Dover's City Charter requires the City Manager to annually submit a six-year Capital Improvements Program plan to the City Council as part of the annual budgeting process. It is based on the recommendations of the Planning Board and includes a clear general summary, a list of all capital improvements proposed during the six fiscal years, cost estimates, the financing method, and the estimated project time the improvement will occur. Project schedule and costs may be revised annually. The CIP also links infrastructure spending to the goals and values outlined in the city’s Master Plan.
FY2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program
The proposed Capital Improvements Program for fiscal years 2027-2032 was presented during a joint session of the City Council and Planning Board on Oct. 15, 2025.
The Planning Board will review the proposed CIP and hold a public hearing at its Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 meeting. Following its review, which may extend to its next meeting, the Planning Board will provide its recommendation to the City Council.
The City Council will then conduct its own review and hold public hearings.
The City Council’s CIP adoption process includes three resolutions: adopting the six-year document as a whole, approving FY27 capital reserve fund appropriations for non-debt financed projects, and authorizing appropriation and bonding for FY27 debt-financed projects.
The CIP’s first-year projects and appropriations will become part of the FY27 municipal budget that the City Manager will present to the City Council in February 2026.
The current and previous fiscal years' CIPs are available online.
Understanding the CIP
The CIP prioritizes all capital spending of $25,000 or more for items with a useful life of three years or longer. Based on City Council financing policy, funding for these items includes bonding, the annual operating budget or other types of financing. This six-year program links infrastructure spending to the goals and values outlined in the city’s Master Plan. Through this process, we identify projects within the six-year timeline, based on the priorities established in our Master Plan.
Once adopted, the first year of the adopted CIP is built into the proposed citywide operating budget, which is presented to the City Council in February.
Many of the items included in the CIP are annual, ongoing capital projects, such as improvements to streets and sidewalks, wastewater and water system maintenance and improvements, police cruisers, facility maintenance and more.