DOVER – The two people seeking to serve as the Ward 4 city councilor for the remainder of the year made their cases to the City Council this week.
Former Ward 4 City Councilor Marcia Gasses and Ward 4 resident Mark Speidel talked Wednesday about their qualifications and why they’re interested in serving as Ward 4 councilor.
Former Ward 4 councilor Joshua Manley formally resigned in December after missing two months of City Council meetings.
The City Council is scheduled to pick Manley’s replacement at its Jan. 27 meeting, and that person will be sworn in that night.
Speidel, a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and retired financial advisor, told the council he’s lived in Ward 4 for 15 years.
DOVER – The City Council voted 6-2 to accept the resignation of former Ward 4 City Councilor Joshua Manley and to replace him through a council appointment process.
City Councilors Fergus Cullen and John O Connor voted against the motion, after Cullen suggested a special election was needed to replace Manley.
Manley, who was serving his first term, submitted his resignation letter to the council after Foster’s Daily Democrat ran a story reporting that he had not attended a council meeting since Sept. 9.
City Manager Mike Joyal said the city charter dictates that the council replace Manley by appointment rather than special election because there’s less than a year left in his term.
Ex-officer R.J. Letendre booked at Dover police station
DOVER – Former Dover police officer Ronald “RJ” Letendre – who is facing criminal charges – was recently booked at the city police station.
At the request of Foster’s Daily Democrat, Dover police released Letendre’s booking photo after he was processed on a felony charge at the station where he used to work.
Superior Court Judge Mark E. Howard issued a bail order for Letendre in December, requiring the former Dover cop to “arrange for booking or processing by the Dover Police Department on or before Dec. 30.”
Dover Police Chief William Breault terminated Letendre in August “due to multiple violations of departmental policy,” after police conducted an internal investigation into the former officer’s conduct.
DOVER Integrated Fitness owner Candace Lord says she’s frustrated her Dover gym has been repeatedly denied COVID-19 assistance through New Hampshire’s Main Street Relief Fund.
According to emails from state officials, the issue is one that affects other businesses, but one that can’t be fixed within the framework of the program.
Lord said she takes the rejections and the state’s explanation as little more than a “better luck next time” message. However, while additional relief funding is coming through a $900 billion federal bill, Lord said there might not be a next time for Integrated Fitness either because the 44 Dover Point Road gym will get shut out again if the funding criteria isn’t changed, or because the gym could fold before the relief is even distributed.