Council to consider city resilience plan at Feb. 8 meeting

posted on 2/6/2023

Adopting a citywide resilience plan and joining a statewide public transportation coalition are among the agenda items on the City Council’s agenda for its Wednesday, Feb. 8 meeting.

The resilience plan, Resiliency for All, was presented and unanimously endorsed by the Planning Board at its Jan. 24 meeting . The plan seeks to position the city to be able “to respond to adversity in the face of environmental, social and economic stressors,” it states in the resolution background materials. “The core purpose of the citywide resilience plan is to publicly establish a work plan for the city to equitably increase its resiliency, in fiscally responsible ways, across a variety of categories including public outreach, energy, food systems and ecosystem management.”

The statewide public transportation coalition is part of an effort by the Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation, better known as COAST Bus, and the New Hampshire Transit Alliance to start “a meaningful statewide dialogue on increasing state operating support for public transportation in New Hampshire,” the resolution background material states. The coalition seeks to increase public transportation funding in the state budget. “Without increased state support, public transit agencies and the services provided will need to be cut by 2025,” the background materials state.

Also on the agenda are resolutions to:

• Award a bid for the purchase of a bucket truck for Community Services for $98,944;
• Authorize an additional scope of work for $124,284 to the firm awarded the consulting design services contract for the Downtown Pedestrian and Vehicular Access Improvements;
• Authorize the acceptance and expenditure of an anonymous $13,000 donation made through the Residents Supporting Community First program. The donor seeks to put $10,000 into the food and fuel assistance fund, $2,000 for the Community Trail, and $1,000 for the Dover 400 celebration. The Council will also hold a public hearing on this resolution.

The Council will also set public hearings for its Feb. 22 meeting on proposed ordinance changes that would:

• Change the Ad-Hoc Committee for Racial Equity and Inclusion from an ad-hoc to a standing committee;
• Expand the number of alternates for the Energy Commission;
• Create a permanent permit process to allow restaurants to have outdoor dining on public streets and sidewalks.

Click here for the complete agenda. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers. It will be televised on Channel 22 and online at dovernh.viebit.com be available for on-demand viewing.