City Council to hold special meeting for warming center budget amendment

posted on 12/1/2025

The City Council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to introduce a fiscal year 2026 budget amendment for the City of Dover’s portion to help fund a permanent warming center on Strafford County land in Dover. The City Council is expected to refer the resolution to a pubic hearing and vote at its Wednesday, Dec. 10 meeting.

The resolution would appropriate $1,698,878 for the emergency warming center that the Strafford County Commissioners propose to build at the former humane society site near the county jail. The county would supply the land at no cost, and the tri-cities of Dover, Rochester and Somersworth would divide the estimated $3.5 million project cost in proportion to each city’s portion of the combined equalized assessed property value. Rochester would contribute $1,316,593, and Somersworth would contribute $484,593. Dover’s portion would be partly offset by the planned sale of the current warming center at 30 Willand Drive in Somersworth after the conclusion of the winter season, as well as the proceeds from a recent sale of city-owned property in Rollinsford.

The Dover City Council discussed the county warming center proposal at its Oct. 8 and Oct. 22 meetings.

Immediately following the special meeting, the City Council will hold a workshop on the FY2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program. The CIP was introduced to the City Council and Planning Board in October. The Council is expected to vote on the CIP resolutions at its Wednesday, Dec. 10 meeting.

Both the special meeting and the CIP workshop will be held in City Hall’s Council Chambers, which will be televised online and on DoverTV.