Manchester’s refurbished storm siren is mounted at the intersection of Eighth Street and Cemetery Street in December 2025, completing a long-planned public safety upgrade for the village. (Submitted photo)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
The Village of Manchester will see new faces at the council table in January as Cody Lewis and Jane Wilson prepare to take office, replacing outgoing council members Romona Applegate and Troy Jolly. For Jolly, who concludes his third term on December 31, the transition closes a meaningful chapter in a public service career that has stretched across some of the village’s most challenging years.
One of Jolly’s final major accomplishments in office was seeing the overhaul of the village’s storm siren system through to completion. Earlier this year, the aging siren at Eighth Street and Cemetery Street was fully refurbished and re-mounted after spending more than 15 years functioning only intermittently. It now works in tandem with the siren at the Fire Department on Pearl Street, providing coordinated alerts and improved coverage for neighborhoods including the Linda Vista Subdivision.
For Jolly, the project symbolizes long-term determination and collaboration. “The Storm Siren project was an initiative that took more than a decade to accomplish,” he said. “It required both the financial capacity to support it and a Council willing to share a common vision for the residents they represent.” Now operational, the system is expected to provide more reliable warning capability during severe weather and strengthen overall public safety across the village.
Jolly’s years on Council have often been defined by financial pressure and problem solving. When he first took office, Manchester had no working streetlights. He remembers the struggle clearly. “The village had no streetlights. The town was essentially pitch black, and we were working with an extremely tight budget,” he said. Working with then Finance Chair Brian Church, he helped carve out funds to restore lighting without placing unnecessary burden on residents. “Quite honestly, we still could today and forgive the Tax Levy that is supposed to support it. The General Fund would never miss the money.”
He also played a role in rebuilding the Police Department twice during his tenure. That effort, he said, was not something any single person could achieve alone. “Most recently, that effort would not have been possible without the support of former Councilman Shawn Francis and Councilwoman Dianne Brown. I am convinced that without that teamwork, we would not have the department we do today.”
The financial reality Jolly encountered when he began in 2012 left a lasting impression. Manchester was emerging from a 21 year Fiscal Emergency, and the depth of the challenge revealed itself little by little. “Every time I opened a desk drawer, another unpaid bill would fall out,” he recalled. “Those were prior-year obligations that had to be paid out of the current year’s budget.”
Years later, when there were discussions about the county taking over the Manchester Life Squad, Jolly again found himself advocating for the village to stay the course. “We were told it could not be sustained and yet, year after year, it has been,” he said, crediting steady oversight and support from council for helping keep the service intact.
Progress in the village has not always come as quickly as anyone might hope, and Jolly is candid about the realities small towns face. Dilapidated properties have been removed and unsafe buildings addressed, but challenges persist. “As soon as one eyesore is cleaned up and starts to look good, another one appears,” he said. He believes pride in the community must be shared. “Community improvement is not solely the responsibility of Council. It also requires personal responsibility from those who live here.”
Looking back, one goal Jolly wishes he had seen completed was establishing a stronger long-term savings plan. He envisioned building a “rainy day” reserve by setting aside funds at the end of each year when the General Fund allowed it. While that idea never fully gained support, it reflects his broader philosophy about public money. “If it isn’t in the budget, you don’t buy it,” he said. “The wording may not be perfect, but the principle is sound.”
Jolly also believes strongly that elected leaders must be the ones to guide policy. “In all my years of professional experience, I have never worked in an environment where employees dictate policy or operational decisions to their employers,” he said. “That responsibility rests squarely with those elected to lead and manage.”
As he prepares to leave office, Jolly says gratitude outweighs anything else. He feels fortunate to have represented Manchester at the State Capitol and in Washington, meeting officials who listened as he spoke about his hometown. “In every setting, Manchester and Adams County were always part of the conversation,” he said. Reflecting on what lies ahead, he added, “While I am uncertain where the next chapter of my life will lead, I am confident that God will guide the way.”
With new voices stepping into leadership roles, Manchester moves forward with a modernized storm siren system, lessons borne out of financial hardship, and the steady imprint of a councilman who tried to balance caution, collaboration, and commitment to community.
