Paraeducators contract, POW/MIA memorial on Sept. 23 agenda

posted on 9/21/2026

The City Council will consider approving the cost items of a tentative three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Dover Paraeducators' Association (DPA) and authorizing the School Board to execute the contract at its Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026 regular meeting.

The DPA’s current contract expired on Aug. 31, 2026. The new contract would run from Sept. 1, 2026 through Aug. 31, 2029. The School Board approved the tentative bargaining contract at its Sept. 14, 2026 meeting. 

Creating a permanent memorial to military service members, prisoners of war (POW), or missing in action (MIA) will also be considered by the City Council. The resolution would direct the City Manager to establish a Chair of Honor memorial on the City Hall’s front lawn facing the flags, which includes a POW/MIA flag in addition to the United States, New Hampshire and City of Dover flags. The Chair of Honor would also include a commemorative plaque identifying the bench’s purpose and significance. “The Chair of Honor serves as a visible reminder of the empty places left by members of the United States Armed Forces who were or are held as prisoners of war or who have not returned home,” the background material states.

The City Council will consider authorizing a contract S.U.R. Construction, Inc., to reconstruct the public sidewalk in the area of 10 Fourth St.. for $59,233. The sidewalk work is due to differential settling and heaving that has, at times, prevented the doors to 10 Fourth St. from closing properly and allowed weather elements into the building, according to the resolution’s background materials. City staff have monitored the site, including removing some sidewalk concrete panels and providing a temporary paved surface. The work is being coordinated with the property owner, who has completed building modifications, including setting the glass façade further away from the sidewalk.

Also on the agenda is a resolution to authorize city consultant Fuss & O’Neill to proceed with preliminary and final design of the planned Phase IV expansion of the Community Trail for $482,703, of which the city would be responsible for 20%, or $96,540. The balance would be funded via grants from the state Department of Transportation. The work would also include bid support, environmental and cultural resource coordination, and project administration. Phase IV would extend the trail through Bellamy Park and across the Bellamy River to Knox Marsh Road via Lilac Lane.

The Council will hold a first reading on changes to two ordinance chapters, both of which will have a public hearing and possible ratification vote at the City Council’s Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026 meeting.

One is a revision to the Waste Management ordinance in Chapter 145 in preparation of the city’s conversion to curbside collection of solid waste and recycling from pay-as-you-throw bags to wheeled toters. The ordinance, endorsed by the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, would take effect on July 1, 2027, the beginning of the 2028 fiscal year, when toter collection will begin. Curbside and bulky waste collection would be extended to residential properties with three units or fewer on public streets and approved private streets. The city will phase out pay-as-you-throw trash bags, which will not be needed with the toter system. The cost of the toter curbside collection would be paid through the city’s General Fund. The City Council will determine the bulky waste fee during its FY2028 budgeting process. Watch the City Council update on curbside collection changes from its Sept. 2, 2026 workshop.

The second is revisions 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.

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.