Jim Burkush works hard for Ward 9

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O P I N I O N

THE SOAPBOX

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Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.


For as long as I’ve known Jim Burkush, he’s always impressed me. His community spirit inspires me in my work as a legislator representing Ward 9, and in particular his impressive, four-decade firefighting career of bravery and selflessness. It seems impossible to quantify the number of homes he’s prevented from turning to ash; impossible to know how many lives (human and animal alike) he has saved in our city; impossible to know how many tears of grief turned to tears of gratitude because Jim Burkush decide to put on his boots and go to work every day. And while Jim has done some really big things for the city of Manchester, it’s often the little things that really speak to a person’s character.

Even though not an alderman, residents of Ward 9 have reached out to him for assistance. I know that there was a sewer mishap in the area of Harrington Avenue and Maplewood, and sewage was backing up into homes in the area. A resident reached out to Jim for help, and he contacted the chief engineer of the city’s environmental protection division, who immediately addressed the issue. This nightmare scenario was quickly nipped in the bud, limiting the stress and financial outlays experienced by the affected residents.

The recent home revaluations took so many of us by surprise, and Jim has been working with elderly residents in Ward 9 to help them through the tax abatement process so they can continue to make ends meet. When contacted about plowing and clearing sidewalks—particularly at Bakersville School—Jim immediately reached out to public works. Whenever he sees potholes, he reports them to public works. Sewall Street has seen a lot of work just this year, all thanks to Jim. And when someone abandoned a dishwasher in the middle of Wyoming Ave, Jim dragged it to the side of the road and got the city to pick it up the same day.

However, it should be of no surprise that Jim is so invested in seeing this city thrive. Jim drives these roads every day. His grandchildren (not yet school-aged) will be attending Manchester schools, just like the generations before them. For Jim, this is personal. I couldn’t dream of a more committed public servant for our ward, and I’m grateful that Jim decided to make all his hard work official by running for Alderman. On Tuesday, March 15th, please drop by the Bishop O’Neil Youth Center at 30 S. Elm Street to cast your vote for Jim Burkush.


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