City Council to hold public hearing, possible vote on curbside trash collection toter ordinance

posted on 10/13/2026

The City Council will hold a public hearing and potentially vote to ratify proposed ordinance changes for the city’s conversion to a toter collection system for curbside trash and recycling at its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The ordinance, endorsed by the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, would take effect on July 1, 2027, the beginning of the city’s 2028 fiscal year, when toter collection begins. According to the draft changes, curbside collection would extend to residential properties with three units or fewer on public streets and approved private streets. Residents in the collection area would receive two toters: one for trash and one for recycling. The city will also end the use of pay-as-you-throw trash bags with the conversion, and the city will pay for curbside collection through the General Fund.

The City Council held a workshop on the proposed curbside collection changes on Sept. 2, 2026.

The City Council will also hold a public hearing and possible vote on changes to Chapter 141, Vehicles and Traffic, to clarify specific parking restrictions and conditions, improve clarity and administration of the city’s parking program, and add additional sections of public streets to the winter parking restrictions in effect annually from Dec. 1 through April 1.

The approval of the new city manager’s contract will also be on the agenda.

In addition, there are pending resolutions that would authorize:

• Awarding the contract to replace the Sixth Street bridge to Sargent Corporation for $941,985, with $150,000 in contingency funds. A related resolution would authorize the city’s contracted design consultant, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., to oversee the bridge replacement for $29,000.
• An additional scope of work with Verdantas, LLC for work related to the closure of the dredge cell totaling $207,000. Work includes installing monitoring wells, conducting hydraulic testing, groundwater and leachate sampling, and applying for and reviewing the state permit. 
• The city to contract with Verani Realty LLC for Real Estate professional services to sell the property at 30 Willand Dr., Somersworth, which has served as the temporary emergency warming center for Dover, Somersworth, and Rochester.
• The endorsing of the application for a $424,000 grant from New Hampshire’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund to help purchase a conservation easement near the Bellamy Reservoir

Read the complete agenda.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers. It will be televised on DoverTV (Channel 22 for Xfinity and Channel 9010 for Breezline), as well as online where it will be available on-demand.