Dover Download

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Katy Cordova-Brooks, executive director of the Strafford Nutrition and Meals on Wheels program, continuing the series spotlighting nonprofits that strengthen Dover. The program delivers hot lunchtime meals to seniors and adults with disabilities across Strafford County, helping people remain independent at home and easing the burden on families who can't be present during the workday. Deliveries run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with an extra meal sent on Tuesday to cover Wednesday, and drivers double as wellness checks, reporting any concerning changes. Headquartered in Somersworth with sites in Dover and Rochester, the organization runs 17 routes serving urban and rural communities alike. State contracts cover only 60 to 70 percent of costs, so the group fundraises and never charges clients, though donations are welcome. Cordova-Brooks, who relocated from Las Vegas about a year and a half ago, described menus that vary for variety while following loose patterns, low-sodium meals with some modifications, and nutritional education built into state contracts. Drivers are paid employees because they use their own vehicles, while volunteers assist at sites and with congregate dining, which emphasizes social connection and combating loneliness for those 60 and older. Client retention is high. She urged listeners to set aside the misconception that meals should be reserved for someone in greater need, stressing that both nourishment and human connection matter. Learn more or donate at straffordmealsonwheels.org.

In This Week in Dover History, we hear about Dover caterer Roscoe Simpson, who in 1923 was in high demand for his celebrated clambakes and shore dinners across the region — from MIT graduates at the Rollins estate to events in Exeter, Haverhill and Rye — a thriving business he would later expand with the Simpson Pavilion in Madbury.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Director of Media Services Mike Gillis fills in for Deputy City Manager Chris Parker to discuss the major items from Dover's May public meetings.

The City Council held three meetings. A May 6 workshop covered housing—where the median home sale price topped $570,000 and a two-bedroom rental requires roughly $90,000 in annual income to be affordable—and the dredge cell sale at Maglaras Park. On May 13, the Council recognized the Shaw family for 40-plus years of Riverbend Pizza and Subs and the FIRST Robotics team, approved a $25,000 change order for the dredge cell closure tied to new state permitting, and selected Cochecho River Recreation as the NEBI Park pavilion operator. The May 27 meeting featured downtown pedestrian improvements, dump truck purchases, and Dover Middle School HVAC bonding.

The Planning Board addressed a TD Bank ATM site plan amendment, a no-cut buffer compliance case on Sixth Street, a conditional use permit near Berry Brook, and a Back River Road cottage-style development. The Zoning Board reviewed four variance requests, including subdivisions and a fire-damaged two-family rebuild.

The School Board advanced a revised geothermal HVAC proposal for Dover Middle School, related bonding, and a new business administrator appointment. Graduation is Thursday at 7 p.m.

Finally, the Cochecho Waterfront Development Advisory Committee toured the site ahead of a July ribbon cutting, with an updated virtual tour coming soon.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Chad Kageleiry of Summit Land Development, the principal behind Sky Hill, a major project off Littleworth Road.

Parker calls it likely the largest project Dover has seen, with roughly 600,000 to 800,000 square feet of commercial space and 600 to 800 residential units across about 200 acres. The plan separates a commercial and industrial component, surrounded by existing industrial parks, from a residential side that blends with nearby single-family homes. Kageleiry describes Sky Hill as building on lessons from Pointe Place, applying a suburban multifamily theme with boutique commercial space that brings convenience to a part of town that lacked it.

The two trace the public-private partnership negotiated with the city back in 2022 and discuss the complexity of permitting at both local and state levels. Kageleiry explains his strategy of sequencing work, leasing larger industrial tenants rather than dividing the site, and bringing in trusted partners to handle single-family construction while he focuses on multifamily and mixed-use buildings.

They also cover the lengthy state traffic review, the recent abutter meeting, and resident concerns about traffic. Kageleiry hopes to secure phase-one entitlements by Labor Day, begin road work this fall, and reach buildout over roughly 10 years.

In This Week in Dover History, we revisit Dover's solemn 1923 Memorial Day observance at Pine Hill Cemetery, including the parade, the placement of 652 markers, and Dr. Louis Flanders' eloquent address honoring those who served.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Anne Hayes, executive director of Gather, a Seacoast-area food access and hunger relief organization.

Hayes explains that Gather was founded in 1816 by women from Strawbery Banke to support fishermen's families and has evolved significantly since rebranding from Seacoast Family Food Pantry in 2016. Operating from a new community food center at 124 Heritage Ave. in Portsmouth, Gather runs a low-barrier pantry market designed like a small grocery store where members shop by choice and receive food for free. Eligibility requires only that visitors live or work in New Hampshire or Maine. Produce is unlimited, and the pantry stocks proteins, dairy, breads, pet food, personal care items, and accommodates dietary restrictions.

Hayes describes Gather's two-pronged approach: "serving the line" through the pantry and roughly 40 to 45 monthly mobile markets (including three Dover locations and the refurbished "Gus the Bus" fresh food vehicle), and "shortening the line" through wraparound services, Cooking Matters classes, a teaching garden at the Seacoast YMCA, and the eight-week Fresh Start culinary workforce training program. A new production kitchen turns out about 3,000 prepared meals weekly, with a goal of 250,000 annually.

Roughly 35 to 40 percent of food comes from grocery rescue, with additional supply from the food bank, USDA programs, and 70-plus restaurant and manufacturer partners. Funding is largely from individual donations. Gather has 37 staff and 350 to 400 active monthly volunteers.

In This Week in Dover History, we learn that in May 1923, Foster's Daily Democrat announced plans for a special edition marking both Dover's 300th anniversary and the newspaper's own 50th.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Planning and Community Development Director Donna Benton and Housing Planner Abby Muirhead about Dover's ongoing housing efforts following their recent City Council presentation. Muirhead reports that Dover permitted over 500 housing units in 2024 and 159 in 2025, highlighting the city's Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) ordinance, which has produced 109 HUD-restricted units. Benton notes that without TDR, Dover would likely see only a handful of new units annually given how built out the city already is. The conversation acknowledges that while the city can encourage density and waive certain fees, market forces drive most costs, with construction running at least $300 per square foot and quarter-acre residential parcels averaging $234,000.

Benton and Muirhead discuss the recent accessory dwelling unit workshop, which drew a standing-room-only crowd and covered ADU basics, permitting, construction considerations, and financing. Dover currently has about 80 permitted ADUs, with 13 already filed in 2026. They also touch on Dover's role as a statewide leader on innovative land use policies, partnerships with the Workforce Housing Coalition and Home for All, and the Dover Housing Authority's role as the largest provider of affordable housing locally. Muirhead previews a forthcoming public housing dashboard and a new pilot program using CDBG funds to rehabilitate existing low-income rental units, preserving affordability while supporting local landlords.

In This Week in Dover History, we revisit May 1887, when Dover High School's student newspaper, The Enterprise, accused the School Board of corruption, religious discrimination, and bribery.