Dennis Shanahan (Ward 5)
For Ward 5: Dennis Shanahan
Age: 55
Occupation: Occupational safety, health, and environmental director at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Years living in Dover: 28
Prior public service experience: Woodman Park School PTO; 10 years with Dover Baseball (two years as president); Dover High School Parents Music Club and Track Booster; vice-chair of Downtown TIF District Advisory Board.
As rental housing development increases downtown, what can the city do to keep Dover affordable for middle- and working-class residents?
Keeping our city affordable for renters and property owners is strongly influenced by establishing the proper balance between commercial and residential development. Additionally, the residential development has to contain sufficient workforce housing to provide the skilled labor needed to attract quality business enterprises to the city. We need to continue to work with organizations such as the Workforce Housing Coalition to find solutions for this regional problem, along with continued careful consideration of each residential project by the city’s planning board.
How can the city address the impact of downshifting costs from state government to municipalities?
It has been estimated that the downshifting in the current State budget includes costs to the city of Dover of almost $2,000,000. While current efforts in the courts to resolve deficits in school adequacy funding might recover some of these costs, I believe a more collaborative approach will be beneficial. Using an approach that partners with state lawmakers, the city should strongly encourage the restoration of sharing business tax revenues, restore the state contribution to retirement programs, and provide revenue sharing that has been suspended in recent years. We also need to ensure that the voting public understands that the actions taken by the state have an impact on our taxes and on our city. A strong, nonpartisan coalition of New Hampshire mayors can be very effective in promoting these initiatives.
Would you be willing to support a tax cap override while developing city budgets? Why or why not?
Overriding the tax cap is a current element of the city charter (see section 3.6-3.1), as enacted by the referendum question in 2007. It was included as part of the tax levy limit to provide flexibility in developing a budget, so it exists to be used when needed. As with all financial decisions, the city council has a fundamental responsibility to use the tax levy, and any override, in a cautious and considerate manner. The key to keeping the tax rates as low as possible is to expand the city’s tax base in a thoughtful manner, consistent with maintaining the nature of our small city environment.
The council recently voted to approve funding for a new high school, and construction of a new police station/parking garage is under way. What should the city’s priorities be for future capital improvement projects?
Our city’s top four priorities must continue to be:
Protection of our property with a well-equipped and capable fire and rescue department; protection of our citizens with a well-prepared and modern police department; preparation of our children to become productive members of a 21st century workforce, preparing them for post-secondary education and to join the workforce with high quality skillsets, and maintaining a strong infrastructure to support current resident’s needs and future development.
These form the principles upon which we will base our capital spending. The completion of major projects in the last several years including the middle school, the North End fire station, a police station, and the upcoming high school, is preparing our city for the future.
As our rate of growth continues, we need to understand the impact on our elementary schools and continue the innovative financial planning to provide capacity for schoolchildren with minimal impact on our citizens, particularly those on fixed incomes. We also have to be proactive with our infrastructure. For example, this summer, the community services (department) noticed that nearly a million gallons of water a day was pumped from our wells, but was not being registered on customer’s meters. Fortunately, a major leak was found by an observant resident and fixed. Projects need to be planned that would replace aging infrastructure before it impacts the city.
How can the city best address the increased costs associated with federal EPA regulations regarding storm water and wastewater management?
I support the current adaptive management plan, as created by the Great Bay Municipal Coalition, to begin to address the increasing Great Bay Estuary total nitrogen levels. This alternative allows continued understanding of the impact of both point and nonpoint sources. This approach will help keep the city from experiencing unmanageable financial impacts while still working toward reductions in the impact of nitrogen and phosphorus to the estuary. I believe that the best solution will include contributions, and evolutionary process changes, from all stakeholders. As a frequent kayaker in the waters of the estuary, I realize that the eelgrass loss and microalgae growth do impact the ecology. A measured approach that is affordable by the communities in the coalition will be more sustainable and effective than an immediate, unaffordable wastewater treatment plant upgrade.
What was the most recent cultural event you attended in Dover?
I attended the Sept. 26 Irish Festival. With a name like Shanahan, how could I miss it?
What is the most important issue facing the city that no one is talking about yet?
Opiate abuse. While it is an issue that is being talked about by many, it is becoming a crisis growing so quickly that all levels of government need to be involved. With eight fatalities so far this year, immediate action, with cooperation by all agencies, is needed to halt this epidemic.