[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6147919,"mediaKeyId","5518667-17a4776b45a8572d51b1641c8bbf30ba","parentId",5518667,"title","Appointments committee asks for more time on several nominations, to draft formal committee rules","audioSeconds",62,"startMs",1755000,"endMs",1817070,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518667-17a4776b45a8572d51b1641c8bbf30ba&start=1755&end=1817","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518667-17a4776b45a8572d51b1641c8bbf30ba/thumbnail_1755000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6147919/Gardner-City/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Appointments-committee-asks-for-more-time-on-several-nominations-to-draft-formal-committee-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147919-32f596fe04a39c68d466cca1fa59f1a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1774934835&Signature=TF3uakJNoKQbexxnuXBI4P79yDeBu4UADWBfNiKFP3hizS2jSZvCVHTbmxAa8uvN-nIxnVEAOqgDZZNDzcmb3KedEpgRLc1w5xjs-c757va1XwF1gQT2n7XZz0LFFr4nK1SCaM5HFqdI8AFpTBphKHDzfEK0N6X1japJj9XncQGCFpwJPfjHP-PdATtnDR8XQrOrCybt0wb179omjCg4R3Sz8aqopdJRvdRI0d1nxOUUEHcu7~jWLhTSa95yHqbg7o8iYMY~vQBZyqW7Vrz82xWsQ-2JO2zJVyasQZLyFw5E-OY-Oi-shHIoF~LRsc5xWxAvbmNF6XUFVR4bxjBraA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Gardner City, MA","date","2025-07-31T17:20:49Z","article","The Appointments Committee of the Gardener City Council on July 30 delayed consideration of several mayoral nominations and instructed staff to provide additional materials. Committee members asked for more time or write-ups for items including agenda items numbered 11551, 11617 and 11621, and agreed there was no objection to holding those items for a future meeting.

Committee members said the additional materials would help the committee vet appointees and provide consistent documentation to the full council. Chair Heath thanked committee members for identifying discrepancies in prior submissions and announced he would prepare a draft of formal committee rules for review and a committee vote at the next meeting. “To help with this, I’ll be preparing a draft, rules for the committee to review and vote on at our next meeting,” the chair said.

The committee stated the same review process will be used for other council-elected positions and emphasized transparency and consistent paperwork. The meeting adjourned after the committee recommended two appointments and deferred the remaining items for later consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Gardner Appointments Committee Meeting July 30 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its July 30 meeting, the Gardener City Council Appointments Committee placed several mayoral nominations on hold for further write-ups and said it will prepare draft formal rules for the committee to review at the next meeting.","taxTitle","Gardner City, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",60679,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6147922,"Appointments committee recommends re-election of current treasurer and collector of taxes",108,722000,830000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518667-17a4776b45a8572d51b1641c8bbf30ba&start=722&end=830","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518667-17a4776b45a8572d51b1641c8bbf30ba/thumbnail_722000.jpg","/articles/6147922/Gardner-City/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Appointments-committee-recommends-re-election-of-current-treasurer-and-collector-of-taxes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147922-9740652fced5bbfef3b6f668c16597f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1774934835&Signature=O73UNQO8H4pBpVYw2CISMPWQjiaX5LQVofLoev1p5gWSUs~dl0ltx0v089FRrloYZ7OXYfX8T5VF-ZYnADJMFDAEe5sg53z9-x14ru8bn7SnWr5O1ItJQWeWoloUyv-DH92jQDpDDLlVIJU5vV5pWzayg7uF2HOqnB86awgbFRLGLcTSRpZqMbyvHyPuSm67TBEzVfNW-alCXsOfhgAwct5SYg9DwWKuzS64ygVdgJq5Sbrd-l36DWvCHraFBIXA~ZJ5lNPGFny803EleDtsv-SSpPlzRChl9KrczWaWJRa9-bXDjvEeAXK-IoY5zUStrSbqqc5FGL7C1apvA-WkNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On July 30, 2025, the Gardener City Council Appointments Committee voted to recommend that the full council elect the city’s current treasurer as treasurer and collector of taxes effective Aug. 4, 2025. The committee’s recommendation followed a detailed briefing from the incumbent treasurer and a short discussion about systems and fiscal pressures.

The treasurer described the dual role’s responsibilities, saying the office processes payroll for all city employees, administers accounts payable, manages debt service and reconciles bank statements to the general ledger. “The treasurer plays an important role in the city. It’s wearing two different hats,” the treasurer said in opening remarks, outlining payroll processing, tax remittances and vendor payments.

The treasurer told the committee the office processes weekly federal and state tax payments, prepares annual W-2 forms and oversees automated clearing and electronic funds transfers for vendors. The office also manages parking meter receipts, 37 regular bank accounts, 22 escrow accounts and a retirement account, and reconciles daily online payments. “The city is currently rated AA minus,” the treasurer said when asked about the city’s credit rating.

On revenue and borrowing, the treasurer said the city has roughly $11,000,000 of debt inside the statutory borrowing limit and about $55,500,000 outside the debt limit, and cautioned that rising interest rates increase the cost of borrowing. “Until we see a change in that, I’d be hesitant to borrow money,” the treasurer said, describing higher recent interest rates compared with prior lows.

Committee members asked about operational challenges and upcoming system upgrades. The treasurer said an upgrade in the online-billing system should allow water, sewer and trash bills to be uploaded for online payment within roughly six months, improving convenience for taxpayers. The treasurer also said the office had resolved a prior reporting discrepancy with the auditor’s office that stemmed from a missing report and that the auditor now receives that information regularly.

Councilor Hageland moved to recommend the measure to the full council and Chair Heath seconded; the committee approved the recommendation by voice vote. The committee’s transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

The committee chair said the group intends to use the same review process for other council-elected positions (auditor and city clerk) in their respective election years. The measure now goes to the full council for the formal election on or after Aug. 4, 2025.","The Appointments Committee reviewed the mayor’s nomination and recommended the incumbent treasurer and collector of taxes be elected by the council effective Aug. 4, 2025; the treasurer described payroll, debt oversight and online payment upgrades as core duties and flagged borrowing costs and equipment/file upgrades as near-term fiscal concerns.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6147929,"Appointments committee recommends confirmation of Steve Hirons as sealer of weights and measures",1522,110000,1632000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518667-17a4776b45a8572d51b1641c8bbf30ba&start=110&end=1632","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518667-17a4776b45a8572d51b1641c8bbf30ba/thumbnail_110000.jpg","/articles/6147929/Gardner-City/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Appointments-committee-recommends-confirmation-of-Steve-Hirons-as-sealer-of-weights-and-measures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147929-fbe73e169706cae02d2654fe9efb8d3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1774934835&Signature=LgXNJ157igYPBKnEh5A14pjoVnQ8PYQRvXJz4RqcoSOWFWO0MY~~~YqXAMwLfT~hdgha7BPK7dcbwgDwsaS5zVY3Jl7ZuJ~yhvmSx1is67U46lwwo0-581sS1kZ7HODuvrDk47FfHGul2LVgQoW2fXDDDV-wNhpZDxeKlj0i59j8FxvQMfe5ebjIcOUJ2WenEWTvtprOark8wfvmysdx1sH1Tnf0tSkQ44qQHZzP~RfCNsw15f56nQsNi8PKUW~y1rJBuSBEkqukULYJO5gYhwZvJWQdR1dL7G0jbw7f2pLFSBH3xFWpQpFzjTnzql76dgUVCn09kYCm7F7vxu0waw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On July 30, 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Gardener City Council recommended that the full council confirm Steve Hirons as the city’s sealer of weights and measures. The committee moved to recommend confirmation by voice vote after an interview with Hirons during the committee’s meeting.

The sealer enforces measurement accuracy for consumer transactions in Gardener, a role Hirons described as validating scales, gas pumps, measuring devices and other instruments used in trade. “I am the sealer of weights and measures for the city of Gardener. I test all of the scales, gas pumps, oil trucks, measuring devices, yardsticks,” Hirons said during his interview, summarizing the office’s consumer-protection work.

Hirons told the committee he conducts annual testing of scales and gas pumps, and periodic tests of point-of-sale scanners. He said supermarkets are tested aisle-by-aisle using a division of standards protocol that samples many packaged items and requires a high accuracy threshold. “They have a testing system from the division of standards where we do a 100 products in the supermarket at least, and and they have to get 98 correct or they failed the test,” Hirons said. He also described using an approved 5-gallon prover to test fuel dispensers and said the office keeps equipment serial numbers and paperwork for four years for audits.

Committee members asked about challenges and resources; Hirons pointed to aging test equipment and the expense of replacement, saying some of the equipment in use dates to the start of his tenure decades ago. “The equipment today is the same equipment I used when I started. ... Every 10 or 12 years, they’ll say, alright, you gotta get new equipment. And that’s a really big expense for the city,” he told the committee.

During the interview Hirons provided several operational details the committee cited in discussion: that scanners are checked semiannually; that pump testing measures volume using the 5-gallon prover; and that he handles complaint-driven immediate re-testing when customers or businesses report suspected errors. Hirons described a recent pump test at a local station in which a pump was delivering noticeably over capacity and the station corrected the issue after testing.

Councilor Hegden moved to recommend confirmation and Chair Heath seconded; the committee approved the recommendation by voice vote. The committee did not record individual roll-call votes in the transcript.

The committee chair closed the item without further conditions. The measure will move to the full Gardener City Council for final confirmation.

For the public, the sealer’s work affects routine consumer purchases — groceries, fuel and other retail items — by checking that sales instruments report accurate weights and volumes. The committee’s recommendation forwards the mayor’s appointment to the full council on the council’s usual schedule.","The Gardener City Council Appointments Committee on July 30 recommended the full council confirm Steve Hirons as the city’s sealer of weights and measures after an interview in which Hirons described annual and periodic testing of scales, scanners and fuel pumps and raised equipment-age and recordkeeping as ongoing challenges.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Appointments committee asks for more time on several nominations, to draft formal committee rules

Appointments committee recommends re-election of current treasurer and collector of taxes

Appointments committee recommends confirmation of Steve Hirons as sealer of weights and measures