Dover Download

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, the second of two parts, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with outgoing Mayor Robert Carrier, then speaks with Brian Early and Erin Bassegio about what Dover's public bodies were up to in December.Carrier reflects on his tenure in city government, including his time on the City Council and serving as mayor. He discusses major accomplishments during his time, including the waterfront project and the construction of a new high school. Carrier highlights the city's improved financial position, professional city staff, and collaborative relationships between elected officials and administrators. He emphasizes the importance of consensus-building and open communication, expressing confidence in Dover's incoming leadership. The mayor shares advice for his successor about working effectively with councilors and maintaining the city's forward momentum on key initiatives.Brian Early, from the city's Media Services Department, and Erin Bassegio, a city planner, review December meetings held by Dover's various boards, commissions, and committees. They summarize actions taken by the City Council, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, School Board and other public bodies throughout the month.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, the first of two parts, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with retiring Mayor Bob Carrier about his deep roots in Dover and lifelong commitment to community service. Carrier, who grew up on Hill Street in Dover, shares memories of his childhood in the 1950s and 60s, attending Horn Street School and Dover High School before earning a business and marketing degree from Plymouth State College. Despite his educational background, Carrier followed his family's tradition by entering the building trades, establishing a successful contracting business.Throughout the conversation, Carrier reflects on his extensive volunteer work, including leadership roles with Dover Baseball and various community boards. He discusses how Dover has changed over the decades, from bustling downtown businesses to evolving neighborhood dynamics. Carrier emphasizes that his community involvement has always been about contributing rather than seeking recognition, a philosophy instilled by his parents.The episode concludes with Carrier explaining how he entered politics through a special election following the death of his mentor, Ward One Councilor Robert Keays. Keays, whom Carrier had supported as campaign manager, asked Carrier on his deathbed to consider running for council. When candidates Carrier deemed unsuitable entered the race, he decided to run, launching an 18-year career on the City Council that included six years as mayor. Carrier's time on the City Council and as mayor are the subject of part two of this series.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. about the upcoming orientation process for newly elected City Councilors and School Board members. Joyal explains that the orientation is required by the city charter and serves to prepare elected officials to serve as the board of directors for Dover's municipal corporation. The orientation covers essential topics including ethical considerations, finance, legal requirements like the Right-to-Know Law, and New Hampshire's lack of home rule, which limits municipalities to only what state law allows.Joyal discusses how the orientation has evolved to include joint sessions with both the City Council and School Board, fostering collegiality and mutual respect between the two bodies. With five returning councilors and four new members in the incoming council, the orientation provides valuable information for newcomers while serving as a refresher for returning members. The sessions are scheduled for two Thursdays in December. Following the orientation, an inauguration ceremony will take place on Jan. 5, where officials will be sworn into office. Within the first 90 days, a goal-setting session will be held to establish priorities that guide the council's two-year term and inform staff decision-making. Joyal emphasizes that despite the corporate structure, the community remains the primary focus, with all officials serving as stewards of public resources and public trust.In This Week in Dover History, we learn about Dover's oldest hook and ladder company, formed on December 21, 1831, as the Volunteer Hook and Ladder Company and later known as the Lincoln Hook and Ladder Company Number One. The company maintained an annual banquet tradition throughout its existence, with the 80th anniversary celebration in 1911 attracting hundreds of attendees and city dignitaries at the Knights of Columbus Hall. By 1924, it operated the oldest horse-drawn fire apparatus in New England before transitioning to motorized equipment. The company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1931 and remained one of the state's oldest fire companies for many years.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with project managers Jamie Stevens and Matt Gibbons about two major infrastructure projects. Stevens discusses the Henry Law Avenue and Payne Street reconstruction project, which was originally designed in 2004 but paused for waterfront development. The project design is now complete and expected to go out to bid in January 2026, with construction breaking ground sometime next year. The biggest change since 2004 is enhanced stormwater management, including a massive underground treatment facility that will be installed beneath the former swimming pool area in Henry Law Park.Gibbons provides updates on the Court and Union streets reconstruction project, which began after Labor Day 2024 with contractor SUR Construction. This complete roadway reconstruction evolved from an original water main replacement project and now includes subsurface utility replacement, new five-foot-wide ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks with granite curbing, and improved traffic patterns. The 5,000-foot Court Street project and 800-foot Union Street section will be completed in phases through late spring or early summer 2027. Notable improvements include reconfiguring the Back Road and Court Street intersection from a Y-intersection to a T-intersection.In This Week in Dover History, we learn about Dennis Bentley, a Dover educator who taught grades 5 through 12 during his 34-year career. Bentley began as a high school English teacher in 1971, later taught at Dover Middle School for 18 years, and served as principal at both Woodman Park School and Garrison Elementary School before retiring in 2005.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker hosts conversations about energy efficiency projects and provides monthly updates on board and commission activities. Parker speaks with the City's Resilience Coordinator, Lexi Merchant, and Facilities Project Manager, Eric Sanderson, about the city's partnership with Energy Efficient Investments to conduct energy audits of municipal buildings and implement energy savings performance contracts. The team discusses how these contracts work, focusing on solar installations and HVAC improvements at facilities like the McConnell Center, wastewater treatment plant, and fire stations, with the goal of achieving budget-neutral upgrades paid for through energy cost savings. Later, Parker is joined by Brian Early of Media Services and Planner Erin Bassegio to review November activities from city boards and committees. Topics include the City Council's work on the Capital Improvements Program, a new ordinance allowing muzzling of dogs deemed vicious under state standards, the groundbreaking for Dover High School's athletic complex, and the School Board's fiscal year 2027 budget process. Bassegio also discusses the Zoning Board of Adjustment's approval of a duplex variance and announces upcoming openings on the Energy Commission.