Dover
Council votes to change Cocheco River spelling
The city council is hoping a nearly 200-year-old paperwork mistake will soon be corrected. At a meeting last week, the council voted to recommend the U.S. Board of Geographic Names restore the Cocheco River’s original name, Cochecho.
The vote came after a petition from resident William Tarbell, who said the river’s name was spelled with a second H for almost two centuries. That was until 1825, when the Cocheco Manufacturing Company opened its mill on Central Avenue. A transcription error by a state clerk omitted the second H from the company’s name, according to Tarbell. In 1911, the U.S. Board of Geographic Names officially changed the river’s name to match the company’s name.
“This is a chance to undo … a mistake,” Tarbell said at the meeting.
Councilors voted 8-0 to recommend the change, which would only effect federal maps and other official documents. — LC
Portsmouth
16 candidates file for city council race
Municipal election season has official started in Portsmouth, with 16 candidates vying for nine seats. The filing period closed on Sept. 14.
Running for re-election are councilors Jack Thorsen, Esther Kennedy, Brad Lown, Chris Dwyer, Jim Splaine, and Eric Spear. Also running are Josh Denton, Rebecca Perkins, Jack Blalock, Rick Becksted Jr., John Palreiro, Gibson “Mike” Kennedy, Marion Ward, Nancy Pearson, Josh Cyr, and Duncan MacCallum.
Mayor Robert Lister and councilors Stefany Shaheen and Zelita Morgan did not file for re-election. The top nine vote-getters in the election will fill the council seats, with the top two candidates becoming mayor and assistant mayor. Elections will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3. — LC
Master plan workshops scheduled
Residents who want to weigh in on the city’s 2025 master plan update will have the chance to participate in three community workshops scheduled in September and October. City planners and representatives from NBBJ, the city’s consultant for the master plan, will review goals and priorities identified in Portsmouth Listens study circles last spring and will lead discussions on how to achieve these goals.
The first meeting takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Urban Forestry Center at 45 Elwyn Road. The meeting’s topic will be residential neighborhoods in the areas south of Sagamore Creek.
Other meetings are scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Portsmouth Middle School at 155 Parrott Ave., where the topic will be major development corridors on Route 1 and Woodbury Avenue; and on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. at the New Franklin School at 1 Franklin Drive, where the topic will be residential areas north of Sagamore Creek.
Following the meetings, NBBJ will create a draft of the new master plan, and another round of study circles will follow in early 2016. Residents can send comments and questions to associate planner Jessa Berna at jlberna@cityofportsmouth.com. — LC