Dover Download round-up: Dover makes case against EPA nitrogen regulations; City Council adopts FY2013 budget; Senior Center instructor wins state award; City sees decline in illegal signs; and moreCity Manager | Executive
Congressional committee issues memo on "EPA Overreach and the Impact on New Hampshire Communities"
Two members of the Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform attended a hearing in Exeter on Monday, June 4, 2012, to hear from communities affected by the Environmental Protection Agency's new, stringent limits on nitrogen levels in Great Bay. Several communities, including Dover, formed a coalition to challenge the EPA's scientific reasoning for the limits, which could raise sewer rates significantly if enforced.
Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta, R-N.H., attended the hearing, as well as officials from Dover, Exeter, Rochester, Portsmouth and Newmarket. The EPA also provided testimony before the committee.
The City of Dover supports a less expensive, alternative measure, called the Adaptive Management plan, which was created by the Great Bay Municipal Coalition.
The Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform issued a staff memo following the meeting. Among some of the findings outlined in the memo are;
- “EPA has circumvented the state legislature and violated a number of standard processes in its issuance of the Great Bay communities’ draft NPDES permits. EPA has elected to use its authority to override New Hampshire’s statutory water quality standard and insert its own judgment for that of the state legislature;”
- “The public was largely shut out of the permitting process as EPA advanced its desired result in the face of criticism, opposition, counter-evidence, and repeated attempts to provide input;”
- “EPA ignored repeated requests for public involvement and a more open process, and neglected to hold hearings or engage in a peer review process promulgated by EPA’s own policy;”
- “Moreover, the Great Bay Municipal Coalition submitted numerous studies and pieces of evidence contradicting the science underlying the new standard, and the EPA ignored the information, without comment or response, and proceeded to draft the NPDES permits;”
- “Internal communications and correspondence reveal that EPA was aware the science underlying the draft permit was suspect, but proceeded with the same stringent standards anyway;"
- “The Great Bay Municipal Coalition has proposed a workable alternative to the proposed nitrogen limits that would limit the cost and reduce nitrogen in the estuary, but the EPA has not embraced this alternative.”
The findings in the memorandum are consistent with the concerns repeatedly brought forward by the Great Bay Municipal Coalition. These concerns revolve around a commonly shared interest of ensuring that the Great Bay estuary’s water quality is properly protected and that well-reasoned, scientifically justified and cost effective permit requirements are established for the area wastewater treatment plants.
The entire memo can be viewed here.
The June 6, 2012, committee hearing can be viewed here.
For more information on this issue, visit the City's special web page devoted to the matter here.
City Council adopts budget for FY2013
The City Council adopted a budget for fiscal year 2013 on Wednesday, June 6, 2012, during a special meeting.
This guide includes a copy of the proposed budget, additional budget materials, and the televised budget workshops and meetings.
City sees 50 percent reduction in illegal off-site signs
The Dover Department of Planning and Community Development conducted an illegal sign sweep on Thursday, May 31. Christopher Parker, Director of Planning and Community Development, and Timothy Corwin, Assistant City Planner, collected a total of nine signs. This represents a more than 50 percent reduction in the number of signs collected during the last sweep in January where 21 signs were found.
Temporary signs advertising services or products not located on the property on which the sign is located are illegal. Most often these are found tacked to trees or utility poles, or posted to the ground in public rights-of-ways and medians. Department staff have made it a priority to rid the City of illegal off-site signs which may cause a safety hazard for traveling motorists or create a visual blight that is unsightly for residents.
Illegal off-site signs also detract from legitimate business signs that have gone through the proper permitting process.
“It appears that none of the signs we collected were for businesses located in Dover,” Parker said. The signs included advertising for stump grinding, odd jobs, mattresses, and snow plowing services from businesses located outside the community. “We’re very thankful that Dover’s business community is respectful of our regulations which prohibit off-site signage.”
Business owners that have placed these signs were advised to remove the illegal signs in advance of this clean-up effort. Confiscated signs will be held for 30 days prior to being recycled or destroyed, unless the sign is claimed by the owner after paying a reclamation fee based on the actual cost of man-hours and equipment use. Repeat offenders may be subject to prosecution and fines.
This was the fifth sweep the Planning Department has conducted since the summer of 2011. Staff has been monitoring signs and holds the sweeps every few months. At the same time, efforts have been made to reach out to businesses to explain regulations and the safety concerns associated with the placement of signs within the right of way.
Staff expects to conduct another sign sweep later this summer and are hoping to find even fewer signs.
“Our outreach and education efforts will continue not only with respect to illegal off-site signs, but all of our sign regulations,” Corwin said. “I think businesses are starting to understand that if you post an illegal sign in Dover, you’re going to lose it.”
The Planning Department has a facebook fan page in which residents can learn more about projects and applications. Additionally, the Department has a twitter feed @DoverNHPlanning.
For more information please call the Planning Department at 516-6008.
Senior Center fitness instructor earns Governor's Council award
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Dover Recreation and the Dover Community Senior Center congratulate Theresa Bean, senior fitness instructor, for receiving a 2012 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Governor’s Council on Physical Activity and Health.
Theresa was presented with her award at the Statehouse in Concord on Friday, June 1. She was selected for her continued efforts to promote health, wellness and physical activity among seniors.
Theresa has been the fitness instructor at the Dover Community Senior Center since 2007 and teaches classes daily for seniors that focus on staying healthy and active. She maintains her ACE Certification and Silver and Fit Certification and has completed the National Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher 200-Hour Program.
In addition to teaching classes for the seniors, she also teaches an evening yoga class for all ages. Theresa also took to the stage this year as one of the Dover celebrities in Dancing with the Dover Stars to raise money for the Senior Center.
The Dover Community Senior Center and Dover Recreation are both located at the McConnell Center on 61 Locust St.
For more information about classes and programs, call the Recreation Department at 516-6401, the Senior Center at 516-6436, or visitwww.dover.nh.gov/rechome.htm.
City of Dover begins traffic calming pilot project
On Tuesday, June 5, 2012, the City of Dover hosted a kick-off meeting for a traffic calming pilot program that aims to mitigate speed and volumes of traffic traveling on Atkinson, Belknap, Cushing and Lexington streets.
This meeting introduced residents of the streets to Jeffrey Taylor, a consultant selected by the City to work with residents to identify traffic concerns and address those concerns.
Traffic calming addresses traffic volume and speed concerns increasingly brought forward by residents. These concerns may be a result of many factors, including speeding and drivers looking for short cuts (normally off arterials onto neighborhood streets). Overall interest in traffic calming is a result of two factors: safety and neighborhood quality of life.
At its core, traffic calming is the use of techniques intended to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicles on neighborhoods by reducing vehicle speeds and by providing safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists without having to have a police officer present at all hours of the day and night. It uses education as well as physical design of the roadway to slow traffic down to safe levels.
The traffic calming project was approved as part of the FY13-18 Capital Improvement’s Program, which the City Council adopted in December of 2012. The cost of the first phase of the project is $10,000, which will be used to identify the traffic issues that exist and what remedies might be available to address them.
“Jeff has a strong facilitator background, as well as solid technical knowledge and expertise," said Christopher Parker, Director of Planning and Community Development. "I am sure he and his team will be able to work with the residents to figure out what will work best for their neighborhood. One goal of this project is to identify street by street solutions and not just a cookie cutter solution.”
Doug Steele, Dover’s Community Services Director, added, “This project will give us a good format for working with other neighborhoods in the future. Traffic calming is a topic that comes up frequently with residents and we hope this project can help us work out a process for addressing other areas of the City.” Steele also notes that this project will dovetail nicely into the planned reconstruction of Silver Street. “That project will be designed in the coming months, and we can use the results of this project to enhance the whole area,” he said.
The project is expected to run over the summer, with neighborhood meetings and input. Ultimately, the neighborhood recommendations will be presented to the City’s Transportation Advisory Commission. As part of the project, staff and the consultant will run some trials of various traffic calming techniques that the neighborhood supported at the kick off meeting. These include islands at the entrances to the roads, adjusting the placement of speed limit signs and adding curvilinear features to the curb line. Funding for the implementation of recommendations will be proposed in the FY14-19 Capital Improvements Program.
For more information, contact the City of Dover Department of Planning and Community Development at 516-6008.
Portion of Sixth Street closed on Wednesdays for Farmer's Market
Beginning on Wednesday, June 6, 2012, a small segment of Sixth Street between Central Avenue and Chestnut Street will be closed from 12:30 to 6 p.m., for the Seacoast Growers Association’s Farmers Market. The closure will occur each Wednesday through Oct. 10, 2012.
The market is held in the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce parking lot, 550 Central Ave., and expands onto a portion of Sixth Street. The market is open from 2 to 6 p.m.
For more information on the market, call the Chamber at 742-2218.
Chamber offers historic walking tours
The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce begins its summer Historic Walking Tours of Dover on Saturday, June 16.
Tours depart from the Chamber at 550 Central Ave., at 10:30 a.m., and are approximately an hour and a half. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle.
The cost is $5 per person or $15 for a family.
For more information or to make reservations, call the Chamber at 742-2218.
School Board and Planning Board meet next week
The School Board will hold a regular meeting on Monday, June 11, at 7 p.m., in School Board Chambers at the McConnell Center.
The Planning Board will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 12, at 7 p.m., in Room 306 at the McConnell Center.
The meetings will be televised live on Channel 22 and will be available for repeat viewings on Channel 22 and online.
Dover Rotary holds annual golf tournament on June 11
The Rotary Club of Dover will hold its ninth annual Golf Tournament at the Links at Outlook, in South Berwick, Maine.
Players fee includes lunch, goody bag, 18 holes of golf with golf cart, door prizes and the awards banquet.
Proceeds from the tournament go back into the community for programs including Back to School, Senior Visits, Shoe and Boot Fund, and the Milk and Meat Fund.
Last day for Dover public schools is Monday, June 18
The school year for elementary and middle school students will officially end on Monday, June 18, 2012. Dover Middle School will end at 11:45 a.m., while elementary classes will end at 12:45 p.m. The morning preschool will be dismissed at the normal time and there will be no p.m. preschool.
The school year at Dover High School will officially end on Monday, June 18, 2012 with makeup exams scheduled from 7:40 a.m. to 12 p.m.
On June 14, 15 and 18, students will return home on their regular bus runs leaving Dover High School at 12:15 p.m. There is no bus run at 2:30 p.m. on any exam day.
The snack bar will be open in the high school, and the cafeterias will be serving meals in the elementary and middle schools.
The last day for teachers and all support personnel in the Dover Schools – Monday, June 18, 2012 – will be a regular work day.
Summer Office Hours are:
All schools: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., beginning Tuesday, June 19;
Central office: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning Tuesday, June 19.
Regular office hours will resume on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.
Student registration is by appointment only. Please contact your school office for registration:
Garrison School, 516-6752; Horne Street School, 516-6756; Woodman Park School, 516-6700; Dover Middle School, 516-7200; Dover High School, 516-6900.
Planning Board to take up Dover 2023 vision at June 12 meeting
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As a first step in updating its Master Plan, the City is in the process of developing a vision statement which will serve as a guide for all other Master Plan updates and chapters.
“Because the vision will guide the Master Plan, which in turn guides the entirety of the City’s decision making process, it’s critical that the vision is truly reflective of the community’s goals and desires,” said Planning Director Christopher Parker.
To help develop the vision, the City contracted with Roger Hawk of Hawk Planning Resources, LLC, based in Concord, to plan and facilitate a series of community meetings. Overseeing the effort is the Master Plan Steering Committee, made up of citizen volunteers. These volunteers have guided the process and worked with the City’s consultant to ensure that the vision developed will reflect the community’s values.
The visioning process, titled “Dover 2023: Building Our Tomorrow” in honor of Dover’s 400th Anniversary which will be in 2023, began on March 10 with a community wide meeting held at the Dover Middle School.
“The March tenth meeting was designed to get the community thinking about what it likes about Dover and what it sees as some of its challenges,” Hawk said. “The idea was to get folks excited about what this City is and can be.”
The March kick-off was followed by six neighborhood meetings held at the elementary schools in March and April. At the March neighborhood meetings, participants were asked to “dream big” about Dover’s future without consideration as to cost or feasibility. Based on these meetings, a list of goals and ideas was developed and categorized by Hawk. The April meetings were designed to begin to prioritize these goals based on the ease or difficulty of implementation.
A draft vision statement was prepared following the April meetings, and at the final two meetings held in May, participants were asked to go through the draft vision in detail to double check the results and provide comments and feedback. “The overall project has benefitted from active and engaged participants,” says Hawk. “People who attended the events were vocal and thoughtful when giving their input.”
The draft vision statement will be considered by the Planning Board at its workshop on Tuesday, June 12. Parker feels confident that because of the Dover 2023 neighborhood meetings, the vision that is finally adopted will be truly reflective of the community’s values.
“Some municipalities permit staff or the Planning Board to develop their vision,” Parker said. “In Dover, we recognize that our residents, property owners and business owners are the ones who should decide where we go in the next 15 years.”
For more information, visit www.dover2023.com where the draft vision and results of the community meetings can be viewed.
The draft vision will be considered by the Planning Board at its workshop on June 12, at 7 p.m. Members of the community are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Dancing with the Dover Stars DVD now available
Did you miss this year's Dancing with the Dover Stars, or just want to experience the excitement again?
DVDs of Dancing with the Dover Stars II are now available at the Dover Community Senior Center front desk or the Dover Recreation front desk during normal business hours. DVDs are $10 each and all proceeds benefit the Dover Community Senior Center.
For more information, call 516-6436.
The City of Dover offers open government resource
Transparent Dover, a new online resource, provides one-stop access to the City's significant open government tools and information.
The City of Dover is an advocate for the public's right to know, and values transparency in all aspects of local government.
City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. said the City strives to make information readily available to the public on a daily basis. The City's website, www.dover.nh.gov, updated daily, is a repository for thousands of documents, records and public information, including financial information, City reports, budget details, and meeting records. Few communities in the State of New Hampshire or across the nation make as much information available to the public as a matter of course.
"The City of Dover is committed to open government and transparency," Joyal said. "We will continue to promote openness and public participation in local government, recognizing that transparency is the foundation of public trust."
The new web page allows residents and the public to navigate to many of the most requested and essential City documents and records, as well as information about all aspects of local government. The page, which collects links to public resources into one easy-to-navigate location, is a way for the public to quickly find links to the significant information already available on the City's website. Transparent Dover will be updated regularly to reflect additional resources.
Transparent Dover allows the public to compare the City's commitment to open government against the "Transparency Checklist" created by the nonprofit organization Sunshine Review. The City of Dover meets or exceeds all of the items on that checklist. According to the Sunshine Review, "residents and taxpayers need to be able to gauge whether local government is effective, competent, frugal with tax revenue, and in compliance with laws relating to public records and open meetings." The Sunshine Review benchmark is the availability of key information online.
Links to City Councilor web pages now on City website
Links to individual City Councilor web pages are available on the on the City's website.
Links will be placed on the site as provided by councilors.
Budget Revealed is your window to the City's budget
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.
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.
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.
