Gardner City Council Flags Budget Errors, Eyes June 22 Vote on FY 2027 Spending Plan

GARDNER — June 8, 2026 — Gardner City Council opens FY 2027 budget review, flags transposition errors and presses for new oversight controls. The council met Monday as a committee of the whole to conduct its first full review of the mayor's proposed budget, which totals roughly $96 million across salary, expense, school, cable, and enterprise accounts. Transpositions discovered during standing-committee hearings will require the mayor to resubmit corrected orders for at least two of five budget items — the general fund expense order rises from $31,275,107 to $31,278,725, and the enterprise fund order is corrected to $11,637,208 — ahead of the June 15 regular council meeting. Council President Tyrus warned that Gardner is "only a few financial missteps away" from the layoffs and service cuts hitting other central Massachusetts communities. Councilors also pressed the mayor for a formal written policy and department-by-department accounting for a new consolidated professional development and travel account, and flagged the snow and ice line as chronically underbudgeted at $300,000 against actuals exceeding $1 million in the current fiscal year. Budget amendments are due to the city clerk by June 17, with a final council vote scheduled for June 22.