Recent News and Announcements

posted 4/11/2025

The Dover Skatepark will be closed Monday, April 14, and Tuesday, April 15, 2025 for crack sealing and repairs, according to Dover Recreation.

The maintenance work will be conducted by Artisan Skateparks, the North Carolina-based company that originally constructed the facility.

The 10,700-square-foot concrete skate park, located at Guppey Park on Portland Avenue, opened in October 2023. The facility features a variety of street elements, ramps and bowls for skateboarders of all skill levels.

For more information, contact Dover Recreation at 603-516-6401....more

posted on 4/8/2025

Payne Street (formerly River Street) will be closed intermittently to vehicular and pedestrian traffic this spring, starting on Monday, April 7, to allow contractors to complete roadwork.

The street will be closed during daytime hours to allow workers to safely install the sidewalk, curbing, drainage and other improvements. 

For more information, contact Community Services at 603-516-6450....more

posted on 4/4/2025

The City Council unanimously adopted the city's fiscal year 2026 budget during a special meeting on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, following a final budget workshop session and nearly two months of budget review.

The adopted budget totals $206,791,012 across all funds, a 4% increase from the current FY2025 adopted budget. Of this, the General Fund accounts for $168,238,167, a 6.4% increase from the current year.. The General Fund includes $60,963,620 for city operations, $83,120,024 for school department operations, $12,460,486 for debt service, and $11,694,037 to be collected for the county tax payment.

The final budget is $2,482 below the city's tax cap limitation. The initial proposed budget in February exceeded the tax cap by just under $2.3 million due to the School Department's portion of the budget. In March, the School Board revised its budget, recommending nearly $2.3 million in adjustments through spending reductions and revenue increases, reducing the total budget to below the amount allowed by the tax cap. ...more

posted on 4/1/2025

The Dover Recreation Department and the Recreation Advisory Board held their 26th Don Heyliger Awards Ceremony on March 25, celebrating the excellence, dedication, outstanding achievements and perseverance of individuals who have made remarkable contributions to Dover’s youth organizations.

Sponsored by Dover Recreation and the Recreation Advisory Board, the event unites the city’s youth organizations to honor the individuals, groups, and businesses whose time and resources sustain these programs, enhancing Dover’s quality of life.

The Heyliger Awards honor Don Heyliger, Dover's beloved Recreation Director, who served the community with great dedication for 10 years before his sudden death in 1988. Award recipients possess the same high-quality traits: treating players with respect, ensuring every child participates, motivating with praise, building confidence, showing compassion, supporting the disadvantaged, and being fun to be around....more

posted on 3/28/2025

City officials and developers shared progress on the "Waterfront District" project at Thursday's State of the City forum, highlighting a decades-long vision now coming to fruition along the Cochecho River. The event was held at 121 Broadway in Dover.

Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker provided the historical context for the 29-acre waterfront redevelopment, which has evolved from an industrial site and public works facility to what will soon become an extension of downtown.

"This site is our future," Parker said at the event. "This site shows how this community continues to evolve and grow."

Jackie Huber, director of asset management with Cathartes, revealed that the first phase of apartments and townhouses, called "The Truette," is expected to be completed this winter. The development will include 197 apartments, 23 townhouses, co-working space, and over 10,000 square feet of commercial space.

Chef Evan Hennessey announced he will open a new restaurant called "Topolino," meaning "little mouse" in Italian, at the development. Unlike his fine dining establishment, Stages, Hennessey described the new venture as "casual Mediterranean, very community-based."...more

posted on 3/26/2025

The City of Dover's Water and Sewer Billing Office warns of a utility refund scam and urges the public to be cautious of letters or emails promising refunds, especially if they request sensitive information like banking or credit card details. The City of Dover would never request sensitive banking or other private information to process a refund.

This week, a Dover resident reported receiving a mailed scam letter claiming the resident overpaid their utility bill by $100, and urged the resident to call a 1-800 phone number with alleged refund instructions. Smartly, the resident identified the letter as a scam, which the resident said looked professionally made, and shredded it.

If a utility overpayment occurs, City of Dover staff would mail the customer a check. City staff would never ask for sensitive banking information to process a refund. ...more

posted on 3/25/2025

The New Hampshire Insurance Department invites the public to its free webinar, "Understanding Flood Insurance," on Thursday, March 27, at 1:30 p.m. 

Flooding is one of the most common and costly natural disasters, yet many homeowners and businesses are uncertain about their coverage options. This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of flood insurance, including the National Flood Insurance Program, private flood insurance options, and what standard homeowners' insurance policies cover when it comes to water damage.

Additionally, representatives from the New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management team will offer expert insights on flood preparedness and safety, equipping attendees with essential knowledge to protect their homes, businesses, and communities

Visit https://bit.ly/42fWl7x for more information and to register. ...more

posted on 3/21/2025

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) will alternate closing of the all-electronic (AET) tolling lanes in each direction of the Spaulding Turnpike/Route 16 in Dover on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The closure is allow workers to safely perform routine system maintenance on the overhead AET toll equipment. Travelers will be guided via signs and traffic cones during lane closure. 

Get real-time traffic news from https://newengland511.org/.  Let “My511” provide alerts to incidents and construction work....more

posted on 3/18/2025

Mayor Robert Carrier and the Dover City Council formally recognized March as Women's History Month and March 8 as International Women's Day during the council meeting Wednesday night, March 12.

Carrier invited councilors Linnea Nemeth, Lindsey Williams, April Richer and Debra Hackett to join him at the podium as he read two proclamations honoring women's contributions locally and globally.

"Throughout history, women have played integral roles in shaping societies, contributing to every facet of human achievement, and breaking barriers in countless fields," the mayor said, reading from the proclamation. "Women's History Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments and contributions of women from all walks of life, acknowledging their resilience, leadership, and perseverance in the face of adversity."

The proclamations highlighted both the progress made toward gender equality and the challenges that remain....more

posted on 3/14/2025

At its March 10 meeting, the School Board voted unanimously to recommend budget adjustments to its Jan. 6, 2025 adopted budget.

The adjustments would reduce the amount needed to be raised by local property tax and bring it within the City of Dover's tax cap calculation, according to the School Department's Chief Financial Officer Michael Limanni and the memorandum he provided to the School Board at the March 10 meeting. The budget memorandum discusses why there are recommended changes to the revenue and appropriations sides of the budget.

With the adjustments, the School Department budget would total $94,862,186 across all funds, a reduction of $860,149 from the $95,722,335 adopted amount. The School Board now recommends that $61,151,322 be raised by local property taxes for General Fund appropriations, a reduction of $2,370,578 from the $63,521,900 the School Board adopted on Jan. 6.

These recommended adjustments will be included on a forthcoming list of budget adjustments that City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. will provide to the City Council to consider when the Council prepares to adopt its FY2026 budget. ...more

posted on 3/11/2025

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is performing daytime construction work on the northbound and southbound barrels of the Spaulding Turnpike/Route 16 in Dover between exits 8 and 9.   

Weather permitting, work will take place Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is expected to be completed in approximately four weeks. Construction work began on March 11, 2025. Crews will install temporary concrete barriers on the northbound and southbound barrels of the Spaulding Turnpike between exits 8 and 9. Motorists should anticipate lane closures. Northbound lane closures will be in place between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.; southbound lane closures will take place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Motorists should exercise caution when driving through the construction zone.   

The work is preparation of the Dover 41824 project that includes the rehabilitation of the highway bridges that cross the Cochecho River,  scheduled to begin this spring. This bridge project will address structural deficiencies and remove the bridges from the state’s Red List bridges. Work includes replacing both decks and bridge superstructures, replacing bearings, rehabilitating abutments, minor rehabilitation work to the bridge piers, and minor work at the bridge approaches to tie them into the existing roadway....more

posted on 3/7/2025

Weather at the highest point in the northeastern United States can get a bit crazy. Wind has been recorded at 231 miles per hour, the average snowfall is about 42 feet per year, and temperatures can drop as low as minus 47 degrees Fahrenheit.

It's no surprise that Mount Washington has been called the "Home of the World's Worst Weather." Join Dover Public Library on Wednesday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. to learn about the unique life and work of the weather observers stationed on Mount Washington. Brian Fitzgerald, Mount Washington Observatory's director of education, will explore their day-to-day activities while also explaining why Mount Washington hosts some of the worst weather on Earth for a mountain its size.

This program will be held in Room 306 of the McConnell Center, located at 61 Locust St. in Dover. For directions on how to locate the library in its temporary location, visit tinyurl.com/DPLrenovation for maps and video tours....more

posted on 3/4/2025

Attorney General John M. Formella and Transportation Commissioner William J. Cass are warning residents about a "smishing" scam targeting New Hampshire E-ZPass users. The scam involves fraudulent text messages claiming to be from E-ZPass that try to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and sharing personal information.

"Smishing" refers to fake text messages designed to deceive people into sharing personal data, downloading malware or making payments to scammers. These messages typically impersonate legitimate organizations and create a sense of urgency.

In this scam, recipients receive texts appearing to be from E-ZPass claiming their vehicle has an unpaid toll invoice. The message includes a link and threatens "excessive fees," "potential legal action" and "suspension of vehicle registration" if not paid promptly. ...more

posted on 2/28/2025

The Dover Energy Commission adopted the 2024 Energy Report at its Feb. 19 meeting.

The 15-page report highlights key energy initiatives and progress made during the 2024 calendar year. It includes an initial assessment of Dover’s carbon footprint, an overview of energy savings performance contracts, details on the Wastewater Treatment Facility solar project, and highlights of other commission initiatives throughout the year.

The report serves as an informative resource to support important decision-making by the city. To review the report, click here.

The Dover Energy Commission advises the City of Dover through its boards and committees on ways to reduce energy use, develop alternative energy sources and increase economic security and energy independence. The goal of the Energy Commission is to promote and encourage energy conservation measures for Dover residents, businesses and municipal operations....more

posted on 2/26/2025

Great Bay Rowing announced to the Cochecho Waterfront Development Advisory Committee that it will seek a new permanent home and no longer pursue building a community boathouse for its operations at the city’s waterfront development.

Great Bay Rowing President Scott Bogle said at the committee’s Feb. 18 meeting that GBR’s board made the “difficult decision” after receiving the report of GBR’s funded geotechnical study of the site. Bogle said that based on the results of the study, GBR estimated it would have to raise “at least another million” for site remediation and soil stabilization costs to build the concrete piers to support the building’s foundation, bringing GBR’s total estimated construction costs to more than $3 million. Great Bay Rowing has been working with CWDAC for the past few years to build and maintain a state-of-the-art community boat house. Bogle thanked the city for being a long-standing partner of the organization.

Great Bay Rowing has utilized the city’s waterfront for more than a decade and played an instrumental role in contributing funds for the construction and installation of the paddle dock, one of the first pieces installed for the public park for the waterfront development. The paddle dock will be installed seasonally at the waterfront site once the shoreline stabilization and other site improvements for the public park are completed....more

posted on: 2/24/2025

To help defray the cost of the upcoming athletic fields replacement at Dover High School, the Dover High School Athletic Complex Joint Building Committee (JBC) is seeking community volunteers to participate in fundraising efforts for the project. This fundraising team will be led by volunteers, with JBC and School Board members Michelle Clancy and Craig Flynn acting as liaisons. Participation is open to anyone in the community passionate about sports.

If interested in getting involved, contact Michelle Clancy at m.clancy@dover.k12.nh.us and/or Craig Flynn at c.flynn@dover.k12.nh.us by Friday, March 7.

Meeting frequency and location (virtual/in person) will be determined by the fundraising team, with the first meeting taking place by the end of March.

To learn more about the project, visit https://www.dover.nh.gov/government/boards-and-commissions/joint-building-committee-athletic-complex/....more

posted on 2/21/2025

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation will close New Bellamy Lane to through traffic intermittently next week by the Route 16/Spaulding Turnpike overpass for bridge maintenance work.

NHDOT said the closure would be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, Feb.24-25, and Thursday, Feb. 27.

Crews will utilize jackhammers to remove deteriorating sections of concrete on the bridge. Another crew is scheduled for March 12 to apply shotcrete in those sections, which is a method of applying concrete projected at high velocity....more

posted on 2/19/2025

The Recreation Department will order another round of engraved bricks for Dover Veterans Park to be added for Memorial Day in May. The deadline to have bricks included in that order is Friday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m.

Orders collected after the deadline through Aug. 15, 2025 will be sent in the next batch to be installed in the park by Veterans Day. The cost is $100 for an 8-inch by 8-inch brick and $50 for a 4-inch by 8-inch brick. The only requirement to have a name engraved is for the person to be a veteran – they do not have to live or be from Dover. All bricks are engraved with a full name, military rank and branch, and years of service and/or conflict. Upon request, bricks may also be grouped by family or service time.

Orders can be placed online at https://polarengraving.com/cityofdovernewhampshire. Contact the Recreation Department at 603-516-6401 with questions or help with ordering....more

posted on 2/18/2025

The City Council will hold a special session on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. to receive the Ethics Commission report on its findings and recommendations regarding Caitlin Wilkie's ethics complaint against Councilor Fergus Cullen.

The City Council at its Jan. 29 meeting voted to accept the report from the Ethics Commission, which is included in the Jan. 29 City Council agenda materials, and refer the report to a public meeting on Feb. 19. Included in the Jan. 29 meeting minutes is correspondence from Cullen. Both are available online within the Jan. 29 City Council meeting folder.

Wilkie, of Sixth Street, filed a complaint with the City Clerk’s office on Nov. 26, 2024 alleging Fergus Cullen, Ward 6 City Councilor and the Council’s Planning Board designee, had conflicts of interest defined by Article 10 “Conduct of Officials” of the Dover City Charter and Chapter 21 “Code of Ethics” of the City Code. The complaint cites Charter Article 10-2 “Conflicts of Interest and Disqualification from Decision-Making Process,” and code sections Chapter 21-2 “Conflicts of interest,” Chapter 21-5 “Required disclosure by officers and employees; recusal,” and Chapter 21-8 “Investments in conflict with official duties.”...more

posted on 2/13/2025; updated 2/14/2025

City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the City Council at its meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The presentation kicks off several weeks of budget meetings, workshops, and public hearings.

The City Manager's proposed budget includes the School Board's recommended budget for the School Department, which it adopted on Jan. 6, 2025. The proposed budget and a video recording of the City Manager's presentation are posted on the FY2026 Budget Revealed webpage, where other budget documents will be posted in subsequent weeks. All of the School Board’s budget documents are posted to the same page. Physical copies of the FY2026 budget are available for review at the City Clerk's office and Dover Public Library, which is temporarily located in the McConnell Center.

The total proposed FY2026 budget totals $207,557,289 across all funds, an increase of $8,770,483, or 4.4%. The General Fund budget totals $169,004,444, an increase of $10,937,669, or 6.9%. As proposed, the budget exceeds the tax cap calculation for the General Fund by $2,389,687, with the School Board's recommended budget being $2,526,603 above the school side of the tax cap calculation, which is slightly offset on the city side being $136,916 below its half of the tax-cap calculation. For the City Council to adopt the budget as currently proposed would require a two-thirds affirmative vote by the City Council as opposed to a simple majority....more

posted on: 2/10/2025

City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. will present the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

The City Manager’s budget will incorporate the School Board’s recommended budget for the School Department, which the School Board approved on Jan. 6. The city-wide budget will also include the first-year projects in the latest six-year Capital Improvements Program adopted in December.

Once the budget is introduced, a digital version will be available on the FY2026 Budget Revealed webpage, which will also include video recordings of budget meetings and workshops and any accompanying documents. A physical copy of the budget will also be available for review at the Dover Public Library and the City Clerk’s office. School Board budget documents and video recordings are already posted on the page.

The introduction of the budget begins two months of budget review by the City Council. In subsequent weeks, the City Council will hold workshops to review each department's budget. The Council will also hold two public hearings: one for the public education component of the budget, and one for all other city departments. The City Charter requires the City Council to adopt the annual budget by April 15....more

posted on 2/7/2025

With recent snow and ice, and more storms on the way, you can help Dover Fire and Rescue firefighters by becoming a hydrant hero. It doesn’t take too long and may save a life or a home.

Crews from Dover Fire and Rescue and Community Services shovel out fire hydrants after each snowstorm to prepare them for an emergency. But with more than 1,250 city fire hydrants, this process takes considerable time.

During an emergency, time spent by firefighters searching for and clearing hydrants buried in deep snow, drifts, plowed snow, or covered in ice is precious time lost that could be spent saving a victim's life or extinguishing a spreading fire. A fire can double in size every 30 seconds, and it can take firefighters minutes to fully clear hydrants for use when every second is vital to a positive outcome....more

posted on 2/4/2025; updated 2/5/2025

The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire’s Board of Directors voted to increase its default “Granite Basic” electricity supply rate for residential and small commercial customers by 0.8 cents to 9.7 cents per kilowatt-hour effective March 3, 2025 through July 31, 2025.

The 9.7 cents per kWh rate replaces the previously announced rate of 8.9 cents per kWh starting on March 3, 2025. The 8.9-cent rate remains in effect from Feb. 1, 2025 to March 2, 2025.

A failed agreement with an in-state power generator led to the increase. This required the CPCNH to purchase replacement power during a period of increased prices driven by the recent cold temperatures and high demand. In announcing the revised rates, CPCNH said its goal is to provide the lowest possible rates while covering costs and maintaining financial stability.

CPCNH’s updated rate is slightly higher than Eversource’s 8.929-cent kWh default rate. The Dover Energy Commission notes this will be the first time Community Power’s Granit Basic rate will exceed Eversource’s rate, set at 8.929 per kWh. Based on a typical monthly usage of 650 kWh, a Dover Community Power customer would see a $5 increase monthly increase compared to the Eversource default rate through July 31, 2025. Since it began, Dover Community Power has saved the average residential customer about $110 compared to the Eversource rate, said William Baber, chair of the Dover Energy Commission and Dover’s CPCNH member representative. ...more

posted on 2/2/2025

The Dover Public Library will reopen in its temporary location on Monday, Feb. 3 at 9 a.m.

Its operating hours will now match the McConnell Center’s hours: Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, from 12 to 4 p.m. The library’s phone numbers remain the same; contact the Circulation Desk at 603-516-6050 or the Children’s Room at 603-516-6052 starting Feb. 3.

Adult services will be located in the cafeteria, and Children's services will be in Room 305. Library events will occur in Room 306.

Public use of computers will continue in the McConnell Center. The Dover Adult Learning’s computer lab in McConnell Center’s Room 301 will be open for public use on Mondays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursdays and Fridays, from 1 to 5 p.m. To schedule technology help during these times, contact Technology Librarian Nick Gagnon at n.gagnon@dover.nh.gov. There will also be computer stations in the McConnell Center cafeteria after the Feb. 3 opening during regular hours....more

posted on 12/27/2024

The Ethics Commission will hold a special session on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Conference Room for a hearing on an ethics complaint recently filed by a Dover resident.

Caitlin Wilkie of Sixth Street filed a complaint with the City Clerk’s office on Nov. 26, 2024 alleging Fergus Cullen, Ward 6 City Councilor and the Council’s Planning Board designee, had conflicts of interest defined by Article 10 “Conduct of Officials” of the Dover City Charter and Chapter 21 “Code of Ethics” of the City Code. The complaint cites Charter Article 10-2 “Conflicts of Interest and Disqualification from Decision-Making Process,” and code sections Chapter 21-2 “Conflicts of interest,” Chapter 21-5 “Required disclosure by officers and employees; recusal,” and Chapter 21-8 “Investments in conflict with official duties.”

Click here for the Ethics Commission agenda and complaint.

Following the hearing, the Commission will discuss and deliberate. The Ethics Commission has 30 calendar days to issue a written report on whether the complaint’s allegations are actionable, and if so, any recommended remedies for the City Council to consider....more

posted on 12/24/2024

Dover High School senior Lilly Nossiff scored 34 points on Dec. 19 to lead the Green Wave to a 72-65 Division I victory over visiting Nashua North, reaching the 1,000-point milestone for her varsity career.

Nossiff scored her 26th point of the game with five minutes remaining in the close contest. Play was briefly halted for the announcement.

She joins a select group of Dover girls who have scored more than 1,000 points in their careers. Nossiff, who will play basketball at Saint Anselm College next year, follows in the footsteps of former Dover standouts Jill Downer, the school's all-time leading scorer, and Curran Leighton.

Nossiff's name will be added to the wall in Ollie Adams Gymnasium alongside other 1,000-point scorers: Katrina Krenzer (2019), Curran Leighton Goodwin (2009), Seana Boyle (2003), Jessica Clark Cummings (2002), Downer (1998), Lynne Richard Chavez (1979) and Karen Vitko Wood (1979).

A game ball presentation will honor Nossiff before Dover's next home game on Jan. 2, 2025....more

posted on 12/19/2024

The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) saw significant ridership increases across its services in fiscal year 2024, generating over $31 million in regional economic activity.

The nonprofit transit provider reported 349,143 trips on its fixed-route services, a 30.3% increase from 2023. Its demand-response services provided 24,797 trips for older adults and people with disabilities, up 7.8% from the previous year.

"COAST is a common thread," said Rad Nichols, COAST executive director. "We offer everyone an affordable and reliable connection to the opportunities and services they need to succeed." 

The organization's TripLink call center, which coordinates regional transportation services, facilitated over 41,000 trips in 2024, an 11% increase. New client registrations rose 16%....more

posted on 12/16/2024

Mayor Robert Carrier and the Dover City Council honored the St. Thomas Aquinas High School girls soccer team Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, celebrating their second consecutive state championship with an official proclamation.

"The St. Thomas Aquinas Girls Soccer Team has demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and teamwork in the 2024 season, culminating in their second consecutive State Championship victory," the mayor said, reading from the proclamation.

Under Coach Hureau's leadership, the Saints have reached the state championship game four straight years. Their championship victory featured stellar defensive play, anchored by goalkeeper Genna Bolduc, who was named Player of the Year and earned First Team All-State honors....more