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In: AA-Environment, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1

Public Service Committee Handles Abatement Requests and Hears Updates The Public Service Committee met on January 30, 2026. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY. The Committee heard from a homeowner and a non-profit requesting abatements, deciding to forgive 30 percent of the bill for each based on what the committeeContinue Reading

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Of six candidates contacted by the City, three have responded positively and wish to interview. Auditor Search Committee Finalizes Next Steps The Gardner Special City Auditor Search Committee met on January 29, 2026. Listen to the meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY. The primary objective was finalizing a comprehensive setContinue Reading

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Appointments Committee Meeting About Both Process and Candidates The Gardner Appointments Committee met on January 28, 2026. During the meeting, four residents were interviewed for positions on two City Commissions. Listen to the meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY. The committee acknowledged the experience of Conservation Commission members, highlighting thatContinue Reading

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In: City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1, Hotline, Uncategorized

Both Mayor Michael Nicholson and Council President George Tyros appear on WGAW Hotline Radio Listen to the entire show on any device. CLICK PLAY. First up on the WGAW Hotline Radio Show of January 31, 2026 was the Mayor of Gardner, Michael Nicholson who spoke about DPW’s effort in keepingContinue Reading

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Another Exciting Board of Assessors Meeting The Gardner Board of Assessors met on January 22, 2026. After addressing a delayed start due to technical issues, the two present members approved the previous month’s minutes and proceeded to reorganize their leadership. They successfully nominated and voted for an absent colleague, Charles Leblanc, to serve as the new chairperson forContinue Reading

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In: City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1

ZBA Grants One Final Appeal for 69 Oak Street Application Listen to the meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY. At the January 21, 2026 meeting, the Gardner Zoning Board of Appeals discussed a pending application from Nanda Patel regarding the rehabilitation of a vacant three-family home on Oak Street. TheContinue Reading

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Auditor Search Committee Discusses Candidates by Number and Develops Shortlist The Gardner City Auditor Search Committee met on January 21, 2026. Listen to the entire meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY. The search committee met to evaluate resumes and establish a shortlist of candidates for interviews. Members identified 6 specificContinue Reading

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In: AA-Government, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1

Procedures – Appointments – Committees Topics of Gardner City Council Meeting. Listen to the entire meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY. The Gardner City Council met on January 20, 2026. The most significant actions involved a comprehensive overhaul of the council’s internal operating rules, a contentious debate regarding the termContinue Reading

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In: AA-Government, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1, Uncategorized

Operational Concerns, Internet Outages, Council Rules Topics of Finance Meeting The Gardner Finance Committee met on January 14, 2026. Gardner Mayor Nicholson and Councilors Alek Dernalowicz and Council President George Tyros addressed several municipal fiscal and operational concerns. A significant portion of the discussion centered on the repayment plan forContinue Reading

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In: AA-Public-Safety, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1

Short But Significant License Commission Meeting ends with Pyrotechnics Safety Advisory The Gardner License Commission Meeting on January 13, 2026 was mostly routine and involved voting on formal leadership and administrative tasks and an update on a pending license transfer for a local restaurant. However, the commission confirmed that updatedContinue Reading

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In: AA-Environment, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1

Conservation Commission Met on Various Issues The Gardner Conservation Commission met on January 12, 2026 and members addressed various local environmental and land-use issues. The board begins by approving certificates of compliance for residential properties, resolving long-standing title issues caused by developer oversights. A significant portion of the session focusesContinue Reading

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In: AA-Events, AA-Government, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1, Uncategorized

Overall, the Gardner Inauguration Ceremony on January 8, 2026 projected a vision of a city focused on pragmatic problem-solving, strategic investment, and regional leadership. Speakers consistently praised Gardner’s momentum, attributing its success to a results-oriented approach that prioritizes progress over political division. FULL COVERAGE: – Gardner MA 2026 Inauguration GardnerContinue Reading

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In: AA-Health, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1, Uncategorized

Gardner Board of Health Meets Regarding Alleged Open Meeting Law Violations The Gardner Board of Health met on January 8, 2026, primarily to address a formal Open Meeting Law complaint. The board discussed an advisory from the city solicitor regarding executive sessions used for health director interviews, which were allegedlyContinue Reading

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In: City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1, Uncategorized

Organizational Restructuring and Financial Oversight Focus of Council on Aging Meeting The Gardner Council on Aging met on January 5, 2026. The current Chair Ron Dameka, Vice Chair Paul Leone, Treasurer Terri Hillman, and Secretary Kathy O’Brien were reelected. Financial reports were a major component of the discussion, with officialsContinue Reading

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In: AA-Health, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1

In Last Meeting of 2025, the Gardner Board of Health Addressed Leadership Transitions and Staffing Vacancies A top candidate for the vacant Health Director role has withdrawn from the process. The Chair of the Board of Health, Susan Avalone has resigned after 17 years in the post. Other staffing vacanciesContinue Reading

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In: AA-Government, City Council, deep-dive, Gardner, Home Page 1, Uncategorized

City Council Rules – a Debate on the Balance Between Rigorous Deliberation and Instant Response This Gardner Magazine debate with Max and Maxine Rogers concerns the official procedural framework governing the Gardner City Council. The rules establish administrative protocols for the legislative body including the scheduling of regular and specialContinue Reading

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Publisher’s note: The first case is an example of a difficulty faced by a multi-unit property owner losing grandfather status which the Hardern-Nicholson proposal for zoning change was designed to alleviate. Two Cases, Two Different Situations at ZBA Meeting The Gardner Zoning Board of Appeals meeting of December 16, 2025Continue Reading

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In: AA-Business-Growth, City Council, Gardner, Home Page 1

This article focuses on the common license renewal hurdles and how to overcome them with advance planning. The infographic below can serve as a helpful guide. Late and Incomplete Renewal Applications Focus of License Commission Meeting The Gardner License Commission met on December 16, 2025 with the proceedings focused primarilyContinue Reading