The Dover Arts Commission oversaw the selection, donation, and installation of two sculptures at the Fisher Street Trailhead on the Community Trail.

This art installation is thanks to the cooperation of various City of Dover agencies which included the Arts Commission, Planning Department, Community Trail Advisory Committee, and Community Services Department – specifically Michael Wilson and the talented team at Facilities and Grounds.

The two metal cubes were created by Jill Nooney of Bedrock Gardens in Lee, NH, and settled into their new home at the Fisher Street Trailhead of the Dover Community Trail. The two 450-pound sculptures were pre-mounted on a concrete base by the team at Facilities and Grounds and lifted into place. "The City of Dover now has yet another piece of thoughtful art on display," said Dover Arts Commission Chair Jane Hamor. "These creative sculptures join the ever-growing collection of public art such as murals, painted windows, and mosaics that make Dover a visually exciting city."

Bedrock Gardens is an emerging public garden that integrates unusual botanical specimens and unique sculptures into an inspiring landscape journey. This 30-acre site is transitioning from a historic farm and private garden to a public oasis of art, horticulture, and inspiration.

The Dover Energy Commission will hold the first of two public hearings on its draft Electric Aggregation Plan (EAP) on Wednesday, Nov. 16, as part of efforts to initiate a Dover Community Power program.

If enacted, the program is authorized under RSA 53:E to provide electricity supply service for the city's residents, businesses, municipal operations and other types of customers on a competitive and voluntary basis. The program will only launch if it can initially offer residential default electricity rates lower than those offered by Eversource. The program will be self-funded through revenues generated by participating customers and not use taxpayer funds to cover program expenses.

The draft plan, available here, once finalized and enacted, would serve as the blueprint for the Dover Community Power program's operation. The Dover Energy Commission, which the City Council designated as the city's Electrical Aggregation Committee (EAC) for the program, will take feedback at the public hearings before finalizing the EAP and sending it to the Council for its consideration. If approved by the Council, it would require further steps, including review by the Public Utilities Commission.

On July 14, 2021, the Dover City Council voted unanimously to join the 23 other NH communities in the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH). The Community Power Coalition of NH is a non-profit Joint Powers Agency that is governed “by communities, for communities.” The coalition of towns, cities, and counties across the state are working together towards achieving energy goals.

The City of Dover's proposed EAP has set the following objectives for Dover Community Power:

The public hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the McConnell Center cafeteria. Following public input, the EAC will schedule a second public hearing at a subsequent Energy Commission meeting.

The Planning Board will hold a public workshop this Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. with Joseph Minicozzi of Urban3 to discuss the revenue modeling analysis the firm completed as part of a contract with New Hampshire Housing.

Dover was one of 15 communities Urban3 studied in its comprehensive study of New Hampshire, where Urban3’s revenue modeling analysis explains and visualizes market dynamics created by tax and land use policies. Minicozzi’s presentation will be on the second phase of Urban3’s research, where it conducted a fiscal health analysis comparing municipal costs with revenues.

In the first phase, Urban3 analyzed revenue and value per acre at a statewide and local level to measure the financial productivity of various development types across a community. The full report is available here. Urban3’s New Hampshire case study is also available on its website www.urbanthree.com/case-study/new-hampshire/.

The workshop will be held in City Hall’s Council Chambers.

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is accepting applications from public service agencies, qualified individuals and eligible organizations for grants for the fiscal year 2024. The fiscal year spans July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

Applications are available online here and at the Planning Office, located at Dover City Hall, 288 Central Ave., Dover, NH 03820. The application submission deadline is 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, and must be submitted via email to Dave Carpenter at d.carpenter@dover.nh.gov.

Eligible CDBG activities include but are not limited to property acquisition, development or improvement of public facilities, clearance or demolition, public services, and special economic development activities.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must meet specific requirements. They include but are not limited to:

For more information about project eligibility or to learn more about Dover’s Community Development Block Grant program, click here.

Questions can be directed to Dave Carpenter, Community Development Planner, at d.carpenter@dover.nh.gov or 603-516-6008.

In addition to each week's email edition of Dover Download, the City of Dover offers a weekly podcast. The podcast is hosted by Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker, who chats each week about the city's programs, services, public bodies, and projects. Each episode also takes a brief detour to the past with a look back at the week in Dover's history.

In this episode of Dover Download, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Gail Daudelin, Chair of Dover Main Street, and Jennifer Brown, Dover Main Street's Treasurer, about what's on tap from the organization this holiday season, including the annual food drive, the popular ice sculptures, and the Santa Parade. Daudelin and Brown also discuss Dover Main Street's mission, some of the organization's other signature events, and what's planned for the future. To learn more about Dover Main Street, visit https://dovermainstreet.org/.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back to what was described as "the first shot" against Sunday sports, and how it would affect more than sports for many years.

The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and at https://anchor.fm/cityofdovernh.

Planning Word/Phrase of the Week: Riparian Buffer

This term was suggested by Resilience Manager Dr. Jackson Kaspari, who said that it is used as part of Conservation Commission proceedings.

A riparian buffer is a vegetated strip along a watercourse that filters stormwater and provides wildlife habitat. A riparian zone or area is the land along rivers, streams, lakes, and other water bodies.

The riparian buffer can serve as a buffer to potential runoff pollutants, control erosion, and increase water quality in the associated watercourse.

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has a guide on native riparian buffer plantings, which can be accessed here.

If you have a word of the week or topics that you want to hear about, please email E.Bassegio@dover.nh.gov.