Gardner City Council approves $215,127 transfer to fund non-union salary overhaul

GARDNER -- July 6, 2026, Gardner City Council approves $215,127 salary transfer and welcomes new city clerk. The council voted 9-0 Monday on a roll-call vote to transfer $215,127.08 from the mayor's unclassified salary reserve to fund a new non-union compensation structure adopted last year, with the mayor supplying a chart detailing allocations to each affected position. The council also ratified step placement for the new city clerk at step one, crediting 4.5 of a possible 10 years of prior experience, with Councilor Mack noting the step difference carried a $1,579 salary implication. A proposed $4,160 transfer to fund exterior lettering at the historic Greenwood Memorial Pool, a 111-year-old facility established by the Greenwood and Haywood families, was referred back to the Finance Committee after multiple members said they wanted to see the adjacent pavilion completed first; a quote from Lyman Signs expires July 25, 2026. The council also authorized a three-year animal control agreement with the Town of Hubbardston through July 2029 and designated a Health Department inspector as a special municipal employee so he could simultaneously hold the new transfer station safety coordinator role.