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Form of Government
The City of Dover, Delaware, has operated under a modified Council-Manager form of government since 1929. Under this system, the Mayor and Council, nominated and elected by district by non-partisan vote, are policy makers. The Council appoints the City Manager, Tax Assessor, City Clerk/Alderman, City Treasurer, City Solicitor, Fire Marshal, Building Inspector, and City Planner who all report directly to them. The Mayor appoints the Chief of Police.
Dover's governing body is composed of a Mayor and nine Council Members, with one Council Member elected by Council to serve as Council President. Council members are elected from four districts and serve staggered, two-year terms. One member of Council and the Mayor are elected at-large and also serve two-year terms. Various committees of the Council study and recommend actions to the full Council. These committees are made up of Council Members and Citizen Members, but must be chaired by a Council Member. The Committees currently are: Legislative and Finance Committee, Utility Committee, Safety Advisory Committee, and Parks & Recreation Committee.
City Council meetings are held in City Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of each month and are open to the public. Items for the Council agenda must be sent to the City Clerk's Office. A fifteen minute Open Forum is held prior to each Council Meeting to facilitate citizen input on matters not listed on the agenda to be discussed by Council during the course of the meeting.
Notices of meetings and agendas are on display in the Legal Bulletin in City Hall. Copies of all agendas are available from the City Clerk's Office. All regular Council meetings are televised live by Comcast Cablevision, channel 21.
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