Dover readies flyer campaign, complaint portal and possible fines as drought level holds

The Dover Board of Selectmen on July 7 reviewed outreach and enforcement plans for a Level 2 drought, including distributing mailbox flyers to inform residents, using the town portal to log complaints and considering fines for repeat violators.

Mike (DPW) described proposed pocket flyers for mailboxes that note the town's drought level and link via QR code to bylaw information. He said staff and board liaisons will distribute flyers to town offices, the library and DPW, and added that building inspectors and board of health will receive copies. "Right now, they are gentle reminders that we are in a level 2 significant drought and that all sprinkler systems are to be turned off, until we come out of a level 2," the chair said.

Board members pressed staff on tracking: if a formal enforcement step is needed, the town must document that an individual was warned before fines. Mike said the portal can accept resident complaints and that town staff can manually log when officials deliver notices; the bylaw requires an observed violation to issue a fine, which complicates enforcement without staffing capacity for early-morning checks.

Cam and Robin suggested residents could also report violations (including photographs) through the portal. Mike noted the Massachusetts drought management task force was meeting the next morning to review regional data and could change the town’s drought level.

The board emphasized education first, with ticketing as a later step if outreach does not produce compliance.