to focus on improving housing access in the Queen City.
He also emphasized that he will have “zero tolerance” for unhoused people camping on public property, arguing it is detrimental to their well-being. He said he plans to balance the needs of people experiencing homelessness with the needs of the rest of the community.
“For those who want and need help, we will be there for you,” he said. “ For those who wish to take advantage of us or break our laws, understand we will have no tolerance to that level of lawlessness.”
At the same time, Ruais said he aims to make Manchester a city that offers a door to success to all of its residents, no matter their political affiliation or ethnic background. He noted the many generations of immigrants who came to work in the city’s mills and raise their families. He also highlighted Manchester’s growing diversity, incorporating a message in Spanish for the city’s Latinx community.
“We share the same destiny no matter your age, where you live or work and the language you speak, the future belongs to all of us,” he said in Spanish.
Read more: Mayor-elect Jay Ruais says he’s ready to tackle quality-of-life issues in Manchester
Ruais also thanked his wife Veronica Ruais, a Peruvian immigrant, for the support she has given him through his campaign.
The new mayor also said he hopes to alleviate students' mental and behavioral problems. He said adverse child experiences can lead to homelessness and addiction, and he aims to work on the root of those problems before they become a public health issue.
“Parents should be more involved in their child's lives in education, not less, and we will make every effort to strengthen the bond between our districts, our parents and our children,” he said.
After the speech, Manchester resident Damond Ford said he appreciated the new mayor’s fresh vision for the city and hopes the government works toward building more affordable housing as a long term solution for the homelessness crisis.
But Ford says he is optimistic, as he thinks Ruais is prepared to make Manchester’s schools better by creating spaces for people of diverse backgrounds and cultures to thrive and share their experiences.
