There’s a reason why the City of Gardner has received 3 perfect Federal Audits in a row. Relating to revenue forecasts, Mayor Nicholson stated, “We want to make sure we’re still living within our means and we’re not in a spot that if we hit a recession, or an economic downtown or something happens, we’re not in a spot where we’re caught off guard.” Coincidentally, Gardner Mayor Nicholson was elected in a special election exactly 3 years ago on June 30, 2020.
Right Down to the Toilet Paper, Mayor Nicholson watches out for taxpayer dollars, “ The state actually says we aren’t allowed to use brand name items unless it’s the only thing that comes in lowest. From that we have to make every effort to find a generic name at the lowest cost first.” And then he joked, “We’ll try out best to make sure that paper over there is measured in ply instead of in grit count.“
City Council packet of 6-5-23 containing complete Fiscal Year 2024 Budget, CLICK HERE.
Where Does the Money Go? – An Interview with Gardner MA Mayor Michael Nicholson
We went through Gardner’s budget in detail, right down to the toilet paper. Mayor Nicholson explained the 3 elements of the budget including Schools, General Government, and Enterprise Accounts. He spoke of the 94% Rule relating to planning for incoming revenue. We learned a lot about every department and we hope you do too. Listen on any device. CLICK PLAY.
The Schools
How proper funding has helped Gardner become a Tier 1 School. Budget was first approved by the School Committee and then is approved again by the Gardner City Council. Gardner was also smart with one-time grant funding, using it for one-time expenditures and capital improvements such as an HVAC rather than salaries – therefore Gardner does not have a school financial cliff to worry about like other districts in the state.
General Government
Explanations of Items on the wish lists of various departments. The Mayor understands the importance of being efficient with taxpayer dollars, “That the people who are paying these taxes are also paying more for groceries and gas and everything else in their daily lives. That we have to be able to respect what they have on there and live within our means, because we’re asking other people to live within their means as well.” The Mayor explained why he asks each Department Head for a wish list so that Gardner can plan for the future as funds become available. We went through various departments. The Mayor is in favor of bringing Gardner’s police force up to the staffing levels of 20 years ago.
Enterprise Accounts
How it Works. The best example is water and sewer where funds are segregated because not every resident has water and sewer so regular tax dollars can’t be used for improvements.
The 3rd Party Grant
The Gardner City Council had approved up to $60,000 for a third party grant service. Mayor reports that about $3 million in applications have been submitted so far on behalf of the City. If even a small fraction of that is approved, the return on investment will be huge. And more grants are still being sought.