In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Melanie Haney of East Coast Evolution Leadership and Strafford County Commission Chair George Maglaras about the Strafford County Warming Center's current operations and future expansion.

Haney explains how her company evolved from Thrive Outdoors' leadership development work to operating emergency shelters across New Hampshire. East Coast Evolution now staffs the warming center, focusing on providing safety and security while connecting guests with community resources. The low-barrier facility welcomes individuals as they are, though no substance use is permitted on-site. Guests sign agreements, secure their belongings, and receive dinner, coffee, snacks and access to bunks or cots. The center, located on Willand Drive in Somersworth, operates when temperatures drop below 32 degrees or during inclement weather, with capacity for 26 beds and additional floor space.

For more information about East Coast Evolution Leadership, visit https://www.eastcoastevolutionleadership.com/

Maglaras outlines plans to transform the warming center into a year-round homeless services facility at the county complex. The new 5,000-square-foot building, targeted for November opening, will offer extended stays and wraparound services including medical care, substance abuse treatment, mental health support and job placement. By leveraging existing county resources like the jail's kitchen and pursuing federal grants, Maglaras aims to address root causes of homelessness while minimizing taxpayer costs. Currently funded through $75,000 contributions from Dover and Rochester, plus Somersworth's in-kind services, the initiative represents a regional approach to providing sustainable solutions beyond temporary shelter.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Chef Evan Hennessey, a Dover native who has become a prominent figure in the culinary scene. Hennessey, whose mother was a French teacher in Dover, left the area after graduating from Dover High School to work in Boston, New York and Chicago before returning to establish his career in his hometown. He discusses his journey from wanting to be a Disney animator to becoming a chef, starting as a prep cook and dishwasher at Newick's restaurant. Hennessey reflects on how his cooking style has evolved over 30 years, learning to simplify dishes rather than over-complicate them. He shares his passion for Dover as a small, growing community with great proximity to both mountains and ocean. The conversation highlights the collaborative nature of Dover's restaurant community, where business owners support each other rather than compete. Hennessey discusses his current restaurants, Stages and The Living Room, his appearances on the Food Network show Chopped, as well as his upcoming venture, Topolino, opening this spring at 9 River St., which will feature casual Mediterranean cuisine with roughly 70 seats, a bar, and a patio on the river. He also mentions his participation in a Friends of the Library fundraiser on Jan. 27 at Chapel + Main, featuring a live-streamed mystery basket cooking challenge.

For more information about the Friends of the Library fundraiser at Chapel + Main with Hennessey, or to purchase tickets, visit https://dovernh.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/cook-for-the-books-friends-of-the-library-fundraiser/

In This Week in Dover History, we learn about the development of winter sports in Dover over the past century. The segment traces how a 1923 Dover Chamber of Commerce meeting led to discussions about forming a hockey team and allowing skiing at Garrison Hill, including construction of a ski jump. These early efforts eventually resulted in a ski area at Garrison Hill with a rope tow that operated until the 1960s, a public skating rink behind the library that was later converted to parking, and the opening of the Dover Ice Arena in the 1970s. By 1999, demand had grown enough to warrant a second sheet of ice, leading to the construction of the Holt rink, which was completed in 2001 alongside a reconstruction of the Robert H. Foster rink, making the arena a year-round community destination.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Betsey Andrews Parker, Chief Executive Officer of Community Action Partnership of Strafford County. This episode kicks off Season 5's special focus on nonprofits serving the Dover and Seacoast area.

Betsey explains that CAP, which traces its roots to President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty, operates as an umbrella organization providing a wide range of services including fuel assistance, weatherization, Head Start early childhood programs, food distribution to 24 soup kitchens and pantries, homeless shelters, senior housing, domestic violence and human trafficking programs, and home visiting services for newborns. She emphasizes that many working families qualify for assistance without realizing it, with programs serving households earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level. CAP operates on a $20 million annual budget, with 84% coming from federal sources that require matching funds. Betsey discusses her background in public health and bioterrorism preparedness, including work on pandemic planning that proved valuable during COVID-19. She stresses the importance of partnerships with municipalities, other nonprofits, and the community, noting that CAP's 120 employees work collaboratively to serve residents. Volunteers and donors can find opportunities at straffordcap.org, and the organization's main office is at 577 Central Avenue in Dover, with additional locations in Farmington and Rochester.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back at the inauguration of city officials on Jan. 6, 1925, when Mayor John P. Morrison took office amid crowded Council Chambers at City Hall. The segment contrasts Dover's partisan, bicameral government of the past with today's nonpartisan City Council-City Manager system, while noting that the tradition of January inaugurations continues to this day.

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.