Mayor Shane Gunnoe congratulated several businesses on their progress within the city in his mayor’s report. Lawver Homes held a groundbreaking ceremony on its Crimson Cove development in early February. Mission Thrifts opened its store on Commercial Parkway Feb. 10.
“The new Iron 24 residential housing development at the 600 block of Iron Avenue is expected to begin site demolition this week,” Gunnoe said. “I hope to have further information on a construction groundbreaking soon.”
The new town house development will be located directly across the street from Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital.
The three-year wait for a new bucket truck for the electric field department ended when they took delivery recently. General services received a new road paint machine, and the water department received a new utility vehicle.
Gunnoe detailed some takeaways from 2024 in regard to Dover Light and Power.
“Due to increased plant performance and efficiency, the City of Dover’s residential customers actually have seen their average bills drop 2.5% or about $42 per year since 2022,” Gunnoe said. “This is in contrast to other electric utilities, which have seen large increases during that time. Our current residential rate for 2025 is forecast to be approximately 30% lower than the AEP standard choice residential rate — a difference of $700 annually to an average customer.
“Having reliable, affordable and local generation available will be key to continuing the community’s future development.”
It also will be important to continue to save on the costs incurred whenever possible during the light plant's operation and during the annual shutdown.
Safety Director Bob Everett distributed annual reports from the police force and fire department. In 2024 the Dover Police Department received 9,502 complaints. They issued 609 traffic citations and eight parking tickets. Officers made 63 felony arrests and 206 misdemeanor arrests. There were 316 traffic accidents in the city, 39 injury accidents and no fatal accidents. The total miles driven by cruisers was 155,028, and the department used 13,666 gallons of gasoline.
The Dover Fire Department saw a decrease in emergency responses in 2024 to 2,296. In 2023 the department ran 2,534 responses. The DFD is looking forward to having more space later this year when the city offices are moved to the former First Federal Bank on Wooster Avenue. The changes will add 5,000 extra feet of space immediately, bringing the total space to 13,000 square feet in the downtown department. In the future an additional 72-by-72-foot double-deep garage with four bays will be built downtown to bring the department’s space to 18,000 square feet.
Council also received reports from the water/wastewater department and an energy competitiveness study from the Ohio Business Roundtable.
In legislation, council approved Emergency Ordinance 8-25 to permit the trade of nonused firearms and ammunition through a properly licensed firearms dealer for guns and ammunition to be used by the Dover Police Department.
The new service weapons for the department would have red dot technology, which is known for making it easier to aim.
“We have the funding in there to purchase the new ones. These would presumably be a trade offset against that cost,” Gunnoe said.
There were 32 guns listed that would be exchanged; they consist of the officers’ current duty weapons and some extras that were surrendered to the city by court order.
Council approved Resolution 3-25, authorizing the sale of personal property including vehicles, machinery, equipment, tools and supplies that are no longer needed or are obsolete.
With change coming to some city locations this year and the need to move out items no longer needed, council approved Ordinance 9-25 to release 41 different items that will be listed online for sale. The govdeals.com website is currently used by the city to sell items.
The list includes mowers, vehicles, snowplows, filing cabinets, desks, chairs, bookshelves, tables, trailers and other miscellaneous items.
Council finalized approval of the city’s budget for 2025 in Ordinance 10-25 with a slight increase in the total due to grants and income tax revenue. The total 2025 city budget is $76,972,000.
Projects funded in the budget for 2025 include street and alley paving, City Hall development, north end construction, and the police department's new duty weapons and tasers, body cameras, and interview equipment.
Council went into executive session at the end of the meeting for discussion regarding a request for public infrastructure improvements or the extension of utility services that are directly related to an economic development project. No action was taken.
The next Dover Council meeting will be March 3 in council chambers, 121 E. Second St., Dover.
