COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANDIDATES

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING A Special Council Meeting was held on May 8, 2023, at 5:24 p.m., with Council President Sudler presiding. Council members present were Mr. Anderson, Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Neil, Dr. Pillsbury, Mrs. Arndt, Mr. Rocha, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Hare. Mayor Christiansen was present (arrived at 5:34 p.m.). Council staff member present was Mrs. Bennett. Councilman-Elect Lewis was also present. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Councilman Neil moved for the adoption of the agenda, seconded by Mrs. Arndt, and unanimously carried. Mrs. Arndt moved to nominate Mr. Hare to serve as Council President/Vice-Mayor for 2023/2024, seconded by Mr. Rocha. The nomination was accepted by Councilman Hare. Mr. Rocha moved to nominate Mr. Anderson to serve as Council President/Vice-Mayor for 2023/2024, seconded by Mr. Neil. The nomination was accepted by Councilman Anderson. Mr. Neil moved to accept Mr. Hare and Mr. Anderson as nominees for Council President, the motion was seconded by Mr. Boggerty and unanimously carried. COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANDIDATES - OPENING STATEMENTS Mr. Anderson stated he would like to be considered as Council President and offered the following statement: Thank you, Council President. I want to thank my friends for this nomination, and I hope to have the opportunity to serve in this capacity. I believe I will bring something unique as each person does. One of the areas that I believe I will bring will be community engagement. I will be, as I already am, very engaged with a lot of members of the community, with community organizations, community groups, and whether it is the business community, the faith-based community, and non-profits, people of all different stripes. I am going to make sure that all the voices are heard. That does not mean we have to agree with everybody at every time. We are not going to focus on every issue. If we are heard, we are better off for it. I believe that our community organizations are begging to be part of the vision of this city and with their help and involvement, we can move forward a lot better than we can without them because government is not the solution to all of our problems. The people are and when we engage the people, we are going to be a stronger city. Because of this city, a lot of people are on the fence in the community. Some people think our best days are ahead of us, and I am in that group. Some people think our city is in decline, but I say that is a choice of ours. I do not believe that. I believe that we are, as a city, and have decided that we are going to be better than before. That this city is on the right path, that we are a city where crime is decreasing. We are a city where the economy is growing, and I believe that we are a city that can be inclusive to make sure that all boats rise. So that certain neighborhoods are not the

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 08, 2023 PAGE 2 same 10 years from now as they have been the last 40 years. It is time that we work together. We have a plan; we can get the resources now and no one is done more. Other people have done a lot, and as much I could say, but no one is, well, I am not going to take a backseat to anybody for working and getting resources for this city. With the right plan, the right action, and our community engagement I believe, the best is yet to come. I think we have a lot of things going for us, including the solid staff. We have very dedicated, intelligent, and competent people. I believe that we have some changes that need to be made when it comes to improving our policies and procedures. We have certain little things that need to be tightened up a bit. And with the help of our staff and ourselves, we can come together, and we can achieve that. Just like the school boards have. We do not need anything comprehensive, but we need certain things so that people are aware of time, and deadlines, that they are aware of what needs to come to council and what does not, and that we have open lines of communication. I also want to assure you that your priorities will be mine when we all talk. You all have my cell phone and for me, it will work both ways. I will also be in touch with you. I will make sure that your priorities are heard. If something is important to you, you can make a reasonable case for it, you will get your chance to be heard. The agenda is not the Council President's agenda. It is the Council's agenda and it is an agenda that is managed by the Council President, because each of you is a leader, I will make sure that you have the opportunity to bring your ideas. So that way we have the best of us that will be brought together. We have some very important things when it comes to downtown. We are in other, all over the city, quite frankly. We are gathering together. We have a lot of community support, and we need to make a big push. We need to make a push with our federal legislators, make a big push to make sure financing's available, to make sure our infrastructure and our state legislature are as we have things that are coming, make sure that the money is there to make positive change. We have started something very important as part of a team in the community. It is something that has grown up in the community, and we need to make sure not only is that respected, but it needs to be a priority of ours. That priority is to bring in private sector investment and to make sure that we have all the tools that we need, to ensure that the private sector is strong in Dover so that we can build and do better. We have a complex year ahead of us. We have a year where we are going to need a supplemental budget. We are going to have, according to the papers, negotiations about a downtown, about a sports arena over one of our parks. We have conduit bonds. We have a lot of things that are going to be very complex, and we need to make sure that those things run smoothly. This is the year for us. And I am going to make sure that it is the year that Dover achieves something that it has not before. This is pivotal. With your support. It will happen. Thank you very much. Mr. Hare indicated his interest in being Council President and offered the following statement: Well, I am going to be like Elizabeth Taylor told her third husband, "I will not keep

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 08, 2023 PAGE 3 you long." This is not just about me being Council President. It is about what we can achieve together. I know you all are involved in your community and that's what we want to do together to empower that. It is not just about me as the saying goes, "There is no I in team." It is really about building on the team that already does exist to make us even better and going to work to help lead some difficult decisions that we must make for the betterment of the city, together. We have already done that for our staff workforce, filling numerous positions that we need, and we need to continue that service to our constituents and continue with the staff and do it citywide. So, the better question would be, do you have confidence in me to be the president? I have many years of experience. I have proven I am willing, willing, able, and available. Being council president means that you are available when you are needed. So, we do not cause unnecessary delays for staff and members of the community. I have proven this in the past, not just with the staff, and their demands, but going out to constituents at ten o'clock, eleven o'clock at night to address needs. Aye, no, call me anytime. Our accomplishments are out there. You guys are doing it. And it all needs to be celebrated as a team and recognition does not come back to Council President. It needs to come back to everyone. And it is our job or the Council President's job to empower transformational leadership to empower the committees, the employees, and the staff, to do it. Not for me to do it but to help them in any way they need help. And I just hope you believe in me, and that I get your support. Thank you very much. COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANDIDATES - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Mr. Anderson explained that in his current role, he is in regular communication with staff. He further explained that the City Clerk’s office, as well as the City Manager, have his contact information and can get in contact with him any time throughout the day. He added that he keeps track of his emails regularly throughout the day. Mr. Anderson stated that he will be present, and nothing competes with that. Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Mr. Anderson stated that he believes it is a pivotal point in the city and has shown that he is a problem solver and a thoughtful person. Mr. Anderson stated that he believes that there are complex issues that are coming about in the city right now. Mr. Anderson continued to state that the city needs someone thoughtful and will listen and bring people together. Mr. Anderson noted that he will find ways to find solutions, is willing to think creatively, and will not just allow things to happen. Mr. Anderson stated that he is someone that is open to and values everybody’s ideas. Mr. Anderson stated that council is one team with one mission. Mr. Anderson stated that this is one of the finest councils that he has had the opportunity to serve with. Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Mr. Hare stated that he is available twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week and that his constituents know that. Mr. Hare stated that as far as the problems the city is facing are concerned, he plans to reach out to everyone and ask for support in making decisions. He further stated that it is up to the council to make the decisions. Mr. Hare explained that he is not always right and he will go with what council believes. Mr. Hare stated that council makes the decisions. Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Hare stated that there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed; however, he believes that the most important issues are the City’s employees. Mr. Hare stated that

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 08, 2023 PAGE 4 they have to make sure that the employees are happy and supported. Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Anderson stated that he agrees with that, and he would say that council has two big issues in front of them, the supplemental budget and the budget. They have never had them come this close together, and they need to make sure that is managed well. Together they will work with staff to ensure that goes smoothly. That way all the promises made to everyone can be fulfilled. The second, he would say is that they can make sure that the Clerk's Office has what they need for better FOIA management with the other departments city-wide. He thinks that is something that is important. They run too close to deadlines too often, getting information back to them, and that is an issue of state legal compliance. To him, it is going to be a priority to make sure that they have a smoother system for that. That way, if they do the simple things well and the blocking, and the tackling, then everything else works better. Responding to Mr. Lewis, Mr. Hare stated that he agrees that there have been leaks of information from Executive Session meetings; however, nobody has ever come forward to state who leaked the information or how it got leaked. Mr. Hare further stated that if he found out who has leaked the information and had definite proof, he would go straight to Mr. Rodriguez to see what options were available. Mr. Hare stated that a leak is a breach of trust, and if they cannot trust everybody in the room during an executive session, then they should not be there. Responding to Mr. Lewis, Mr. Anderson stated that if they have a substantial leak that affects the well-being of the city or is a breach of trust, it should be investigated. Mr. Anderson further stated that any council or staff member that would have to be brought forward because council is not the only person in the room. Mr. Anderson explained that it is a serious issue and that it is something that they take seriously to make sure that the work is done. Mr. Anderson stated that there are actions that come out which are naturally going to be discussed so that they can be implemented with staff, however, they need to make sure that rules are kept. Mr. Anderson stated the Clerk’s Office has been doing a very good job of this, making sure that people sign for it after the fact and that they listen to it because they need to know. Responding to Mr. Lewis, Mr. Anderson explained that the need to know because it is vitally important, as they have seen nationally with the intelligence leak in Massachusetts. He further explained that they need to make sure as a first safeguard that those in attendance, at an Executive Session, have a need to know what is going on, and the fewer people who know, the less likely a leak will occur. Responding to Mr. Rocha, Mr. Anderson stated that transformational leadership has been an important element over the last two years, which has given staff a tremendous boost. Mr. Anderson further stated that he believes that it has taken on a life of its own and has been institutionalized. As Council President, he would stay the course and continue forward. He continued to explain that they have training sessions and a facilitator that comes in each month to work with their employees. Mr. Anderson stated that if the staff believes that it is necessary, then they need to budget for and support it going forward. Mr. Anderson further explained that transformational leadership is about a philosophy that has been very positive with the employees, and members of the community, not just internal but external, believe that the city government is theirs. He stated that it needs to continue because the city government belongs to all of them, and the one thing that they can do to move forward is to expand their knowledge and training. Mr. Anderson suggested opportunities to learn a little more about zoning, to get to know council’s options, and to keep sharp.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 08, 2023 PAGE 5 Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Hare stated that he agrees with some of what Mr. Anderson stated, however, with transformational leadership, it is council’s job to empower the City Manager so that he can empower the employees through transformational leadership. Mr. Hare stated that council has positions that they appoint and give them the authority to run their departments, and if things are not working out, then council is notified. Mr. Hare stated that council does not need to be trained in how to run the planning department or the electric department, that is why they hire staff. He further explained that it is council’s job to monitor and oversee them. Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Anderson stated that both nominees have had the opportunity to know the Mayor for several decades, and they all have a personal relationship, as well as a professional relationship with him. Mr. Anderson further stated that they all work with the Mayor to ensure they speak in one voice when they are lobbying for their city’s economic agenda. He further stated that council also must communicate their requests to the Mayor. Mr. Anderson stated that it is vital to back up the Mayor. Mr. Anderson stated that council and the Mayor are one team, further explaining that the Mayor is not an afterthought. Mr. Anderson stated that the Mayor is elected by the people, and they will make sure that is respected. Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Anderson stated that he believes Mr. Hare is a man who is very dedicated to the city and to his constituents. Mr. Anderson explained that Mr. Hare has served in many capacities, and he is a person who not only works in the city but in the community and is a respected member of the veteran community. Mr. Anderson stated that Mr. Hare does things on his own time to help serve the community, he has a great deal of respect for him, and if Mr. Hare wins, he will work to make sure that he succeeds. Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Hare stated that he respects Mr. Anderson and thinks that he does a lot. Mr. Hare further stated that whatever decisions are made on this council, whether he agrees or disagrees, he will support it 100 percent. Mr. Hare stated that he has known the Mayor for approximately 20 or 30 years. Mr. Hare stated that he supports the Mayor and thinks he has been a good Mayor. Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Hare stated that it would not be any different for the chairpersons than it would be for committee members. Mr. Hare further stated that he would talk to them and get to know their background after first gauging their interest in serving. Mr. Hare suggested that if the potential civilian members do not have an interest, then they will not give the service that they want. He stated that knowledge and background are the main things that they look at when considering committee and liaison appointments. Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Anderson stated that he would find out if the person has the interest and ability in that particular area, as well as a vision for moving the city forward. Mr. Anderson stated that he believes Dover has bright, capable people who are going to be able to stand up and help. Mr. Anderson suggested one thing that could be done informally is to appoint a Committee Vice Chair so that when someone is not present, there is a seamless transition, and people are better prepared. Mr. Anderson stated that he thinks that every council member would have a role in that setup. Mr. Anderson stated that it would be part of transformational leadership and establishing the leadership ability of each member. Mr. Anderson stated that he feels that liaisons fill a vital role and that they have to make it a priority with the county to move together, and each person will contribute and have a role to play.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 08, 2023 PAGE 6 Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Anderson stated that his vision is that each person has the opportunity to bring their voice and ideas to the table. Mr. Anderson would like each person to feel comfortable communicating with him, and he assured council that communication will be two ways. Mr. Anderson stated that they can reach out to him at any time, and he will also reach out to members of council. Mr. Anderson assured council that he will make sure that the team is built together and continues to be a cohesive unit, whether it is participating in employee activities or working together. Mr. Anderson explained that there are only 9 members of council, and there will be disagreements, but everyone needs to get along. Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Anderson explained that he is a person who looks forward, not backward, and that even if something bothered him yesterday, he would not hold a grudge tomorrow. Mr. Anderson reminded everyone that the person whom they disagreed with strongly on an issue could be the best advocate on another issue, and if they close that door then they are making a mistake. Mr. Anderson stated that each member is important to him and a friend. Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Anderson explained that sometimes they need to look and figure out what type of conflict is happening. He stated that it could be issue-related and may blow over. Mr. Anderson further stated that he would check in with both members in a week or two and see if things are better and how they are feeling. Mr. Anderson suggested that if they are amenable to it, suggest a sit down to hear each other out, possibly in a neutral setting with a third party. Mr. Anderson suggested basic communication strategies, they have to continue to keep a listening ear out and not just let things move on. Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Hare gave an example of a situation where he had to work things out with someone he served with and went on to state that if there is a problem between two members, they will need to work it out. He further stated that he does not mind being a mediator. Mr. Hare reminded everyone that council is a team and if they need a mediator, someone should help, but if they say they have it under control, then council lets them work it out. Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Hare stated that his first objective as Council President, if elected, is filling committee positions and continuing the work being done with the employees to make sure they have what they need. Mr. Hare reminded everyone that the employees run the city, and that council needs to make sure the issues with them are resolved and then go from there. Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Anderson stated that the committees and committee appointments are the first step, and the budget and supplemental budget also need attention. Mr. Anderson explained that on Tuesday morning if he is elected, he will be touching base with key staff and setting up appointments with them to discuss what they are doing, how they are doing, and the path forward. Mr. Anderson thanked everyone and stated that if they allow him a chance at the wheel, they will not be disappointed. Mr. Hare stated that he appreciated the support and suggested that everyone follow their heart and elect the person they feel is going to do the job that they want to be done in the position. Mrs. Arndt moved to use a secret ballot as the method of voting for Council President, seconded by Mr. Neil and unanimously carried.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 08, 2023 PAGE 7 The meeting adjourned at 6:17 p.m. ANDRIA L. BENNETT CITY CLERK All ordinances, resolutions, motions, and orders adopted by City Council during their Special Meeting of May 8, 2023, are hereby approved. ROBIN R. CHRISTIANSEN MAYOR /AB