Gardner MA

Gardner MA Local News and Community Information

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• Hotline 12-6-25

  

  

  Holidays – Events – Spirit of Giving – AI, Topics of Hotline Radio Show of December 6, 2025

  Listen to the entire show on any device, CLICK PLAY

  Highlights of the program included: Michael Nicholson – Topics: Caroling with the Mayor on December 22^nd 4-5pm, 5-7pm FREE Carriage Rides — Snow Readiness – Salt fully loaded in new Salt Shed and using up salt in old salt shed. – Parking Meters not enforced in month of December – Status of Code Red: back up and running. Steve Wendell discussed the new Code Red System with the Mayor and the various initial glitches in extra calls which have been resolved. — Baptist Church Lunch – Christmas Toy Drive by Gardner CAC and Food Drive by MVOC – Last Day of Festival of Trees – Monday Christmas Sing-a-long at Gardner Senior Center. The Mayor went over other Christmas events “A month of giving for us here”.

  The Mayor thanked departing City Auditor John Richard for his exceptional service to the City of Gardner. He also thanked the other members of the financial staff at Gardner City Hall for upholding the fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers – Job openings in the City of Gardner –

  Other Hotline Segments in the first hour: A Special Report: AI Julia McCoy – AI Fundamental Shift — St. Nicholas Day Commentary with Werner Poegel — 2^nd Hour: Paul Topolski – Gardner Emergency Management on Winter Preparation and Advice – a discussion of the Amateur Radio hobby — Mike Urban: Auditing of Massachusetts Legislature – Julie Mehan of the Gardner CAC on the Christmas Toy Drive.(deadline is December 15th)

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• Heywood Healthcare 12-6-25

  

  Athol Hospital of Heywood Healthcare Recognized for Excellence by Chartis Center

  Athol Hospital has been recognized by the Chartis Center for Rural Health for Performance Leadership. Of the 100 hospitals on the list for 2025, CLICK HERE, Athol Memorial Hospital is the only hospital in Massachusetts on the Performance Leadership Award list. Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield was recognized on the list of the top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals for 2025. For reference, here is the Chartis website, CLICK HERE. View the complete Press Release from Heywood Healthcare announcing this recognition, CLICK HERE.

  Heywood Healthcare stated in a Press Release: “Athol Hospital proudly announces that we received the 2025 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Outcomes. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards program recognizes rural hospitals performing in the top quartile nationwide in Quality, Outcomes, and Patient Perspective.

  The award is based on findings from the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, a trusted and comprehensive framework widely used to benchmark performance across all rural hospitals, health systems, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health in the United States.

  “This recognition is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the entire Athol Hospital team,” said Rozanna Penny, President and CEO of Heywood Healthcare. “Every day, our employees and medical staff demonstrate an unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality care and improving outcomes for the patients and families of our region. We are honored to be recognized among
  e nation’s top rural hospitals and remain focused on strengthening the health of our community.”

  Athol and Heywood Hospitals, as well as all inpatient and outpatient Heywood Healthcare diagnostic and treatment services, are fully operational and open. Our patients can continue to rely on the quality, safety, and compassionate care that define our organization.

  This national recognition affirms the exceptional work of our clinicians, staff, and community partners. Their dedication to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care is reflected in this national acknowledgment of our strong outcomes and commitment to our rural communities.”

  Gardner Magazine has a “Deep Dive” with the Chair Man and the Chair Lady discussing the award and why this is such a HUGE win. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  

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• This Week 12-5-25

  

  This Week’s Edition of our Weekly News Magazine “This Week in the Chair City” for Friday, December 5, 2025

  Listen to “This Week in the Chair City” on any device. CLICK PLAY.

  In this week’s Edition: Gardner Municipal Airport Partnership with Aeromodeling Club – Original Song: Chill Out – Gardner Parks and Recreation – City Auditor Search – City Council Decisions – Public Safety – Council on Aging – Gardner CAC, MVOC, and Pool Pavilion – Gardner Redevelopment Authority on Rear Main projects – Gardner Public Schools and college or trade paths.

  Contact Us: Have a news story idea? Like to promote your event? Want to give some exposure to your non-profit organization? It’s easy. Email News@GardnerMagazine.com or leave a voicemail at (978) 632-6324. Thank you.

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• GHS – Pathways to Success

  

  Gardner Public Schools Offering Multiple Pathways to Success

  A student at Gardner High School might be interested in going to college or might be interested in a trade. Either option is available. With arrangements made with Mount Wachusett Community College, students take college courses while still in high school. A number of students are well on their way to graduating with not only a high school diploma, but also an Associates Degree. Those credits can be used to shave off a couple years from a 4 year degree. And for those interested in a high paying trade, the arrangement with Monty Tech comes in to play. Best of all, cost to students is FREE. Gardner Magazine has a “Deep Dive” discussing this. Listen on any device. CLICK PLAY.

  This information is from the School Committee meeting packet for December 8th, CLICK HERE.

  The GHS Early College Academy continues to thrive. 89 students are enrolled in the program.
  Although most of the students in the program take classes on the MWCC campus, many of them return
  to GHS in the afternoons to take additional high school classes. This year there are 16
  juniors who take two college classes at the high school, which are taught by MWCC professors. Those
  students are also enrolled in three afternoon high school classes. Five current seniors are on track to graduate from the Academy with full associate’s degrees. All these classes continue to be free of charge for students. Recruiting efforts for the 2026-2027 school year will be starting in January.

  The Pathways and Gateway to College Programs are undergoing a bit of a change with the creation of
  some new MOUs with other districts. Pathways currently has 41 students enrolled who will be
  receiving GPS diplomas and all those students are on track to earn a full associate’s degree by their
  graduation. Gateway to College currently has 37 students enrolled in the program and those students will be earning a Gardner Academy diploma. Those students are enrolled in college classes that are used towards earning their diplomas while covering all GPS graduation requirements.
  
  MVP Academy: The MVP Academy, the partnership program with Monty Tech, currently has 15 students enrolled. There are 5 seniors (two in carpentry and three in electrical) and 10 juniors (five in carpentry and five in electrical) in the program. GHS is excited to be adding plumbing to the trades offered through this program for next year. Although GHS is waiting for official notification, all indications from DESE are that the application will be approved and then Gardner High School will be adding 10 additional students in this new trade (five juniors and five seniors) for the 2026-2027 school year. Recruitment for next year will be beginning in January.

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• Airport 12-3-25

  

  Essential Updates and a New Club Takes Flight at Gardner Municipal Airport

  Listen to the entire meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  At the Airport Commission meeting of December 3, 2025, the group heard essential updates regarding the airport’s infrastructure and introduced a proposal for a new aviation club. An update from Gail Associates focused on progress toward securing necessary approvals for future work, including the submission of an environmental categorical exclusion document and addressing FAA comments on a crucial obstruction study report. A significant portion of the discussion centered on the complex and time-intensive process of acquiring navigation easements on private property, which is required to secure federal funding for tree clearing and might jeopardize the airport’s ability to meet the 2026 grant application deadline.

  New Club Takes Flight: Later in the meeting, representatives from the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) proposed chartering a small high-performance RC model aircraft club to utilize the paved runway. The AMA proponents emphasized their rigorous safety programming and insurance coverage while also suggesting that hosting large community outreach events could provide a substantial new source of revenue for the airport. The commission acknowledged these proposals and the need to discuss the financial and logistical terms for the club’s potential operation alongside other administrative needs, such as replacing the new windsocks.

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• Look Towards Spring

  

  A Look Towards Spring – Gardner Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Athletics

  With a taste of winter just received, we thought a look towards Spring was in order. The City of Gardner is unique in that it combines the features of a small City with the amenities of a rural community. Gardner has been called the City with the Small Town Feel. Gardner features no less than about 2 dozen different parks for different ages ranging from toddlers to adults and even dogs, to recreation and open space, and plenty of areas for athletics at the various schools. CLICK IMAGE for a larger view.

  To learn more about Gardner Parks, the City of Gardner has a page, CLICK HERE.

  
  And, this is the main page for viewing Gardner parcels, a map of City projects, parks-open space & trails, playgrounds & recreation, and even the zoning map, CLICK HERE.

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• Auditor Search 12-1-25

  

  How Gardner is Hiring Its Next Auditor

  Listen to the short meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  The Auditor Search Committee convened to address the requirements for the vacant City Auditor position. The committee’s main purpose was to approve the final draft of the City Auditor job description after previous rounds of edits. After a final review, members voted to accept the document with one notable change, which involved rewording the term “appraising” to “providing performance reviews of employees.” Once the job description was officially approved, the conversation turned to procedural matters, emphasizing that the document would be forwarded to HR with the explicit instruction that all resulting applicants must be presented to the committee without initial vetting. The committee concluded the session by agreeing that their next step would involve the crucial task of formulating specific interview questions.

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• Council 12-1-25

  

  City Council Addresses Critical Legislative, Administrative, and Infrastructure Matters

  Complete Agenda and packet, CLICK HERE. Listen to the entire meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  
  Public hearings were held to advance two related National Grid utility projects, installing underground conduits and transformers as part of the broader Rear Main Street revitalization project to upgrade downtown electrical service. A highly debated ordinance regarding the winter parking ban procedures was moved forward, aiming to mandate overnight parking restrictions in January and February to assist the **Police Department and DPW with snow removal. The Council also focused on personnel matters, approving the long-anticipated modernization of the non-union salary system to enhance employee retention, following a debate about crediting employee experience. Financial items, including appropriating free cash for stabilization and landfill maintenance, were also adopted. Finally, the Council formally closed an open meeting law complaint by adopting the Attorney General’s finding of no violations by the City Council.

  

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• Public Safety 12-1-25

  

  Public Safety Committee Addresses Winter Parking Ban Procedures.

  Listen to the meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  
  The Gardner Public Safety Committee primarily focused on a public hearing to discuss amendments to the city’s winter parking ban procedures. City officials were reviewing the ineffectiveness of the current Code Red alert system, which resulted in an overwhelming number of parked vehicles, causing operational inefficiencies and safety concerns for public works crews. The Director of Public Works provided data showing that the current alert method led to significantly higher towing rates and increased costs for the city and residents compared to the previous seasonal ban that cleared streets quickly. Testimony from the Police Chief and Deputy Chief supported implementing a hybrid model, which would codify a mandatory ban during the snowiest months to ease the heavy burden placed on first responders who must spend time locating vehicle owners during storms. After discussion, the committee members agreed that the new approach was a necessary compromise and voted to recommend the proposed ordinance be sent for initial approval by the full council. In the subsequent City Council meeting held that evening, the hybrid plan was approved. See City Council meeting article for details.

  

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• Council on Aging 12-1-25

  

  Council on Aging Reviews Community Impact plus Financial and Operational Health

  The Gardner Council on Aging met on December 1, 2025. Listen to the meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  
  The December 1, 2025, Gardner Council on Aging Board Meeting, detailed both the administrative status of the Senior Center and its ongoing financial challenges. A primary concern centered on the Repairs and Maintenance fund, which is projected to be thousands of dollars over budget due to essential, urgent issues, including fire escape repairs and the replacement of a rusted main water line, requiring a formal request for a budget amendment from the city. Operational updates confirmed the Senior Center is planning its move to the new facility in late spring or early summer, which will require services to close for a two-week transition period. The Director’s Report showcased impressive community engagement in the last fiscal year, citing that 751 volunteers contributed over 23,000 hours, and the highly successful Thanksgiving drive-thru meal served more than 350 people. Finally, the board reviewed the holiday closing schedule, noted upcoming programming, and addressed resident questions regarding policies for snow-related closures and pharmaceutical disposal.

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