City Council to Hold Public Hearings on Capital Improvement Appropriations at September 11 Meeting

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Dover, NH – On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, the City Council will hold two public hearings regarding proposed appropriations from the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). These appropriations focus on technology equipment for Dover public schools and essential equipment for the Fire Department.

One hearing will discuss a resolution that would authorize a CIP appropriation of $621,075 to fund new technology equipment for Dover public schools. The appropriation would be transferred from the School Technology Capital Reserve and would be used for purchasing laptops to replace outdated equipment. The School Board passed a similar resolution during its August 19 meeting. This appropriation is part of the School Department’s Technology FY2025-2030 CIP plan, which the School Board adopted on May 13, 2024.

The second hearing focuses on a resolution to reprogram $451,200 of unexpended CIP appropriations from the South End Fire Station Building Improvements project. These funds would be redirected to support the Fire Department’s Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) replacement program. SCBA equipment is crucial for firefighters, providing them with breathable air in hazardous environments. The reprogramming will not involve new bonding or increase the city's debt.

The total SCBA replacement project cost is estimated at $987,000. The City Council had originally anticipated using grant funds for this project, but those funds did not materialize. As a result, the City plans to use $535,800 in federal COVID-19 grant funds, along with the reprogrammed CIP funds, to complete the purchase. The City Manager has recommended redirecting these funds from the South End Station project, with the remaining renovation costs for that project to be included in the FY2026 CIP.

In addition to the public hearings, the City Council will also discuss several other resolutions, including:

• Ensuring that all official city communication regarding state-designated holidays uses the state-designated holiday names, per RSA 288:1 and Chapter 182 of state law, effective September 10, 2024. This resolution aims to maintain recognition of local holidays such as Indigenous People's Day and Juneteenth while adhering to state guidelines.
• Awarding a contract for fire inspection services for city and public school buildings to Minuteman Security & Life Safety of Manchester.
• Amending the city's flag display policy to include Recovery Month in September and Indigenous Peoples' Day in October.
• Approving a three-year lease agreement for non-profit Community Solutions, Inc. to occupy office space in the McConnell Center.

The City Council will vote on these resolutions at the September 25, 2024, meeting.

Information for this article came from a Dover, NH release.