Dover Download

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Gary Bannon, who is retiring after 34 years as the Director of Recreation for the City of Dover. They discuss Bannon's decision to retire now and his reflections on his long career with the city. Bannon shares how he ended up in Dover, initially applying for the job after seeing an ad in the newspaper while working in Rhode Island. ...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Deb Clough, a local volunteer who leads the Dover Doers group focused on beautifying downtown Dover through projects like planting and maintaining flower boxes on the Central Avenue Bridge and along the Community Trail. Clough shares how the group started modestly with just a few flower boxes, but grew in popularity and support from the...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, the final in a series on the regional economy, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with James Burdin from the Office of Business Development in the City of Dover. Burdin shares his experience working with local businesses during his first year in the role. He discusses the importance of understanding a business's vision and providing guidance through city processes and ava...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Brian Early from the Media Services Department and Erin Basseigio from the Planning Department about the activities of Dover's boards, commissions, and committees in March.

Brian Early highlights the City Council's approval of the Fifth and Grove reconstruction project, updates to tax exemptions, and the purchase of a solar...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Darren Winham, the Economic Development Director for the Town of Exeter. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of economic development in Exeter, which operates under the SB2 form of government. Winham emphasizes the importance of building consensus and engaging the voting public, especially older residents, for zoning changes a...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, the third in a series, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Sean Clancy, the Assistant City Manager for Economic and Community Development for the City of Portsmouth. Clancy discusses his role in promoting Portsmouth's diverse economy, which includes manufacturing, service industries, arts and culture, and a vibrant nonprofit community. He emphasizes the importance of ...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, the second in a series, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Michael Scala, the Economic Development Director for the city of Rochester. Scala shares his background, growing up in a family with a small business, and how that led him to a career in economic development. He discusses the city's focus on revitalizing downtown Rochester by increasing residential density, w...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Brian Early from Media Services and Erin Bassegio from the Planning Department to discuss updates and activities for Dover's public boards, commissions, and committees in February.

Brian Early highlights the City Council's ongoing fiscal year 2025 budget review, including upcoming meetings and workshops. He also mentions th...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, the first in a series, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Steve Fournier, Town Manager of Newmarket, about economic and business development strategies. They discuss how Newmarket has shifted its focus from industrial development to improving quality of life for residents by revitalizing downtown. The transportation enhancements and mill redevelopment sparked additional ...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with City Manager J. Michael Joyal about the municipal budgeting process. Joyal explains that he must present a proposed budget to the City Council by February 15 each year. The Council then reviews the details over several weeks through public workshops and hearings, soliciting feedback from residents, boards and commissions. The goal is to...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Eric Chinburg, owner of Chinburg Properties, which has owned and redeveloped the mills in downtown Dover for the past 15 years. They discuss the changes Chinburg has spearheaded in redeveloping the mills into vibrant mixed-use spaces, the process and incentives involved in rehabilitating historic buildings, and the current challenges de...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Bill Simons, the city's Parking Manager. They discuss the evolution of paid parking in Dover over the past 25 years, including the rollout of multi-space "master" meters to replace single-head meters 15 years ago and the recent shift to pay-by-plate technology. Simons explains the move to progressive pricing that allows pe...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. about the strategic goal-setting process that the Dover City Council recently held. Joyal explains that the city has conducted goal-setting with each new council for over 30 years. The process allows new council members to bring ideas from their constituents, while also reminding returning members of p...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Heather Worrall, the new Human Resources Director for the City of Dover. Worrall discusses her background in HR and recruiting and what attracted her to the field. She talks about the various responsibilities of HR, including labor negotiations, benefits, liability analysis, and recruitment/retention. They discuss the current tight labo...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with John Storer, Community Services Director, and Brian Landry, Public Works Supervisor, about winter preparations and challenges in snow removal. The conversation covers the extensive planning and preparation undertaken by the team before snowfall, including equipment readiness and crew briefing. They discuss the types of equipment used, l...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Ryan Pope, the City of Dover's Housing Navigator. They discuss the state's ongoing housing crisis, emphasizing the complexity of housing issues, including infrastructure, transportation, and the need for more housing units, particularly smaller ones. Pope highlights the community's feedback, gathered through surveys, indicat...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Mike Gillis about the evolution of the podcast over its first two seasons and what listeners can expect going forward. They discuss improvements in the podcast's production quality, as well as shifts toward more authentic, informative conversations that tell the story behind policies and decisions shaping Dover. Looking ahead, they ...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with former Dover City Manager Bob Steele about his time working for the city in the late 1970s and 1980s. Steele recounts growing up in Maine and falling into a career in city management after graduating from the University of Maine. He shares what drew him to take the Dover city manager position, including the challenges the growing commun...

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with former Dover City Councilor John O'Connor about his time serving on the council from 2014-2017 and 2020-2021. This episode is the fifth and final in a series with Dover policymakers over the decades. O'Connor discusses running for City Council, the steep learning curve in understanding the city budget and Capital Improvements Pr...