Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

With the recently announced retirement of Winchester City Manager Mike Flynn, an opening was created for a new appointee.

As of the meeting of the Winchester City Commission on Tuesday, April 16, the position has been filled. 

Bruce Manley, the former campus director at Winchester’s Bluegrass Community and Technical College and longtime resident, is the new city manager. 

He was approved unanimously by the commission. 

“I’m really excited to be able to take on this role with the city of Winchester,” Manley said. “I really feel like with the work that I’ve done at BCTC…the role of city manager is just allowing me to continue to develop and invest in the community that I live in. That’s really what I’m passionate about.” 

For the past 14 years, Manley served in his role as campus director. 

“I was the very first campus director here,” he said. “Over that time, we’ve grown the campus.” 

Among programs developed during Manley’s time are medical assisting and nursing. 

BCTC also set up a dual credit program with George Rogers Clark High School, allowing students to take courses prior to graduation. 

One such former student, Tristen Culton, was even able to receive an Associate of Arts degree at the same time of her high school commencement. 

Yet that’s not all. 

“We’ve established community events like Movie Night. We’ve done a lot of fundraising for scholarships and been very successful in that,” Manley said. “[We’ve] just really overall supported the community with workforce development, [and] making connections with our businesses [and] industries.” 

Beneficially, the school will also be expanding to a location across the street from their campus at Rolling Hills Lane, formerly the site of an Amazon call center. 

“We’ve done a lot of good things since I’ve been here at BCTC. I’ve got a great team here. Enrollments have been increasing the last few years,” Manley said. “I feel like I’m..in a position where things are going really well and they’re improving. The next Campus Director can build on that success.” 

In his new role as city manager, Manley expects to take on various responsibilities. 

“The city manager reports to the Mayor and the Commissioners and really executes the policies that the mayor and city commissioners enforce or…approve at the city commission meetings.” he said, noting that this included managing projects and understanding ordinances. “You make recommendations to the city commissioners and the myor on policies. You make recommendations on the budget.” 

Other tasks Manley mentioned included looking for grants and any additional funding, providing overall leadership for city employees, and more. 

With Flynn staying on temporarily, Manley is excited about collaboration. 

“I think it’s going to be a privilege to work with Mike Flynn…while we make this transition.” he said. “I’m just thankful and grateful that between him and [Mayor] JoEllen [Reed]…they’re going to make my transition smooth and successful.” 

Asked if there’s any information he’d like to share with the community, Manley responded. 

“I’m just looking forward to making Winchester grow,” he said. “It’s the community [and] it’s the people that I love. This is where I’ve made my home…I want to make sure I give back.”