Gardner City Council August 1, 2022

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Meeting starts at 1:27 in. You can move slider to advance. There is a recess a few minutes in to swear in Rocky. Meeting is called back to order at 10:25 in.

Gardner City Council August 1, 2022

Transfer Station Trends

transferstatonfees-1200

Free Cash 2022

Gardner Free Cash Expenditures 2022

Gardner MA City Council has Meeting on First Day of August

The Complete Agenda, CLICK HERE

The Highlight of the meeting occurred at the beginning as Rocky was confirmed unanimously to a permanent appointment at a Police K-9. Interim Police Chief Philip Kearns was recognized at the podium to speak about Rocky.  He spoke of Rocky’s successful first day in aiding the capture of 4 suspects charged with theft of property from an apartment.  Rocky barked loudly to the City Clerk to confirm the acceptance of his permanent appointment.

K9 Rocky on leash Gardner MA PD
Rocky about to be sworn in

Mayor Nicholson stated, “looking forward to seeing him to continue the good work that he has already done.”

The agenda references the following items the Council considered at the meeting: Various routine money transfers, 14 different communications to the Council, 6 appointment items, the State Primary, and the reports of standing committees.

Efficiencies at the Transfer Station.

Mayor Nicholson reports success in staffing and procedure adjustments made to try to increase efficiencies in operations and better monitor what is being dropped off.    The average is approximately $50,000 more a year in revenue at the transfer station. (see chart at left)

Free Cash Expenditures for Fiscal Year 2022 shown at left.

Ambulance Reimbursement

In another communication, Mayor Nicholson informed the Council the state had reimbursed the City $255,573.00 for the Commonwealth’s Fiscal Year 2021 Ambulance Certified Public Expenditure cost Settlement program.  Last year, the city received 230,000.  The MA program is in place to offset the low patient transport rates paid by Medicaid.

Open Meeting Law Complaints

An open Meeting law complaint filed by Gregory Deehan (covered in previous article), Letter from Mayor on matter -pdf. Letter from Attorney General on matter -pdf and a Ruling from the Attorney General relative to an Open Meeting Law complaint (finding in favor of City)

City Treasurer Re-elected

Current City Treasurer and Collector of Taxes Jennifer Dymek was elected  unanimously to a 3 year term to commence August 19, 2022. She was praised for the City’s recent perfect audit.  Letter to City Council from Jennifer Dymek.

Dead people can vote in MA

As ballots are processed before Election Day, the law against counting the ballot of someone who dies before Election Day has been repealed.  Ballot can be counted as long as the voter was alive when it was cast, which means as of the postmark date or when it was hand-delivered or deposited into a drop box. This is from an election advisory of June 23, 2022 from William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth.

The Next Meeting of the Gardner City Council will be on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 due to Labor Day being on Monday 9/6 and Election Day being on Tuesday 9/7.

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