Dover Download

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Director of Planning and Community Development Donna Benton about the FY28-33 Capital Improvements Program, presented to the City Council and Planning Board on Oct. 7.

Benton explains that the program connects the city's long-term needs with its financial responsibilities and launches the annual budget process. Departments are told that requests should reflect needs, not wish lists, yet submissions still exceed what reserves and debt limits allow.

The pair discuss how projects are ranked high, medium, or low, with safety concerns coming first. They also cover how staff capacity and "project fatigue" from visible work on Court Street, Henry Law Avenue, and Central Avenue influence timing.

Parker stresses that the plan is open to change, but changes have consequences for financing, grant matches, and related water and sewer work. Benton notes that early discussion centered on four projects awaiting congressionally designated spending, along with Broadway, Horne Street, and the Community Trail.

The Planning Board holds its first public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 13, the City Council takes up three resolutions on Oct. 28, and a final vote could come in December. The 225-page plan is available on the city website, with hard copies at the Planning Department, City Hall, the City Clerk's office, and the public library.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back at Dover's evening school, which opened in 1877 in the Morrill Block with 80 students. Over the following decades it grew to serve immigrants learning English and young mill workers, with help from local mills and World War I-era Americanization efforts.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Director of Media Services Mike Gillis about September's board, committee and commission meetings.

The Planning Board tabled proposed zoning amendments after two public hearings and eight months of work, choosing to weigh public feedback before revisiting them in October. Board members also questioned a request to convert rental units at 54 Back River Road to for-sale units, focusing on long-term affordability. Applicant John Randolph withdrew the request, leaving the project as originally approved.

The City Council's Sept. 2 workshop covered the water system and the July 1, 2027, switch to toters for curbside trash pickup, with residents starting with 64-gallon carts. The related ordinance is now with the Ordinance Committee. On Sept. 9, the council adopted three ordinances, including parking provisions, along with a City Hall tower lighting policy modeled on the city's flag policy. It also approved the sale of tax-deeded property, a rare step. On Sept. 23, the council tabled the paraeducators' contract pending more financial information.

The School Board set its budget calendar, with Superintendent Christine Boston presenting Nov. 23, and approved a generative AI plan. The Zoning Board heard an unusual appeal over whether Tuscany Drive is a legitimate road, which the city attorney said fell outside its jurisdiction. Looking ahead, the council and Planning Board meet jointly Oct. 7 on the capital improvements program.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Margaret Joyce and Jed Allen of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce about the 42nd annual Apple Harvest Day. What began as a small craft fair on Orchard Street with about a dozen crafters has grown into a signature event often described as Dover's homecoming, with roughly 250 vendors, two food courts, a road race, an apple pie contest and entertainment on two stages. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the 5K road race starting at 8:30 a.m.

Construction on Henry Law Avenue has required some changes. Activities in the lower portion of Henry Law Park, including bouncy houses and the train ride, won't happen this year, but the chamber relocated most vendors, giving priority to crafters and longtime returning vendors. Upper Henry Law Park will still feature a stage, animal ambassadors, yard games and Children's Museum activities, and a sensory space will be available at Fish Ladder Park. The guests also set the record straight on rumors: Apple Harvest Day is happening.

To ease congestion, free parking is available at 100 Liberty Way off Exit 9, with three times as many shuttles as last year running until 5 p.m. A new bike valet will operate near the Church Street parking garage. Joyce and Allen also credited city public safety staff, sponsors First Seacoast Bank and Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, and the many volunteers who make the day possible.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back to Oct. 12, 1985, when a group of downtown business owners known as the Apple Corps launched the first Apple Harvest Day. The inaugural festival drew thousands with apple-themed breakfasts, a pie contest, a craft fair, a petting zoo, a Dover High School Band parade and tethered hot air balloon rides over Henry Law Park.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Kathy Beebe, executive director of Haven, as part of the podcast's continuing look at local nonprofits. Haven is the Seacoast's domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and support agency. It was formed through the merger of A Safe Place and Sexual Assault Support Services. Beebe explains that the new name was chosen deliberately to make clear its services are for anyone affected, including men, teens, adult survivors of childhood abuse, and family members.

Haven offers a 24-hour support line, court and hospital accompaniment, support at the Child Advocacy Center, a transitional shelter and a federally funded rent subsidy program. Its educators reach about 13,000 students a year in kindergarten through 12th grade with age-appropriate lessons on body safety, bullying and healthy relationships. Beebe describes staff as "navigators" who connect clients with partner organizations when their needs go beyond Haven's own services.

Haven has a $3 million annual budget, about a third of which comes from fundraising, and has more than doubled in size since its merger 10 years ago. A capital campaign is now underway to move its Portsmouth office and build a new shelter at an Episcopal church on Route 1. The project is a partnership with the Portsmouth Housing Authority, the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire and a child care provider, with occupancy targeted for late spring 2027. Beebe also highlights volunteer opportunities, from outreach events to board service.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back at the September 1849 opening of the Cochecho Railroad, which carried passengers about 18 miles from Dover through Rochester to Farmington. The line later extended to Alton Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee, helping make Dover an important rail junction between northern New Hampshire and Boston.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Lily Hanscom, Dover's new director of Public Welfare, about the city's role as a local safety net.

Hanscom, a Rochester native, traces her path into the field: volunteering at Haven at 19, an internship with a Strafford County Corrections transition program for young women, and six years with the state Department of Health and Human Services before coming to Dover earlier this year. She gravitated toward resource-focused work over crisis work, she says, and appreciates that local decisions take days rather than years.

She describes a small office on the third floor of the McConnell Center, guided by Dover's welfare guidelines, which she calls the rulebook that keeps casework consistent and fair for everyone, herself included. Beyond meeting the emergency in front of her, Hanscom emphasizes long-term sustainability, pointing to job fairs, New Hampshire Employment Security programs, and close partnerships with My Friend's Place, Cross Roads House, and other area nonprofits. She also stresses prevention, such as collecting donated backpacks and school supplies so families don't spend money they will need later for a utility bill. Parker and Hanscom agree the office should be a place people can walk into without shame, and that anyone can end up a missed paycheck or an accident away from needing help.

The Public Welfare office is in the McConnell Center, Room 334, and is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

In This Week in Dover History, we return to 1857, when workmen excavating a house foundation on Nelson Street uncovered an old chimney and cellar wall, human bones believed to be a woman's, and a spoon of a style unused for 150 years. The ruins were thought to belong to the garrison house of Peter Coffin's son, or possibly Dover's first tavern. The segment traces Coffin's remarkable life: an original purchaser of Nantucket Island, a sawmill owner, a lieutenant in King Philip's War, and later chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Jennifer Elliott and Christopher Kozak of Community Partners, continuing the podcast's look at nonprofits serving the Dover community.

Kozak, the organization's president and CEO, and Elliott, the organization's communications manager, describe Community Partners as a large social service agency serving primarily Strafford County, with a mission of helping people participate fully in their communities. It is both the county's designated community mental health center and its designated area agency, supporting people with developmental disabilities and acquired brain disorders through case management, early supports and services, therapy, psychiatric care, and residential programming with more than 120 home providers. Its rapid response mobile crisis team, dispatched through 988, serves the county and neighboring regions.

They also discuss the Aging and Disability Resource Center, formerly ServiceLink, which handles Medicare Part D open enrollment and the Choices for Independence program that helps older adults stay in their homes. Recent growth includes acquiring Southeastern New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, bringing the Turning Point residential program and the Kane House sober living program under the agency, and purchasing a 28,000-square-foot building in Somersworth. Kozak explains the coming transition to a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model, which will broaden eligibility and better integrate mental health, substance use, and physical health care.

The conversation also covers the agency's board and advisory councils, its more than 500 employees, internship and volunteer opportunities, mental health first aid training that has reached over 2,400 people, and how listeners can get involved.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back at the General Sullivan Bridge, which opened across Little Bay on Sept. 5, 1934, carried traffic and later cyclists and pedestrians for decades, and is now being demolished under a state project expected to be complete by early 2027.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Director of Media Services Mike Gillis about what Dover's boards, committees and commissions accomplished at their August meetings. At the City Council's Aug. 5 workshop, the police chief reviewed youth outreach programming and shared statistics showing steep declines in 30-day alcohol, cigarette and vaping use among high school students, while stressing the work continues. The fire chief reviewed the Continuity of Operations Plan and the Local Emergency Operations Plan, the latter adopted Aug. 12. On Aug. 12, the council approved a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement for a 1.5-megawatt solar array off Littleworth Road, the city's largest private solar project. The council also accepted a highway safety grant for speed enforcement, extended the teachers union contract a year at no added cost, and awarded the Littleworth Road water and sewer project to GBC Construction. The Aug. 26 meeting brought a voluntary water conservation request amid regional drought, formal acceptance of Mineral Park Drive and Hampshire Circle as public streets after decades of city maintenance, and authorization of the annual real estate appraisal. Parker closes with Planning Board business: a still-tabled request at 54 Back River Road, added units at 96 Broadway, a residential conversion of the Oak Street roundhouse, and a culvert repair that will close part of the Community Trail, along with Parking Commission and School Board items.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christine Boston about the start of the 2026–2027 school year. Boston discusses the district's 30 new teachers, about 10% of its roughly 300-person teaching staff, noting a strong mix of recent graduates and experienced educators new to Dover. She describes the behind-the-scenes summer work by facilities and IT staff, including new printer/copier systems and wireless access point upgrades, and introduces four new administrators joining Dover's public schools. Boston previews Campus Parent, a new online portal replacing Meal Time that will let families manage lunch balances, payments, and automatic replenishment digitally. She reflects on last year's cell phone ban, calling it a success that boosted library use and student social interaction. The conversation turns to enrollment trends: kindergarten numbers are unusually low while high school enrollment stays stable, driven by school choice, career and technical education (CTE), and strong athletics and AP offerings. Parker and Boston discuss the demographic shifts behind this, including smaller families, people having children later, and new housing that isn't attracting families with school-age kids. Boston highlights the growth and prestige of Dover's CTE programs, including biotechnology and firefighting, which now set students up for strong careers after graduation. She closes by pointing to the district's strategic pillars and ongoing data review as the foundation for continued academic improvement heading into the new year.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back to 1999, when nearly 100 teachers and staff got their first tour of the new $15 million, 160,000-square-foot middle school under construction on Daily Drive, replacing the outdated 1934 Dover High School building. The state-of-the-art facility—featuring a 190-seat theater and a spacious gymnasium—opened to students on schedule in January 2000 and still serves Dover's middle schoolers today.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Deputy City Attorney Jennifer Perez about New Hampshire's Right-to-Know Law, RSA 91-A, and how Dover handles public records requests. Perez explains that requests can arrive by phone, in person, or through an online form, and that the city's guiding principle is transparency rather than technicality. She walks through how her office interprets vague or overly broad requests — sometimes involving tens of thousands of pages — and reaches out to requesters for clarification when needed, while routine items like permits are often resolved with a quick link within five days. The two discuss how New Hampshire's right-to-know protections are enshrined in the state constitution as well as statute, recent legislative changes allowing the city to charge for email-heavy requests, and why Dover rarely invokes those fees. Perez also explains where listeners can find the Right-to-Know request form.

In This Week in Dover History, we hear about an Aug. 19, 1776 letter from Thomas Westbrook Waldron, a prominent Dover Patriot leader, urging New Hampshire's Committee of Safety to treat suspected Loyalists with justice rather than vengeance, a reminder, as the nation marks its 250th anniversary, that the Revolution's promise of liberty was tested by how it treated dissenters, including Dover's pacifist Quaker community.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Susan Ford of My Friend's Place, continuing the podcast's series on local nonprofits.

Ford explains the Washington Street shelter opened in 1989 and houses single men, women and families under one roof, serving about 200 people a year. She was once a client herself, staying five months with her two children more than 30 years ago. Homelessness, she says, is not the problem but a symptom — substance misuse, mental illness, cognitive or developmental challenges and early trauma that leave people without the skills to sustain housing.

The shelter has grown from 17 to 28 beds by bunking rooms, and a $300,000 city appropriation funded a needed kitchen expansion. A small staff — Ford, a case manager, a program assistant and five to seven resident managers — keeps 90% of the budget aimed at residents. Two duplexes offer transitional housing for families waiting out affordable-housing lists that can run two years.

Ford walks through intake, which starts with a waitlist that turns over Monday mornings, and outlines volunteer work: counting bingo tear tickets at the Lilac Club Casino in Rochester, digitizing 30 years of records, gardening and front-office shifts. On donations, she notes furniture must be sturdy enough to move and good enough to preserve residents' dignity, gift cards are especially useful, and a coordinated network shares surplus food among area shelters and pantries.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back at August 1925, when more than 20,000 people flooded downtown for a parade, carnival and banquet celebrating Dover's new electric street lighting system, switched on at 8 p.m. on Aug. 14. The $20,000 project came in $146 under budget. The story continues into 2017, when the City Council approved converting all 1,700 city streetlights to LED, saving roughly $140,000 a year in electricity and cutting the city's carbon footprint by 482 tons.