Monday, December 19, 2011

News from City of Dover

Save Our Bridge Committee reaches 54 percent of fundraising goal

The Save Our Bridge Committee continues to raise money and in-kind donations to relocate the pedstrian bridge over the Cocheco River between Henry Law Park and One Washington Center.

At the Dec. 14, 2011, City Council meeting, Committee Chairman Ray Bardwell updated City Councilors on fundraising efforts. To date, Bardwell said the group has received pledged donations of about $70,000. The group needs to raise $129,500 for the relocation. As a result, the City Council extended the deadline for the group's fundraising to Dec. 30, 2012.

Among the businesses and contractors who have pledged services are Moores Crane Rental; Skip Powell Electric; McEneaney Survey Associates; Turcotte Concrete; Mark Wentworth; John Turner Consulting; North/South Construction; and Great Mills Management. As a result of the City Council's vote to extend the deadline, Bardwell said additional vendors and contractors will be contacted.

According to Bardwell, the group has spent some of the money raised, including $6,375 on surveying and $341 on wetlands permitting.

Bardwell said the group has devoted significant time to the work needed to complete the project, including promoting the project at community events such as Apple Harvest Day and the Holiday Parade, establishing a social media prescence, and developing a line-item budget.

Bardwell's presentation to the City Council and subsequent discussion can be seen on Channel 22 and online, on demand by visiting http://www.dover.nh.gov/dntv.

Committee members continue to encourage residents and community members to help support the fundraising efforts.

Donations can be made to the City of Dover, 288 Central Ave., Dover, NH 03820, to the attention of "Foot Bridge Fund."

For more information, contact Bardwell at 749-6422 or committee member Sam Allen at 742-6699.

Last chance to sign up for a call from Santa

Dover Recreation and Dover Rotary Club have made special arrangements for Santa Claus to telephone children under 6 years of age from Santa’s Workshop at North Pole Headquarters.

Santa calls will take place on Monday, Dec. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Santa forms are now available at all Dover Recreation facilities (McConnell Center, Pool and Arena) and the Dover Public Library Children’s Room. A Santa form must be filled out and submitted to receive a call. No requests will be taken over the phone.

This service is free due to the generosity of the Dover Rotary Club.

Deadline to get forms into Dover Recreation is Sunday, Dec. 18, by 4 p.m.

For more information, call Dover Recreation at 516-6401.

FastTrans informational session planned for Dec. 29

The public is invited to an informational session on proposed long- and short-term changes to the FastTrans service. The session will be held on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 5:30 p.m., at the Dover Transportation Center.

FastTrans is a downtown transit loop intended to encourage public transportation for trips between two Dover locations, such as from home to work, from home to shopping, or for personal service appointments.

During the Dec. 29 session, COAST and City of Dover officials will discuss the history of the service, and look to the future, including funding. The public is encouraged to share comments and questions.

A transcript of the session will be made available on the COAST and City of Dover websites.
For more information, contact COAST at 743-5777.

Planning Board meets next week

The Planning Board will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m., in Council Chambers at City Hall.

The meeting agenda can be found here: www.dover.nh.gov/meetings/2011.12.20_PlanningBoard.Agenda.pdf.

The meeting will be televised live on Channel 22 and will be available for repeat viewings on Channel 22 and online.

City of Dover annual food drive under way

The annual City of Dover food drive is now under way.

Each year, the City's Community Services Deparment organizes a citywide food drive to collect food items and donations for local charities. This year, food and donations will benefit the Dover Food Pantry and the Dover Children's Home.

City employees and residents participate in the drive each year. Last year's food drive generated thousands of food items and over $4,000 for local food pantries.

Nonperishable food donations can be dropped off at any City department. To make a monetary donation or for general information, contact Meghan Heaphy Moisan or Stacey Hager at 516-6450. Food items and donations will be collected until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Deliveries of donations will be made on Thursday, Dec. 22.

Businesses setting up donation boxes can contact Community Services to pick up the items.
For more information on the annual food drive, contact Community Services at 516-6450.

2011 Dover Fire Toy Bank still accepting donations

The 2011 Dover Fire Toy Bank continues to collect toys for delivery to needy families.

The Dover Fire Toy Bank has been organized by current and retired members of Dover Fire & Rescue for more than 35 years.

The community -– area businesses, seniors, families, school groups, civic groups and others -- have been very supportive and generous in the past. Donations of toys, games, clothing, gift certificates and monetary donations have enabled the toy bank to help those less fortunate each year. The Toy Bank would not be successful without the community's continued help.


This year, the 2011 Dover Business of the Year, Holy Rosary Credit Union, has graciously offered support and sponsorship of the Dover Fire Toy Bank. St. Mary church has again offered the Dover Fire Toy Bank a location to organize and wrap all the gifts in the basement of their Parish Hall.

Here is how you can help:



  • Collect new toys within your organization for age groups from newborn to 15 years old. If you need a collection box, please call 603-516-TOYS, leave a message and we will get you one for your business;

  • Gift cards to area businesses, mall stores, and grocery stores are always appreciated;

  • Hand knitted hats and mittens are needed for the cold winter;

  • Collect monetary donations within your organization and shop for gifts;

  • We will pick up donations at your site or you can drop off new, unwrapped items at these locations: Dover Central Fire Station (9-11 Broadway), South End Fire Station (27 Durham Road) or the North End Fire Station (262 Sixth Street) up until Christmas evening;

  • Monetary contributions can be picked up at your location or mailed to following address. Please make checks out to The Dover Fire Toy Bank: The Dover Fire Toy Bank, P.O. Box 1712, Dover, NH 03821-1712.
Also, Holy Rosary Credit Union will accept donations on behalf of the Toy Bank. Stop in and make a donation at any time and it will be forwarded to the Dover Fire Toy Bank.

Contact Jenn Myers at 603-516-6153, Brendan Driscoll at 603-516-6169 or Josh Ambrose at 603-516-6153 to help out with wrapping or for more information.

To leave a message, call 603-516–TOYS (8697). Join us at the toy workshop (downstairs at St. Mary’s Hall on Chestnut Street) to help wrap presents. All ages are welcome.

Dover Chamber offers Peek at the Week

The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce offers a weekly newsletter with information about upcoming special events, business events and specials, and live entertainment and music listings.

For more information, or to sign up for the newsletter, visit the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce website at dovernh.org.

Reminder: Citywide winter parking ban in effect

A citywide winter parking ban is now in effect. It concludes on April 1, 2012.

During the ban, no vehicle can be parked on any city street or sidewalk between the hours 1 and 6 a.m., and is not limited to nights with snow in the forecast.

Vehicles parked in city controlled parking lots must display a winter parking permit which can be obtained free of charge, 24 hours a day, at the Police Department.

Vehicles found in violation of the winter parking ban will be issued a $15 parking ticket. Cars found interfering with snow removal may be towed.

In addition, an emergency parking ban for the downtown area will be declared when needed to facilitate snow removal.

The emergency parking ban will normally occur a day or two after a significant snow storm to allow crews to clear the sidewalks and road edges of the snow pushed from the travel lanes during the storm. The emergency parking ban will be announced by 3 p.m. each evening to take effect at 1 a.m. the following morning.

When the emergency parking ban is in effect, any car parked on a downtown street will be towed. Notification of the emergency parking ban will be conducted through local media, the City of Dover web site, cable channel 22, as well as through an e-mail or automatic phone notification system.

Restaurants, bars and other late night business are encouraged to sign up for the e-mail or automatic phone notification by contacting the Parking Bureau at parking@dover.nh.gov or by calling 516-2277.

On the nights that an emergency parking ban is declared, employees of downtown businesses may park in any city controlled lot without obtaining a winter parking permit.

Streets included in the Emergency Parking Ban area: Chestnut Street; Main Street; Chapel Street; School Street; First Street; Second Street; Washington Street from Belknap to River Street; Central Avenue from Sixth Street to Silver Street; Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Streets (Central to Chestnut); Henry Law Ave from Central Avenue to George Street; Broadway from Central Avenue to St. John Street; Hale Street; St. Thomas Street from Central to Locust; Locust Street from Hale to Washington Street.

A map is posted at dover.nh.gov/policepdf/DnTnSnowEmergencyMap.pdf.

Anyone wishing more information on either the Winter Parking Ban or the Emergency Parking ban can contact Parking Bureau at 516-2277.

Time to register your vehicle? Save time online

Did you know you can save yourself time and a trip to City Hall by registering your vehicle online?

Online vehicle registration renewal is easy, safe and secure. You can register online by providing a PIN number or your license plate number. Your PIN number is provided by the City of Dover and can be found on your renewal notice.

Budget Revealed is your window to the City's budget

The City's new resource for residents, Budget Revealed, is where you will find a host of resources intended to provide detailed information about your government, including how the City's budget is created and managed. Detailed information about spending, including payments made by the City each month, purchase orders, City wages and the annual budget and related documents are all readily available. Budget Revealed will continually be updated with the most recent fiscal information. In addition, other content and multimedia are provided to help explain how local government functions.
Visit Budget Revealed at www.dover.nh.gov/budgetrevealed_home.htm.

Missed the meeting? Catch it again online

Don't forget: If you missed the live City Council, School Board or Planning Board on Channels 22 and 95, you can catch it again, online and on demand.
Simply visit the City's website at http://www.dover.nh.gov/dntv to begin watching meetings on demand. Online meetings are organized by agenda item for convenience.

No comments:

Post a Comment