Dover Finance Committee Recommends 2.75 to 3 Percent Cost-of-Living Raise for Town Workers

DOVER -- November 5, 2025, Dover Finance Committee recommends a cost-of-living adjustment of 2.75 to 3 percent for non-union town staff. The committee voted 6-0, with member Gavin abstaining due to a conflict of interest, to send the range recommendation to the Board of Selectmen ahead of what officials called an unusually difficult budget year. HR Director Robin Casino told the committee that some positions have taken as long as 360 days to fill, including the town treasurer, and that the town still has not hired an assistant town accountant after posting the position twice. A Board of Selectmen member present at the meeting said the town expects revenues to grow by just 2.5 percent while health care costs could rise 14 to 18 percent, with capital projects coming in around $7 million requiring new debt service, and a back-of-envelope estimate putting the overall budget increase at 8 to 9 percent. The committee also voted 6-1 to approve a budget guidance letter to department heads, with one abstention from a member who had not yet reviewed the document.