The City of Dover is a place where people want to live!  Through the team effort of its elected officials, employees, and citizens, Dover is a clean and safe community with a future of balanced growth and opportunity where all citizens are heard, enjoy a high quality of life, and diversity is valued.

During the next two years, it shall be the mission of the City of Dover to advance the following policies and projects however and whenever possible:

• Establish a Regional Library in Dover
  A 2004 study commissioned by the City of Dover found that the City’s current 17,000 S.F. library is “woefully inadequate” to meet the demands of the current users, and that a minimum 39,000 S.F. building is necessary.  Subsequently, a State of Delaware Library Master Plan has recommended that the City of Dover should be the location of an anchor library that serves the region.  This study estimates a need between 50,000 and 75,000 S.F. depending on whether the Library is partnered with the County and State. In its effort to establish a regional anchor library, the City should work in partnership with the State and County toward the most efficient and effective size, location, and operation possible.


• Establish the “Delaware Entertainment and Sports Complex” in Dover
  For over 30 years, there has been an effort by various organizations to establish a civic center in Dover.  The concept and proposed locations of the civic center have changed many times.  The current proposal by the Delaware Civic Center Corporation and Delaware State University collocates a 7,500 seat arena and a 15,000 (expandable to 30,000) seat football stadium. Collocation, causing the sharing of parking, utilities, site work and some support space, will save the total project approximately 20 million dollars.  The estimated total project cost is approximately 75 million dollars.  It is believed by many that the current concept and location north of Delaware State University is the most feasible and realistic concept to date.


• Promote Homeownership
  “Pride of Homeownership” is a compelling force in the development and quality of life of any community.  Dover has for many years had a low percentage of owner-occupied housing when compared with national statistics.  The national homeownership rate is 68 percent and the State of Delaware rate is 72 percent.  The City of Dover rate is 52 percent Citywide and only 25 percent in central Dover.  Increasing the number of owner-occupied homes is an important policy, particularly in central Dover where homeownership rates are lowest. The City, through its planning, zoning, and inspection codes, as well as its tax codes and community development grants and programs, will work to increase homeownership in Dover.


• Promote Affordable Housing
  The Dover area is experiencing a high demand for housing causing record increases in the value of real estate.  These increased housing costs are making the cost of buying and renting real estate difficult to afford for many residents.  The City, through its planning, zoning, and inspection codes, as well as its tax codes and community development grant  programs, will work to make housing affordable in Dover.

The following factors are determined to be critical in meeting the overall goals and mission of the City of Dover.  Without them, the success of the program would be in jeopardy.

1. Customer Satisfaction:  Regardless of what is done, if at the end of the day our customers are not satisfied, then the mission and goals have failed. Customer satisfaction was determined to be the overall base strategy.
2. Employee Satisfaction:  It is through our employees that our services are provided to our customers.  Only if our employees are satisfied with being a part of the organization will they provide services in a manner that accomplishes the vision, mission, and goals.
3. Cost and Revenue Efficiency:  Providing our services and accomplishing the vision, mission, and goals in a way that was wasteful would not be considered successful by our customers.
4. Improve Downtown and Surrounding Neighborhoods:  The City's vision is for Dover to be a place where people want to live!  We cannot leave any neighborhoods behind.  If we do, then the vision and mission are not accomplished.
5. Citywide Safety:  The vision, mission, and goals cannot be fulfilled if safety is compromised in the process.  The safety of citizens and employees is critical.
6. Effective Organizational and Community Communications:  Communicating our successes both within the organization and the community is critical to building customer satisfaction.  Poor communication fosters misunderstandings that can impede the success of the vision, mission, and goals.