Dover Council OKs winter warming-center operations, sends new-county-center plan to public hearing

Mayor opened the meeting and after a long discussion the council voted to authorize operation of this winter’s emergency warming center and to refer a separate proposal for building a new countywide seasonal warming center to a public hearing.

The council unanimously approved a Tri‑City agreement to operate the warming center this winter, which asks municipalities to fund operations in coordination with Stratford County and nearby cities. City Manager Kelsey Nemeth told the council the county will act as the contractor and operator while the city retains ownership and maintenance responsibilities; the operation is planned to be available starting Nov. 15 and run through April 1, with flexibility to extend in severe weather. The roll call vote on the operational authorization was 9–0 in favor.

The evening’s more contested item was a broader proposal from County Commissioner George Maglaras to construct a new county-owned warming center on county property behind the jail and to ask the three municipalities to share…