Presentation to Give Taxpayers a Closer Look at Dover Budget

DOVER—
Residents are invited to a special presentation on how the City’s budget is prepared and proposed during the “Budget Revealed” event on Thursday, March 31, 2011.
City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr., will lead the presentation, which will detail how the City’s budget is created, funded and managed. “Budget Revealed” is intended to provide residents and taxpayers with a deeper knowledge of the City’s budget process and how City services and programs are funded, including general government, public safety, culture and recreation, human services, public works and education. City department heads will also be on hand during the presentation.
The presentation will conclude with a question-and-answer session.
“Budget Revealed” will begin on March 31 at 6:30 p.m., at the Media Access Center, Room 306, the McConnell Center. The public is invited to attend. Please RSVP to Colleen Bessette in the City Manager’s office by calling 516-6023 or e-mailing c.bessette@dover.nh.gov.
The presentation will air later on Channel 22 and be available on the City’s website.
“Budget Revealed” is an outreach effort to engage the community in the budget process. In addition to the presentation, residents and taxpayers are encouraged to participate in an online survey that seeks input on budget priorities. The survey can be accessed at http://www.dover.nh.gov/doverdollars.
Residents and taxpayers can also offer input by contributing to the popular Dover Dollars ballot boxes. Taxpayers receive tokens in the amount of $100, which they can place in any of 46 boxes that represent City services and programs. The Dover Dollars tokens are available in the City Manager’s office at City Hall.
The Dover Dollars online survey and ballot boxes conclude on April 8.
The City Manager will present a proposed budget to the City Council in April.
For more information, contact the City Manager’s office at 603-516-6023.

Annual Caribbean Nights Dance Party to Benefit Haitian School

PORTSMOUTH—
One of Boston’s top Latin bands, Combo Sabroso, will return to the Seacoast for its second annual Caribbean Nights Dance Party on Saturday, April 2 at the VFW Hall in Portsmouth.
All proceeds from this year’s dance will help pay for hot meals for the growing student population at the Eben Ezer School in Milot, Haiti. Last year, the dance helped pay to fill and ship a container of desperately needed supplies to Haiti.
The 2010 Caribbean Nights party, held two months after Haiti’s earthquake, sold out. Band members said the benefit – combining great dancing, food and giving to a worthy cause - was one of the liveliest engagements they have played.
“The Caribbean Night dance had the best energy I have ever seen at one of our events,” said keyboard player Matt Jenson. “The combination of people feeling good and dancing up a storm with the sense of doing a good thing and helping others was a fantastic recipe.”
A slide show will begin at 7 p.m. Music, dancing, free snacks and a cash bar will begin at 8 p.m.
The slide presentation and talk will include pictures taken by Seacoast area teenagers, a teacher, a doctor and a York Rotarian who have gone down to help at the school in the last year. It will also show the amazing effort undertaken in the Seacoast to get a relief container sent out from Pease.
Hundreds of schools, Rotarians and residents of the Seacoast area have supported the Eben Ezer School since 2007. After the earthquake, many more schools, Rotary clubs and individuals got involved.
“For $10,000 a year we could feed all 200 students at the Eben Ezer School a hot lunch every day,” noted Leanne Stella. “In our country we have school lunch programs but in Haiti, children just go hungry.” Many parents send their kids to the Eben Ezer School in hopes of getting them some nourishment.
Tickets are being sold at Black Bean in Rollinsford, Ceres Bakery in Portsmouth, River Run in Portsmouth, Nature’s Way in South Berwick, Full Circle Community Thrift Store in Eliot and Fair Tide Thrift Store in Kittery. Only 200 people will be able to fit in the hall, so be sure to purchase your tickets early. More information is available from newslifeandhope@yahoo.com. For more information about this organization, go to www.lifeandhopehaiti.org.
Photo caption: Combo Sabroso will perform their second Caribbean Nights Dance Party on April 2 to benefit a school in Haiti. (Courtesy photo)

‘Marine Teen Program’ Expands

PORTSMOUTH/RYE—
The Seacoast Science Center’s Marine Teen program is a series of adventure learning experiences designed by teens, for teens. Over the course of the year, participants explore coastal waters by kayak and visit a variety of environmentally and historically important sites throughout the greater seacoast. According to the Center’s School Program Coordinator Henry Burke, the program “offers teens the opportunity to socialize with like-minded teens in a healthy environment: an environment that cultivates a passion for science and the ocean. The team activities and problem-solving skills attained over the course of the series inform the decisions teens make along their path to adulthood.” Burke notes that the program started in 2004, and, with support from Bank of America, has evolved significantly each year. This year, thanks to continued funding from Bank of America, young residents of the Portsmouth Housing Authority (PHA) communities will be joining the program.
According to PHA Resident Services Coordinator Emmanouella Vendouri, “The Marine Teen program is extremely important for the young people of the Gosling and Wamesit Place communities because it will provide them academic, social and recreational opportunities in safe, structured and fun ways. In addition, close observations of the personal, emotional and social development of our young participants have indicated that when we expose them to the natural world around them, they develop a sense of appreciation, self assurance and curiosity which leads each of them to continue the desire to grow in all personal and social levels. This self discovery plays a vital role in their personal growth and understanding her/his individual existence; the connections, similarities and differences as co-existing species on our planet.” Vendouri adds that this important “introduction to the natural world is only possible through meaningful collaborations, such as this one of the Seacoast Science Center.”
Both Burke and Vendouri recognize the importance of creating communities of teens through shared experiences. This year, the existing Marine Teen community will be extended to include youths who would not otherwise recreate together. Both educators are excited about the opportunities that will emerge as the young people gain perspectives from each other while share in the program’s activities.
Burke adds that the Foundation’s support also keeps the program affordable for all. The 2011 Marine Teen series starts with a trip to the New England Aquarium Saturday May 7. Find out more at the Center’s website (www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/programs/day_camp) or contact Henry Burke directly at 603-436-8043 ext. 16; h.burke@seacentr.org.
Photo caption: Seacoast Science Center Marine Teens explore tide pools at night to observe nocturnal creatures’ activity. (Courtesy photo)