The City of Gardner is moving forward due to some very smart decisions and actions over the last 5 years. Turning $50,000 in to $50 million is a story to be told for the ages.
Editorial: The Grant Maze
So how exactly did Gardner Mayor Nicholson turn a $50,000 City investment into a $50 million return for Gardner?
It all started with a realization by the Mayor that because of the daily workload in the Economic Development and Planning Department, it was possible that some grant money was being left on the table. If somehow the City could get additional help in seeking grants by having a 3rd party navigate the grant maze, perhaps the City of Gardner could gain more in grants than the expense of hiring a 3rd party.
Gardner Mayor Nicholson went before the City Council and got approval after considerable discussion. Mayor Michael Nicholson knew it was likely that even one grant approval would bring in more money than the funds expended. Mayor Nicholson was both right and wrong – right in the decision to pursue getting a 3rd party grant writer to help, but wrong in forecasting the extent of the endeavor’s success.
So far, a $50,000 investment by the City has returned more than $50 million. It’s a testament to the keen mind of Mayor Michael Nicholson and a big highlight of his 5 years of moving Gardner forward. And it’s documentation that when a City Council is willing to think outside of the box the rewards can be awesome. We hope the next 5 years are just as successful. Sometimes there are unexpected mazes involved in running a City, but when you have educated, experienced, and intelligent people involved, almost anything is possible.