At-large candidate
Thomas C.
Dunnington
Age: 62,  Dover res. 62 yrs.
Occupation: attorney, actor
Public Experience: former Dover City Councilor and assistant mayor, Strafford County Regional Planning Comm., solid waste advisory comm., served several nonprofits organizations

Age: 66

Occupation: attorney, actor

How long have you lived in Dover? 62 years

Have you served on any boards, councils or committees? two terms on City Council; former assistant mayor; worked on two charter revision commissions; Strafford County Regional Planning Comm., solid waste advisory comm.., many nonprofits, Cocheco Valley Humane Society; manager of Garrison Players Community Art Center; president of Seacoast Ballet Company, served on comm. dealing with drugs in schools.

Dover City Council, assistant mayor, Strafford County Regional Planning Comm., solid waste advisory comm., Cocheco Valley Humane Society; Garrison Players Community Art Center (mngr.); Seacoast Ballet Company (pres.)

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

I think what the city has to do is it has to provide some incentive for the development of reasonable cost housing. I think we really need to think outside of the box, because I’ve seen a huge increase in Dover since I’ve lived here, and I think the housing is nearly at a crisis right now. I think the city’s got to come up with some incentives to encourage some developers to come up with some reasonable cost housing for a lot of our blue collar workers and people who are a part of Dover.

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

That’s a very difficult one. I suppose my biggest contribution really, quite frankly, has been in the area of the arts. I’ve been very involved in the arts scene, theater and music, over the years, which really doesn’t have a lot to do with the city. I would really like to see the city be a more open community to the arts. It’s very difficult for people who are artists or musicians in Dover for a lot of reasons. It’s difficult, because money is at a premium, if you will, but there are ways to do that without spending lots of tax dollars, and that’s just to encourage it.

What is an important environmental issue facing Dover?

Of course, the business out at the old dump is still a big issue. Cost-wise, that isn’t over yet, and the taxpayers have to be aware that that’s still going to be an item that the city’s going to have to deal with financially. I see the amount of traffic downtown, that’s going to have to be dealt with. I’d like to see Dover be much more pedestrian friendly.

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

I’m in the “Two by Two” musical right now at the Garrison Players Community Art Center. We try to get to most things that occur here in Dover. My wife and I attended the Cocheco Arts Festival, we never miss that. We usually get to the stuff the high school does. We try to attend those on a pretty regular basis. And stuff at the Bell Center.

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

I think what Dover needs is, I would like to see more of the computer type businesses. They have a low impact, in terms of the environment and the amount of usage of public services, but they bring in quality type people who are, for the most part, younger. It’s the direction our economy’s going. I think Dover’s got to make a concerted effort to bring in that kind of industry and business. Tax-wise, it makes sense, because the less impact we have on the services of the town, the better off all the taxpayers are.

Do you support a tax cap for Dover? 

I’m sort of neutral on that at this point. I have concerns about it, but that’s mainly because I’ve never experienced a tax cap before. But, if it does pass, the Council’s going to have to deal with it, and the Council will deal with it. The concept is the most interesting, and I think all of us want to not increase taxes more than we have to. Part of the problem is, some of our tax rates we don’t have any control over. I’d be more comfortable with it if we had total control of the tax rate. 

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