Mayoral candidate
Joyce El Kouarti
Age:42,  Dover res. 12 yrs.
Occupation: executive director, Moose Mountains Regional Greenways
Public Experience: Dover Planning Board, Conservation Comm., Waterfront Comm., Open Lands Comm. (chair), and Energy Advisory Comm. (chair)

Age: 42 

Occupation: Executive Director of Moose Mountains Regional Greenways, a nonprofit conservation organization

How long have you lived in Dover: 12 years

Have you served on any boards, councils or committees? Dover Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Waterfront Committee, Open Lands Committee and Energy Advisory Committee, the last two of which I also chaired. 

As Dover becomes a more desirable place to live, how can the city keep it an affordable place for low-income residents? 

Fifty percent of Dover's housing stock is in rental units. Although Dover currently provides more than its fair share of affordable housing for the Seacoast region, the pace at which our community is gentrifying suggests this may not be the case much longer. I would like to see more village-style neighborhoods (MUDs, PUDs) that offer a mix of housing types (big fancy houses next to smaller more modest homes next to condos next to apartment buildings) with office and retail services nearby or within the neighborhood itself. I believe it would be worthwhile to explore zoning changes that would facilitate this. So much of our current zoning is very restrictive - listing all the things the developer should NOT do. I would love to see Dover implement performance-based (aka "contract") zoning that would allow developers more design flexibility and mixing of uses and housing types while reducing traffic and sprawl. 

What have you accomplished for Dover that you are most proud of and what would you like to accomplish if you are elected?

I'm especially proud of two accomplishments: 1) helping conserve 600+ acres of land in Dover as a member and chair of the Open Lands Committee, and 2) working with community residents, the Waterfront Committee, and the Dickinson Development team to revise the downtown Waterfront redevelopment design. Mostly, I'd like restore community faith in local government by making the decision-making process as accessible and transparent as possible.  

What is an important environmental issue facing Dover?

Two that are currently in the process of being resolved are the Willand Pond overflow and the remediation of the Tolend Road landfill. I think flooding and storm water runoff are the next big environmental issues coming up.  If recent years are any indication, we're going to be dealing with more acts of nature as well as acts of man. Not only will the pace of development create more impervious surfaces producing more water runoff,  but the intense spring storms we've been experiencing will continue to flood both land and rivers. We should be making plans to address these issue before they mushroom beyond the point of addressing. 

What is the most recent cultural or artistic event that you have attended in Dover?

I attended an art exhibit opening at the Alexander Lake Design gallery this summer, and watched Entrain perform at the Cochecho Arts Festival. 

What type of new businesses would you like to see come to Dover?

Ultimately, whatever new business we attract will be a response to the market conditions of the time. I'd like to continue the momentum toward investing in Dover's urban core. Smaller retail, boutique and specialty shops would be a good fit downtown, particularly at street level. I'd also love to see more everyday service providers and retailers set up shop on a small scale within neighborhoods.  

Do you support a tax cap for Dover?

I'm willing to work under the tax cap if it's passed, and I'm willing to override it if necessity. I think it's most important that we as a community come to some consensus on a long-term financial plan and follow through with it. I want to make sure we continue funding the services that characterize Dover's attractive quality of life. At the same time, I think that having a rigorous, external set of fiscal restraints would force the city council and department heads to be very deliberate, creative and cooperative in their budget planning efforts. 

Dover has a growing art community. What can the city do to support arts and artists? 

Support the efforts of the City of Dover's newly revitalized Arts Commission to partner with local artists, craftsmen and performers to identify arts community needs and opportunities. Continue to support public-private partnerships like the Children's Museum, which is in the process of relocating to downtown Dover. Continue to create opportunities for innovative developers to provide low-cost work and gallery space for artisans, such as that offered in Dover's downtown Picker Building. Encourage troupes like the Garrison Players to continue historic "performance art" reenactments, such as the reading of the Declaration of Independence on the steps of City Hall this past July 4. Encourage more rotating exhibits in public buildings, such as the ongoing displays in the foyer of the Dover Public Library. Encourage community artistic efforts, such as the mosaic tile projects coordinated by the McConnell Center Tenants Collaborative. Continue to promote events like Dover Main Street's downtown Arts Alive craft fair.