Local

Around Greater Gardner MA

A number of Holiday events have been added. CLICK HERE

• Mayor gets Chair

  

  

  Local Artist Gardner Wood presents Gardner MA Mayor Nicholson with Big Chair painting – Has another painting hidden inside!

  The Mayor stated, “This was a great surprise today!  Thank you to local artist Gardner Wood for stopping by today to donate this painting of the Big Chair to hang in the Mayor’s Office!”

  Artist Gardner Wood randomly donates his work to area businesses including a local diner in Winchendon.  He earns a living by working at Mount Wachusett Community College which is where he says he met Mayor Nicholson while adding a cowboy to another work for the VetTech class at MWCC .   He utilized various online photos in composing the painting, which is a 16×20 acrylic and took him about 4 hours on a Saturday to complete.   But, there’s even a more interesting story behind the painting, it’s not the only one on the canvas.  Gardner Wood took an existing painting featuring a nature scene and an eagle and painted over it.   So what the Mayor just hung in his office prior to the Memorial Day holiday also  honors those who have given their lives for our country, a painting with an American Eagle hidden under a painting of Gardner’s iconic Big Chair.   Gardner Wood also states that he usually signs his paintings “G. Wood”, but in this case had to use his full name since it was for the City of Gardner and that’s his first name.    Thank you to Gardner Wood.

  We asked, What inspired you to paint the Big Chair and Gardner Wood responded, ““I work in Gardner, I live in Winchendon, I do have my artwork in a local diner….  I started a personal project…  My main goal is I want to randomly donate a painting to local businesses.  I’ve already started in Winchendon.  That led me to be inspired to do the Chair for the Mayor.  I met him and he’s very friendly, very nice.  We basically talked about it. …It’s just my personal thing that I’ve taken upon myself  to do….He seemed very excited about it.”

  Gardner says this is the first time he’s ever painted the Chair.   “I went on the computer and pulled up various different pictures, so I got all the pictures of the Chair. I did it in a Saturday morning for the most part.” “I paint for the people. I don’t paint to make money.” In the diner, I will listen and see what people are looking for. I will randomly give them to children. I enjoy doing it.” Gardner went on to say, “the chair, that painting is very unique for me because of course my name is Gardner Wood and I sign all of my paintings, G. Wood, basically because it’s a long name.  But this one I felt I had to, so the bottom of that chair, the painting, I wrote Gardner Wood, my full name.

  “Actually I can tell you a little bit more about it too.  I am a little on the impatient side, maybe that comes with being an artist.  I was at my house and I was looking and I didn’t have any 16 by 20s, I didn’t want to do a small one, I wanted to do a big one.  So basically I grabbed one of my old paintings. The  original painting was basically trees on both sides, and basically an eagle flying.  In the painting, the eagle was too small…it was one of my first types of paintings, so I said, ok here’s a 16 by 20, so I painted over it.  So if you were to actually xray through that, you’d actually see another painting under it.  …That’s what happens when you don’t have a whole pile of good canvas….The painting was ok, but the eagle was too small, then it just worked out good.”
  
  

• Mayor’s update 5-27-22

  

  Complete FY 2023 Budget Information in pdf format: FY23 Compensation Schedule —- FY23 Public Service Committee Submissions —-  FY 23 Public Welfare Committee Submissions —- FY23 School Budget Presentation of 3-14-22 —– FY 23 Public Safety Committee Submissions —- FY23 Finance Committee Submissions —- FY 23 City Budget Submission.

  Gardner MA Michael Nicholson Focuses on Events and Progress – Alerts Citizens to Effects of Inflation on City Costs.

  The Mayor spoke of the upcoming Memorial Day Parade (see our previous article for details), the non-essential 9am-5pm water use ban (see article for details), various events, the new community garden to benefit the CAC (see our article for details), and Candor Realty’s outreach efforts.

  Watch the Mayor’s Update on the City of Gardner Youtube page or on our Mayor’s Update page, CLICK HERE.

  Mayor Nicholson spoke about the Fiscal Year 2023 City Budget and has made all documents available to us. See at left. See how your money will be spent.

  The Gardner City Council will meet in June and must approve the budget before the fiscal year begins on July 1st. Note that the City Council can reduce the budget, but it is not empowered to increase the budget.

  

  

  Inflationary Pressures on City Budget are Ongoing

  To outsource the line painting of yellow and white lines has cost less than $18,000 in each of the past 5 years. This year, the minimum bid came in at $32,000. The Mayor said, ““that’s almost double what we normally pay.” The Fiscal Year 2023 Budget has been submitted by the City Council who will review it and act upon it before the new fiscal year starts on July 1, 2022.

  Countdown to Sidewalk Sales and Fireworks Display

  Sidewalk Sales will be held on Saturday June 25, 2022 in Downtown Gardner, and the Fireworks Display at the PACC is that evening at Dusk. It’s all part of Gardner’s birthday celebration. On June 27th, John Philip Sousa Honor Band will be performing FREE at Monument Park.. And next year will be Gardner’s 100th as a City, a celebration committee will be forming soon to start planning the City Centennial.

• Fall Sports

  

  Fall Sports Registrations open in Gardner MA

  It may be barely summer, but planning is already underway for Gardner MA Fall Sports. All Sports registrations are now open for Football, Cheer, Soccer, Field Hockey, Golf, and, Cross Country. It’s done online at this link: CLICK HERE.

  If you have any questions, you can contact Athletic Director Dan Forte via email at fored@gardnerk12.org. Phone: 978-632-1600 ext. 1800, or Cell: (978) 340-2268

  Here is also a link to the Gardner MA Athletics page.

• Car Hatching

  

  

  Spontaneous Gardner MA Car Hatching or Mathematical Anomaly?

  A curious scene at Pulaski Park in Gardner on May 26, 2022.   4 White vehicles seemingly appeared out of nowhere near the Basketball Courts.  And then a 5^th one!   Did they spontaneously hatch in some universe-correcting miracle?  Or was it simply a random event with mathematical implications?    We believe it was just a random event, but read below about something else very curious that day.  

  According to facts we can find, 24% of cars on the road are white. The odds of 5 of them parked in a row at one time is calculated to be 8 out of 10,000.

   

  

  One of the dogs at the park who witnessed these vehicles was named “Herbie”.   Remember, Herbie the Love Bug from the Disney movies? – the living car! Here’s an article about Herbie the Love Bug.   It just goes to show that if you look hard enough and have a big enough imagination, you can always find something of wonder in the Chair City of Gardner MA. 

  

  Hatching Cars. Probably Not.

  But, NEW businesses are hatching on a regular basis in the City of Gardner MA.

  

  Another Math Anomaly?

  And then, the math mold was broken again. Just as we were about to leave the Dog Park, a white service vehicle pulled in between the other 5 white vehicles. What are the odds of that happening at exactly that moment?

• Water Restriction

  

  The Massachusetts Water Map shown is generated by the USGS National Water Dashboard. Some areas around Gardner MA show streamflow much below normal. A red dot indicates much below normal and an orange dot indicates below normal.

  Water Use Restricted in Gardner MA

  As of May 25, 2022, there is a mandatory water use restriction in effect in Gardner MA.   Nonessential water use is prohibited from 9am to 5pm.    The MassDEP notified City officials that this is due to a USGS streamflow being below trigger for 3 consecutive days. 

  

  According to the Streamflow Status legend, a few streams near Gardner MA are much below normal. The USGS National Water Dashboard shows various water conditions throughout MA. CLICK HERE.

• Bear Spotted

  

  Bear Spotted in Clark Street, Gardner MA Backyard and all about Bears in Massachusetts

  On May 26, ,2022, a bear was spotted on Clark Street in Gardner.   A resident posted the picture to Social Media.  The post has received plenty on interest with dozens of likes, wows, and love expressed by other members.  

  For those interested in Bear pictures, there is actually a public Facebook group entitled, “Awesome Bear lovers.”   Members post Bear pictures and even Bear videos.

  The rest of our article is about Bears in Massachusetts with Bear tips for Greater Gardner MA residents.

  

  

  

  

  Bears in Massachusetts

  According to the State of Massachusetts website Mass.gov, black bears have been increasing in numbers and distribution for the past 50 years, with an estimated current statewide population exceeding over 4,500 animals.  Black bears live and breed in Worcester County, northern Middlesex County, and west to the Berkshires.   Black bears are black overall, typically with a brown muzzle and sometimes with a white chest patch.  Males weigh from 130 to 600 pounds and females are 100 to 400 pounds. Bears eat both vegetation and meat.  They are often attracted to yards by bird feeders and unsecured trash.  

  Bear Tips

  Mass.gov has some tips for residents:  Remove bird feeders if you live in an area with bears.   Put out  your trash the morning of trash pickup rather than the night before.    Feed your own pets indoors.  Clean barbecues and grills after each use and don’t leave any food scraps around.   If you see a bear in your yard, yell, and make lots of noise and the bear and its young will usually leave.   If you see a bear in the wild, make the animal aware of your presence by clapping, talking, or making other sounds while slowly backing away.   Obviously, don’t approach bears, especially a female bear with her cubs, keep a respectful distance away.

  Some other resources in printable pdf format: Prevent Negative Encounters with Bears — Coexisting with black bears — Living with black bears fact sheet

  If you need to reach Gardner MA Animal Control, here is the page. CLICK HERE.

• Community Garden

  

  Gardner MA St. Paul’s Episcopal Church establishes Community Garden to benefit CAC

  The Community Garden is located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Cross Street in Gardner where the sign states, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” – Matthew 25:35. Distribution of food grown will occur through the Food Pantry of the Community Action Committee. The CAC serves disadvantaged individuals in Gardner, Ashburnham, Baldwinville, Hubbardston, Otter River, Templeton, and Westminster. Gardner CAC website, CLICK HERE. To donate to the CAC securely click here. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church website, CLICK HERE.

  

  The garden was funded by a $3,000 grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts and will contain vegetables most commonly used by patrons of the CAC.

  

• Sewage Sludge

  

  Sewage Sludge Decisions in Gardner MA

  A byproduct of the Gardner Wastewater Treatment Plant is Sewage Sludge, a solid material which has been disposed of at the Gardner landfill.    Gardner has proposed to increase the size of the landfill to allow for more sludge.  Environmental groups oppose the move due to concerns over how the sludge might affect the surrounding area.    

  The first step in understanding the issue is to understand what Sewage Sludge is and what can be done with it.   Penn State offers the most complete explanation we can find, and it’s useful because it offers a number of solution alternatives…  View Sewage Sludge Guide.

  

  We reached out to the Gardner DPW to get Gardner’s perspective on the matter, but have yet to receive a response.   The Millers River Watershed Council opposes the expansion of the Gardner Landfill to add more sludge because they state, “this ill-conceived project, which will, if approved, have substantial negative consequences for our region and beyond.”  They have devoted an entire webpage to the issue.  CLICK HERE.   Printable pdf, CLICK HERE.

  CONCLUSIONS:

  Gardner needs to decide whether it wishes to store the Sewage Sludge locally or have it trucked elsewhere. If stored locally, it needs to choose from various available options. In order to proceed with any of these local storage options including a landfill expansion, it must receive approval from the State of MA. Given opposition from Environmental Groups, it is reasonable to assume an eventual decision will take some time to reach. Gardner Magazine will update you when more information becomes available.

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• WGAW Broadcast

  

  WGAW to broadcast LIVE from Hubbardston MA Memorial Day Parade

  Gardner MA Radio Station will be broadcasting live on Monday, May 30, 2022 from 11am to noon from the Hubbardston Memorial Day Parade. Starts at the Curtis Recreational Field and will end up at the Town Square for the unveiling of the new Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Monument. Hosts for the broadcast will be Steve Wendell of WGAW and the Hubbardston Town Clerk. It has been described as potentially the biggest parade in Hubbardston history. WGAW is heard on AM 1340, 98.1 FM, and live on the internet, CLICK HERE

  The Town of Hubbardston unveils not only the new Vietnam Veterans’ monument, but also the restored Civil War monument and the freshly cleaned memorials that honor those who fought in the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The Lions Club, The Golden Agers, Friends of the Hubbardston Senior Center and the Council on Aging invite you afterwards to join them at the Senior Center across the street for a complimentary American Patriotic Celebration where hot dogs and ice cream will be served.

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• Meeting Minutes

  Publisher’s Note: Purpose of my news story is to create awareness that any meeting summary needs to be accurate.  Doesn’t need to be a complete transcript, but at least needs to be factually correct.  And any group approving minutes including the School Committee needs to say NO if the minutes are wrong.  Problem will get fixed very fast in that case. Article has links to MA law and a comparison of Minutes of recent meeting vs. actual transcript. ——- We need to show our kids that TRUTH MATTERS.

  

  Law on Meeting Minutes Pertaining to Gardner MA Meetings

  Gardner Magazine makes an attempt to accurately transcribe what people say at City Council, School Committee, and other meetings as well as any time we quote local officials in any fashion.   We have noticed that certain meeting minutes, particularly those of the School Committee, are not always accurate, in some cases reflecting statements that a member never said.  This is a potential problem because the law states that “a public body shall create and maintain accurate minutes of all meetings…..a summary of the discussions on each subject, a list of documents and other exhibits used at the meeting.”  

  As a specific example, we cite the meeting of March 14, 2022. We compared the Meeting Minutes with the actual Final Comments of the School Committee members and found the minutes to be completely inaccurate and not in compliance with State law. See the complete rundown right here.

  Here is a pdf of the actual Massachusetts law, relating to Minutes of Meetings. CLICK HERE.  And here is a copy of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. We are hoping that corrective action will be taken so we don’t have to write a lengthy article comparing the minutes to the actual statements made in all the recent meetings. In addition, we are hoping that in the spirit of true transparency, that the School Committee packet be included in the public disclosure of the Agenda prior to the meeting, as state law does require them to be part of the later official minutes of the meeting, and the Gardner City Council has made a practice of making these materials available ahead of time. Having the materials in hand has been very helpful in understanding what the City Council is voting on. Because the packets are so inclusive and prepared in such a highly professional fashion, very often there is little discussion over a specific item. Not a problem if you have in hand what the City Council sees. In the case of the School Committee, references are often made at meetings to items in the packet which have not been similarly furnished in advance to the public.

  Publisher’s note: This is a very simple problem to correct immediately and we urge the Gardner School Committee to do so. We also urge the Gardner School Committee to demand that meeting minutes be prepared accurately in accordance with the law. We have emailed Mayor Nicholson regarding the issue and are sure that he will take corrective action as transparency and accuracy has been a hallmark of his Administration.

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• Gardner Panel

  

  Panel of 5 Gardner MA Individuals to Help Select Who’s the Deputy Chief and maybe even Who’s the Chief

  Appearing on WGAW’s Hotline Radio on Saturday, May 22, 2022, Mayor Michael Nicholson was very clear that, “for the position of Chief, nothing’s official until the investigation is done. For the position of Deputy Chief, I can tell you exactly….There’ll be a panel of 5 individuals to review all applicants.  They’ll send the top 2 candidates to my desk.  I will interview them myself and then make an appointment to send up to the Appointments Committee of the City Council for full Council confirmation.

  

  “The way that appointments of Police Chief and Fire Chiefs work are specifically governed by State law.   And those two positions are protected by State Law, …..same thing with the Deputy chief of the Police Department. …We do have the Dispatch Director position currently posted, so we are receiving applications for that as well.   We have a little different hiring process in that it doesn’t start with the full 5 member board, but rather a couple members from each of the groups of the Gardner Police Department and the Fire Department that the Dispatch Center assists with their operations.” ….“We do have all of the plans in place to move forward, but in terms of the position of Police Chief, specificially, nothing is finalized for that yet as we’re still ongoing in that realm.”

  The Mayor stated that the hiring process typically takes from 30 to 60 days from post to hire. The Mayor was asked about whether Former Chief Braks was still getting paid and Mayor Nicholson responded, “Yes, because by law it is a paid administrative leave. “ Steve Wendell asked, “Has he submitted any information as to whether he wants to come back or not?” The Mayor responded. “That’s something that is still privileged at this point as a personnel matter, but I can tell you we have not received anything yet.”

  The mayor made other comments relating to the Police Department. ““People at the Police Department are still doing a good job, day in and day out, shows the resiliency of who we have working here in the City. …The two lieutenants didn’t receive an extra penny for the work they were doing when they were running the department.”

  

  Heard on Gardner’s Hit Radio Show!

  Hotline Radio is heard every Saturday from noon to 2pm on Gardner MA WGAW. WGAW is on AM 1340, 98.1 FM, and available 24/7 over the internet. Host Steve Wendell interviews many area newsmakers every week. To hear the station right, now, CLICK for the LIVE STREAM. WGAW has a News/Talk format.

• Memorial Day Parade

  

  Memorial Day Parade Heads to Gardner MA Monument Park on May 30, 2022 at 10am

  Anne Marie Blake, President of the Gardner Veterans Council told Gardner Magazine that the muster will be at 9:15am at the American Legion on Elm Street, Gardner with the goal of being at Monument Park for the 10am Memorial Day Ceremony featuring various dignitaries, guests, speeches, military medley by the Gardner High School Band, placing of poppies, firing squad (VFW), taps, and readings in the spirit of honoring all who served.

  Parade Details

  Marchers will meet in the Elm Street Parking Lot, Rider meet in the small city lot at the Legion Rotary. From Anne Marie Blake, ” MARCHERS: PARADE ROUTE IS FROM THE PARKING LOTS AROUND THE LEGION ROTARY, DOWN CENTRAL, ONTO PARK AND LEFT ONTO COTTAGE ST.  ALMOST AT THE FAR END OF COTTAGE ST. MAKE A COLUMN LEFT AND CONTINUE SINGLE FILE UP THE STAIRS AND TO WHERE YOU WILL BE STANDING/SITTING.  PLEASE DO NOT FALL OUT PRIOR TO BEING IN THE PARK OR EVERYONE BEHIND YOU WILL FOLLOW. WE WANT EVERYONE IN THE PARK TO ENJOY THE WHOLE PARADE. RIDERS: FOR VETERANS, LADIES AUXILIARY MEMBERS OR ANYONE WHO CANNOT WALK BUT WOULD LIKE TO RIDE, THERE WILL BE 2 VANS AVAILABLE COURTESY OF MONTACHUSETT VETERAN OUTREACH CENTER AND THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS, OR YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN VEHICLE(S). MEET IN THE CITY LOT AT ROTARY. Parade Orders: Gardner Police, All American Flags, All Veteran Organizations Flags, All Marching Veterans, All Marching Ladies Auxiliary Members, Gardner High School Band, Mayor, Representatives of City, State, Order of the Elks, Scouts, Cars and Vans with Veterans and others, Patriot and Elk Riders, Gardner Fire Department. Parking immediately behind the band stand is reserved for parade vehicles. In case of rain, proceed to City Hall Auditorium.”

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• Mosquitos Out

  

  Mosquitos to be Evicted by the Spraying of Central Mass. Mosquito Control Project

  Gardner Dates are May 31 and June 9, 16, 21, 30. CMMCP says the dates are subject to change due to weather conditions, mosquito populations, mosquito virus activity, and/or special event spraying.

  From CMMCP site, “Mosquito control in Massachusetts operates under M.G.L. Ch. 252 (Improvement of Low Land & Swamps) and the State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board.  The Project was created by the Massachusetts State Legislature in 1973, and currently consists of 44 cities and towns in Central Massachusetts, from both Worcester and Middlesex Counties, covering over nearly 810 square miles.”

  

  Information about the service area:  CLICK HERE.

  For more information on the project, view the website,  CLICK HERE.

  Mission statement, “The objective of the Project is to attain an efficient, economic mosquito control operation which will provide the best results possible and be consistent with all ecological aspects and the best interests of the member towns.

  From the CMMCP website, “Our goal is to reduce mosquito exposure to the public, and the potential for disease transmission by mosquitoes, by utilizing proven, sound mosquito control techniques. CMMCP believes the best way to accomplish this task is by practicing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach as it relates to mosquito control in Massachusetts. IPM utilizes a variety of control techniques and evaluation procedures. Control efforts are undertaken only after surveillance data has been collected and analyzed. Training, experience and common sense dictate our response in any given situation. It is our desire and responsibility for this Project to have the best mosquito control for the communities that we serve.”

• Gardner City-Wide Yard Sale

  

  GardnerYardSale.com

  The City of Gardner welcomed many to its Spring 2022 Yard Sale. We’ll advise you of Fall 2022 plans as they are announced.

  

  It Happened and people came!  Gardner MA City-Wide Yard Sale had 133 participating homes May 21, 2022 from 8am to 2pm

  On some roads in Gardner Saturday May 21, 2022, a parade of cars could be seen traveling to Yard Sales in the Chair City. With a total of at least 133 participating homes who appeared on the map, many items were up for sale. As of the end of the sale, the online map showed 4,240 views. The City-wide Yard Sale took place this Saturday May 21, 2022 from 8am to 2pm. Cars could be seen with out-of-town and even out-of-state license plates.  

  Ways to view the list: Complete map on Google.

  Jpeg image of FInal List

  Printable PDF of Final List

  

  

  

  Click any image for larger view.

  

  

  

  

  

  Super Computer Utilized to Plot Route to all Gardner MA Yard Sale Stops

  With 133 Homes having Yard Sales in Gardner on Saturday May 21, 2022 from 8am to 2pm, we needed to find a way for you to see them all.

  The route plotted by computer starts at the Blue Moon Diner (thought you might like breakfast before shopping) and then plots out all the stops which are completed in less than 4 hours. Printable in pdf format, Directions only. 41 pages of Turn by turn maps.
• Mayor’s Update – Colin Smith

  

  Watch the Mayor’s updates on the City of Gardner YouTube page or on our Mayor’s update page. CLICK HERE.

  Executive Aide Colin Smith filled in for Gardner MA Mayor Nicholson Friday May 20, 2022

  Smith reported that the Mayor is on the Cape for the Massachusetts Mayors Conference.  Colin Smith indicated he would be attending the Mount Wachusett Community College Nursing graduation representing the Mayor and congratulated the students.   Smith related his tour of the new Elementary School with the School Building Committee this week –  “It’s incredibly impressive already and it will be absolutely beautiful when it’s finished and I may be more than a little envious of the students who will be able to attend.  It’s been so cool seeing this project come to fruition knowing how many individuals around the City and outside of it have worked so hard to make it happen.”

  Smith stated that Gardner’s City-wide Yard Sale will be held this Saturday from 8am to 2pm Website. 

  “Gardner’s Junior Police Academy is now accepting applications for the 2022 class.  The academy will run from July 18 to July 22^nd from 8am to 3pm with graduation on Saturday July 23^rd.  This is open to students ages 12 to 17, and you do not have to be Gardner residents, although preference will be given to residents.  Class is limited to 20 cadets.  And they would like to mention that it’s FREE.”

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• Water Quality

  

  

  Gardner MA 2021 Water Quality Report Shows High Manganese, Water Safe to Drink

  The Gardner MA 2021 Water Quality Report has been released.  CLICK HERE.  For many years, the manganese level in Gardner Massachusetts water has been higher than desired, resulting in some local complaints of bad taste and the visible staining of toilets etc.   While Gardner water overall has been deemed safe, we have obtained detailed information regarding Manganese for those who are concerned about the issue.   Ten years ago, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a 556 page report on Manganese which you can view from Gardner Magazine.  CLICK HERE.    In 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency produced a Manganese Report.  CLICK HERE.

  Gardner Water Corrosion Issue

  For those concerned about corrosion caused by Gardner water,  Corrosion Testing Laboratories Inc. produced a document dated August 18, 2015 and entitled, “City of Gardner Leaking Copper Coils Failure Investigation”  CLICK HERE.   The reports indicate that “failures were centralized around the water treatment facility that uses surface water as a source.”   For those citizens wondering why Gardner is defending itself against homeowner claims, it is because  the City of Gardner is located in a region of the US that has surface water with a low alkalinity and it is still undetermined whether the City has any liability over the issue.  While City officials are not commenting publicly about Gardner water at all, our investigation shows that over the years Gardner has been making attempts to solve the issue, but just hasn’t been successful.   The truth: Sometimes a problem is not easily solved despite best efforts.  Unfortunately that doesn’t help the homeowners  who have had uncovered heating system expenses and why the problem is the subject of an ongoing court case.

• Wednesday Afternoon

  

  Simultaneous events in Gardner MA, the Chair City are chronicled for one Wednesday afternoon.

  

  

  It was a Great Wednesday Afternoon in Gardner MA

  On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 18, 2022 in Gardner Massachusetts, Gardner was quietly being a Great place to Live, Work, Play, and Visit.   People were going about their business on City Hall Avenue.   Shoppers were enjoying stores on Main Street.  The Lion made it to a new location on Parker Street.  The Downtown Garage was being used for vehicles, but there were plenty of easy spaces for more Downtown Shoppers to enjoy.

  The DPW was sprucing up the Dog Park and the dogs were having a good time.  A Downtown park was green with life.  Senior Center Director Mike Ellis met people at the job fair. Priscilla’s Candy Shop looked inviting from outside.  Across the City at the Uptown Rotary, the flowers were blooming.  People were shopping at Walmart, Timpany Plaza, and the Gardner Plaza.  People were enjoying food at their favorite eating places.   The construction site at the new Gardner Elementary School was quiet, with the outhouses resting after a long day of use and construction had completed for the day.   Gardner High School was active with many students enjoying the outdoors.

  It was an ordinary afternoon, but there wasn’t really anything ordinary about it.  It was actually pretty great.  People just weren’t thinking about how awesome it was!  Enjoy Gardner, the Chair City.      All Wednesday afternoon photos in the Chair City, click here.

• City Council 5-16-22

  

  Gardner MA Councilors Debate Scooters and Approve Outdoor Dining Space.

  The first item was according to Councilor Craig Cormier, ““a very simple ordinance, just a move from 9am to 8am, brings into line with how yard sales actually work and brings into line with the City-Wide Yard Sale that’s already been advertised.” City Council approved for first printing.

  

  Watch the Gardner City Council meetings on the City of Gardner YouTube page or on our City Council page.

  The complete City Council and packet is available. CLICK HERE

  The Fiscal Year 2023 School Budget Presentation is available. CLICK HERE.

  Gardner Magazine reached out to Councilor Ron Cormier’s telephone number to ask whether he plans to resign from the Council following his objection to the free speech discussion over the scooters. We are awaiting a reply.

  Scooter Stirs Debate and Discussion, and even an attempt by one Councilor to silence free speech.

  Mayor Nicholson has proposed bringing shareable dockless mobility devices to the Chair City, otherwise known as “scooters”. There was considerable discussion. Councilor George Tyros had concerns., opposing the use of the devices for respect and safety reasons in the cemeteries. 

  Councilor Boone was asked by Tyros about his concerns and Boone stated “there was some question on fees…one of the things is that our DPW is gonna have to pick up these things if they are left, and there was no fee structure for that, ….I think as a City we need more time to absorb what’s going on.  I know these things are coming, do I think it’s gonna be a little chaotic, maybe, maybe not, so I just think we need more time to make a proper decision on the matter.”

  Councilor Nick Boudreau, “ to speak to Councilor Boone’s thought, when I worked in the City of Marlborough, we implemented this during my tenure there, and there was a big  ooh and aah phase at the very beginning, but then it did die down, almost to the point where it was just second nature to these people.  So I don’t think necessarily people are going to be leaving them out for an extended period of time, maybe it may happen a couple of times towards the beginning, and you can find out exactly who it was based off of different apps and different ways of payment and that kind of stuff which would differ based on the vendor that we would use, but I don’t think it’s going to be, we’re not Nashville, so they’re not going to be throwing these scooters everywhere all year, or bikes, of whatever we were to get.”

  Councilor Heath, ”I’ve rented a number of these, when I was out in Baltimore, when I was out in Los Angeles, you do have to be licensed, you’re supposed to be over 18 to go ahead and ride these, so it depends on which ones, my kids rode them with me.  I signed off on all of them.  However, they couldn’t do it themselves, I had to go ahead and do it as an adult. So have they been left around and things and such,  yes, but you’re supposed to go ahead and take a photo of where you leave it, when you get off of it. “

  Councilor Mack, “ I was wondering, seeing he’s present, if the Mayor could just address, he did send us documentation this afternoon addressing Councilor Boone’s concerns, …I would just like to give the Mayor the opportunity to present what’s he’s giving to us in regards to those concerns.”

  In a somewhat bizarre outburst, Councilor Ronald Cormier actually objected to the City Council discussing the matter and had to be reminded by the City Council President that Councilor had an right to discuss it. Councilor Ronald Cormier stated, “this is inappropriate., the conversations.”

  Council President Kazinskas stated, “this is on the motion.  Councilors can speak before the motion is seconded. …  Councilors asked whether the motion had been seconded and Kazinskas responded no, “we’re going to continue with the motion.”

  The motion was seconded to refer to the Public Safety Committee. 

  Councilor Cormier, “To Councilor Tyros, we do intend to have a meeting on this week, and hope to have it back before the Council at our next meeting.

  Councilor Walsh, “I’m going to support the motion to refer.  This is a lengthy amendment …a lot to absorb, when it’s on our agenda for the very first time….I think a little more time to do it right as best we can in advance of these vehicles becoming part of the city’s landscape is a good idea.”

  

  

  Motion was approved to temporarily close a portion of Pleasant Street for outdoor dining.

  Craig Cormier  “We did have a chance to discuss this…would give a 3 month closure to Pleasant Street to try out some outdoor dining on the streets for the summer months. If we don’t like it, we can obviously let it expire and not keep doing that.   Businesses involved signed a letter in favor of the motion.”

  The Gardner Police Department indicated the dates of closure would be June 20, 2022 from 7am through October 1, 2022 at 7am.

  

  Councilor Comments

  

  

  Dana Heath, “ I just want to say thank you to the DPW.  I sent a request today at 12:40 …Ovila Case playground…the bottom floor was busted open, so kids could fall through it.  It was fixed within an hour. So I just want to say thank you” George Tyros, “Nothing this evening.” Alek Dernalowicz, “ I have nothing this evening.” Judy A. Mack, “I just want to mention.  With the planned improvements to the Downtown area including areas of outside seating, I would like to suggest that the traffic commission and the disabilities commission look into creating some handicapped accessible parking spots on Parker, Central, Main, or Pleasant Street for disabled people.  With the recent roadwork downtown there are curb cuts to allow for accessibility for the sidewalks, but we have not made parking accessible., other than what I can see in parking lots. So, I would just like to see this considered for those people who need the accessibility to our downtown businesses.” Craig Cormier, “ I have no Council business this evening.” James S. Boone, “I saw several of the committee members and I discovered this Argus Yearbook, 1922, it was on 76 Osgood Street in an attic we were currently clearing out…” Nathan Boudreau, “Can’t wait till my yearbook is brought to a City Council meeting as a historic relic, I have no new City Council business this evening.” Karen G. Hardern “Nothing new this evening.” James M. Walsh, “Two items.  Councilor Boone might want to consider if he wants it in a safe place to put it back in the attic where he found it.  …The other thing I wanted to mention is a follow up to these National Grid petitions.  It used to be the practice of the City Engineer to review these petitions in advance of their being presented to the City Council so that the kind of errors that occurred in the petitions we just considered would not occur….and I’m happy to say that newly appointed and confirmed City Engineer Mr. Oliver is going to be doing that as we go forward, …” Ronald F. Cormier, “I have nothing this evening.” Elizabeth Kazinskas, “ I have no new Council business.”

• Strength of Character

  

  A Gardner Magazine Editorial, Mayor Nicholson, Strength of Character.

  During the course of holding Political Office, every office holder encounters that moment when character is tested.  Mayor Nicholson is having his moment with the Gardner Police Department situation.  

  Despite enormous pressure to speak more openly about various details involved in the ongoing Police Department challenges, the Mayor has elected to stick with his plan – protect the taxpayers of Gardner, honor the due process rights of all involved, and stay the course with untold patience.    While the Press may be irritated with the lack of information and citizens speculate about the who, what, when, where, and why, the Mayor is doing what a great manager does – the right thing as he sees it on a daily basis, making sure that the citizens of Gardner have a well-functioning Police Department which serves their daily needs and keeps the citizenry safe.    In our opinion, the Mayor’s actions in this process including his unwavering resolve to handle the situation without giving in to political pressure shows a tremendous strength of character.    It would be easy to do a tell-all interview and it would get lots of attention.   It is much harder to be reserved with information, but in the end what is important is the best interests of the City of Gardner.   So our advice to the community and other members of the press is this:  Be vigilant, hold your leaders accountable, but also recognize when you’ve finally got someone with Strength of Character who doesn’t take the easy way out, but who’s actually looking out for you:  Mayor Michael Nicholson.    

  We reached out to the Mayor’s office on May 18, 2022 and spoke with the Mayor’s aide Colin Smith at length.    The Mayor is committed to following the process to its conclusion and will provide more information when it is in the best interest of the City to do so.   We will publish any Press Release in its entirety when available.  

  Werner Poegel, Publisher.

• Puzzle Awaits

  

  Here we go again! Another Acting Police Chief in the City of Gardner and more speculation as to who, what, when, and where as it relates to the future of the management of the Department.

  Gardner MA Mayor Michael Nicholson Holds Key to Gardner Police Department Puzzle

  Update 5-17-22: Gardner has another Acting Police Chief. Mayor Nicholson informed the Appointments Committee –View Meeting – that retired Deputy Chief Phil Kearns from the City of Fitchburg has been appointed Acting Police Chief. He retired from the City of Fitchburg in 2015 and according to Mayor Michael Nicholson, “has been the acting chief in 5 different communities since his retirement.”  According to Mayor Nicholson, he was to start the role on Monday, May 16, 2022, “for a period of 30 days at most.”  However, the Mayor indicated that the official appointment was for 60 days, just in case, “because the ordinance says you can’t have two consecutive temporary appointments…so we did this just as a buffer.”  Mayor Nicholson responded affirmatively when asked by Councilor Walsh if he anticipated a more permanent solution to the Chief’s position within that 30 day period.

  Although publicly leaving the door open in recent interviews, it seems increasingly unlikely that Mayor Nicholson will reappoint Chief Braks. He can also promote from within or search from outside the Department. One thing is certain: 41 hard-working officers of the Gardner Police Department will be affected by the decision, and, the Gardner City Council has final say in approving or rejecting any appointment. Both the Chief and Deputy Chief were placed on paid Administrative Leave at the beginning of February following a no-confidence vote from 40 out of 41 officers. The Deputy Chief has since retired.

  This is the second time this year an Acting Police Chief has been appointed. Management of the Department was handled for a short period by Vincent Alfano as Acting Chief, but for the past two months management duties have been handled by the two lieutenants, who according to Nicholson, have not received extra pay for the extra responsibilities. Gardner Magazine will keep you posted as the Gardner PD Puzzle continues….

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• GHS Concert

  

  Gardner MA High School Spring Concert Thursday May 19, 2022

  Come enjoy an evening of music in the newly reupholstered, carpeted, and painted Landry Auditorium at Gardner High School. The concert will include the Jazz Band, 8th Grade Chorus, 8th Grade Band, Select Choir, HS Chorus, & HS Band.  Admission is $4 adults, $3 students at the door.

  GHS Music on Facebook, CLICK HERE. – GMS on Facebook, CLICK HERE.

  Publisher’s note: We searched for a Music page on the Gardner School District website and couldn’t find one. We apologize if we missed it. Otherwise, time to add one.

• Gardner Yard Sale

  

  Gardner MA is poised to get a huge influx of visitors on Saturday May 21, 2022 as bargain hunters will have many homes to visit for Yard Sale items!

  

  Gardner MA City-Wide Yard Sale on May 21, 2022 from 8am to 2pm headed for huge participation success!

  Event organizer Julie Mazza reports that the definite number is 126  houses who have signed up.    Gardner Magazine registered GardnerYardSale.com to help and it has a link to Julie’s latest map and even posters you can use at your house to advertise your participation.  If you’re thinking of having a yard sale in Gardner this  year, don’t miss this event. 

  The deadline to sign up was Wednesday, May 18, 2022 – all you had to do was email your home address to gardneryardsale@gmail.com and get a free Yard sale permit from the City of Gardner.   CLICK HERE  Note that Mayor Nicholson has stated that even though the City Code only allows yard sales to start after 9am, the City is making an exception and allowing this sale to start at 8am and the City Council just sent a corrected ordinance to First Printing.

  Yard Sale supplies. If you need some pricing stickers or sign materials we suggest the Dollar Tree in the Timpany Plaza, Walmart, Staples, Ocean State Job Lot, or Big Lots.

  As of 8pm on May 19 2022, the Gardner Yard Sale Map showed 126 participants and the online Gardner Yard Sale Map had been viewed about 2200 times. Gardner Businesses should be prepared for a large influx of people to the Chair City this Saturday.

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• Mayor’s Update 5-13-22

  

  Gardner MA Mayor Michael Nicholson Updates City with either Secret Service Detail OR Attentive Aide.

  Captured just to the left of Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson is what appears to be a scene out of the movies. Given that the Mayor is still too young to run for President, we believe the individual is hard-working aide Colin Smith. This appears to prove what has been suspected – The entire team at the Mayor’s office is highly committed to working for the betterment of the City. Watch the video update yourself on the City’s YouTube page or on our Mayor’s Update page and see if you can identify the mystery man in the reflection.

  

  At the Building: One of the matters discussed by the Mayor is the very building he is standing in front of – the Flat Iron Building by Bull Nose Park which was recently sold to Candor Realty by Dean Marcus and which will soon be rehabbed and returned to its full potential. The Mayor announced that Candor Realty’s other property purchase on 88-98 Main Street will soon feature a Candor Realty office in one of the open storefronts. The City has been involved in facilitating several transactions recently which will result in former blighted buildings in Downtown Gardner becoming productive again, with either business or residential space. The Mayor stated,, “this building has officially been sold.”… “The City Council will vote on my proposal to close a small section of Pleasant Street to increase outdoor seating options.” View Mayor’s complete Press Release, CLICK HERE.

  

  Fire Safety: Mayor Nicholson stated, “We had a notice from the Gardner Fire Department asking us to remind people that as the weather gets warmer, do remember to be careful with grilles….or where you are depositing your cigarettes…. We had 4 different fires this past week, 2 of which happened because there were grilles on 2nd or 3rd floor portions that were enclosed, That is actually illegal here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In both of those instances, the grille started a fire on the porch, and in one case causing upwards of $20,000 in damage to the building. Two other locations, we had a mulch fire in which an individual threw a cigarette into some mulch over at Old English Village….or another one left a cigarette on a railing near a building and that caused a fire as well.” Here are some Grille Safety tips from the State of MA. CLICK HERE.

  

  Thanked Nurses: Mayor Nicholson thanked nurses at Heywood Hospital and noted that this week was Nurses Appreciation Week. “We really do owe our nurses a great deal of thanks.” The Mayor also congratulated various other individuals. Here is some more information on Nurse’s Week from Nursing World. CLICK HERE.

  

  Art Shows: “Gardner High School and Middle School joined together this past week to host an Art Show for our students, just like we had the Gardner Elementary School Art Show that took place this past Thursday.” At the Gardner MA School Committee Meeting of 5-9-22, several members commented on students and the Art Show. View article.

• Oil – Gas Prices

  

  Oil and Gas in Gardner MA Hit All Time Highs

  Fuel Oil and Gas prices have hit the roof. A site reportedly showing the cheapest fuel oil prices in Massachusetts shows a price of $5.49 per gallon, which is only 30 cents lower than being charged by local oil companies in Gardner MA. One year ago the price was around $2.50. See current prices. Gas prices are running close to or over $4.50 per gallon throughout the area.  One year ago, the price was around $3 per gallon, Two years ago, the price was around $2 per gallon. Massachusetts is less expensive than California, where prices are approaching $7.00 per gallon. See current local area gas prices on the Gas Buddy Map. .

• School Committee 05-09-22

  

  Watch the meeting on the City of Gardner’s Youtube page or on our School Committee page. CLICK HERE.

  Great Students Focus of Hour-long Gardner MA School Committee Meeting on May 9, 2022

  During the meeting, a number of students from the Elm Street Student Council were recognized by Superintendent Mark Pellegrino. There’s was even a quick recess for a photo op with the students.

  Various reports were heard including from Robert Swartz of the Facilities Subcommittee: “Work on high school athletic fields continues, vendor is working very hard trying to bring them back to life again.  I’m getting reports that they’re looking better and better.” Mayor Nicholson noted that the painting in the Landry auditorium began on 5-9-22, hope is it will be done in time for concert next week. John Lafrieniere reported from the Finance Subcommittee,”We discussed student/staff meal pricing.   Will wait for more info to vote on possible price increase at June meeting.” Superintendent Pellegrino spoke about his goals including District improvement, increasing school and family partnerships, and creating a culture of dignity in the schools.

  School Committee Member Comments

  

  Anne Hurst during meeting stated, “As a disability advocate for more than 30 years, these are the types of things with special education and inclusion of students, the social-emotional learning, has been stuff than I and many other parents have been advocating for many, many years, and I am thrilled to see this coming to fruition, finally, and everybody has really done a lot of work to make this happen.  And I just think people ;need to know the history too, that this has been a long time coming.  … There are a lot of districts who don’t have anything like this.  We are lucky to have the dedicated people that we have.”

  Anne Hurst in comments stated “ I just want to congratulate the guidance counselors and all the students who were here tonight.  It is just, it makes me feel so good to see kids being involved in taking initiative, and you know, they’re gonna be our future leaders, and that’s, it’s very impressive what’s been going on.  I also did want to mention that May is Mental Health Month, you know, don’t ever think that it can’t happen to you or someone you know…people kinda suffer in silence.  I lost my brother about 7  years ago now to suicide, and don’t be one of those people who says, I never saw it coming, ‘cause there’s things you can do, there’s resources out there, and people are not going to reach out to you. Thank  you.”

  

  Shannon Ward Leighton stated “Echoing the same thing.  Just really happy to see all the positive things that are happening and I did want to mention: last week the Gardner Elementary School PTO put on at Art Show and it was huge, it was busy for the full 3 hours that I was there, and I know that there was a lot of funds raised to kind of pad the account next year, so when we open the new Elementary School, we have some resources available to do fun events for the kids, and just a big shout out to Missy Torez and Kelley Perkins, who it was kinda like, their baby to put this together and it was really cool. It was very cool, there was a lot of good raffle baskets.  There were bikes and a lot of parents donated a lot of money for their kids artwork which is very cool.  And the photo booth was a really big hit… “

  

  Jennifer Pelavin” I also want to thank the Elm Street School student council.  My daughter was a part of it, so obviously I know what little projects they did.  It was amazing how much they got to do.  I think they met for like an hour, maybe, I think it was every other week, and it was amazing what they accomplished in that short time period.  And also I did attend the art gallery last week and it was amazing to see how many parents, were there, I mean, it was packed.  For the people walking around purchasing the art, and I think it was a great idea and hopefully we can do it, hopefully yearly, would be nice, because I think it’s something that you know it’s neat for the kids to go and see somebody pay for something they created too.  It really gave them a sense of worth that way, so, that is all, thank you.”

  

  Robert Swartz “I’m looking forward to… when I’ll be attending the Special Olympics on Watkins Field, I’m looking forward to that.  Special Olympics of May,… well the 26th.  I hope those kids don’t lose their ambition to volunteer.  As they’ll get older, they’ll be interested in other things, but I just hope the momentum keeps going. And it’s great for them to do all that volunteering.  Thanks for Seaman Paper and Garlock Industries for donating $5500 each to Junior/Senior Prom.  We haven’t had a prom for a couple of years, so it’s great to see the train rolling down the track again. That’s all I have.”

  

  John LaFrieniere, “Just thank the Elm Street School Student Council, that was really nice to see, and motivating I think, you know. To see that young and all they’re doing, is great.  Hopefully it does continue. And I know Rachael didn’t make it here tonight, but just let her know if she’s watching, she’s got some homework….a stack of things to sign.

  

  Mayor Nicholson, “On my end I also want to thank the Elm Street School Student Council for coming tonight.  It was great to have that pizza lunch with them the other day too.  They went through a list of 22 questions that they have previously prepared beforehand, and they were very thoughtful in those questions too, I’ll say that.  It’s nice to see them getting involved.

  Just to give people an update as they are planning their commutes to and from school.: We did have to adjust our paving schedule to a more condensed season this year due to gas prices and our contract expiring at the end of June, which would cause the prices to go up further.  For us, we were locked in at a lower rate, but where that ends at the end of the fiscal year, ….work on Pearl Street will be completed by May 19^th, Central Street, West Lynde, West and Monadnock will have work done between May23rd and May31st. Parker Street, West, and Monadnock will be paved on June 1st. And Woodlawn Avenue will have work done between June 13th and June 17th, so that’s a lot more condensed than we normally have our paving season. Our price of asphalt is going up 40% on July 1st.

  Nicholson continued, “Congratulations to all of our alum who are graduating from college over the next couple of weeks here…You can come home to Gardner after you graduate college, we have a lot waiting for you here. I want to thank the 30 to 40 volunteers from Gardner High School who helped in the citywide litter cleanup this past weekend. It was great to see so many of our students out, not only just around the schools but also on Rear Main Street and several other places around the City. it was really nice to see the younger generation of our city to be getting involved like that and having that be the example of other people to follow in the community.”

  Nicholson continued, “I did go to Boston today for the governor’s new Forward Bill…In the 3.5 billion dollars in ARPA funding…. there’s also increased funding for innovative pathways and early college programs that we’ll be looking at. I also plan to put up the money for the Snack Shack bathrooms, or at least a substantial portion at the June City Council meeting. And the City Budget will also be presented for that first June meeting as well.”

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