Gardner City safety committee recommends FY2026 budget, flags police and fire overtime requests and nonunion pay grid change

The Gardner City Public Safety Committee voted May 22 to recommend the City Council approve the city’s proposed FY2026 budget as presented, citing a roughly 2% increase over last year and a series of department-specific pressures that will require follow-up action by councilors and staff.

Committee leaders said the city’s budget team built revenue projections conservatively — using about 96% of the three‑year average on many line items — and that several departments will seek free‑cash appropriations this year to cover mid‑year overages. The committee approved the recommendation by voice vote (motion by Councilor Brooks; second by Councilor Hardin). All members present voted in favor.

The committee’s discussion focused on a handful of high‑priority cost drivers. The fire department will ask the full council for a free‑cash appropriation to cover an overtime overage estimated at $260,000, primarily attributed to deployments, injuries and mutual‑aid responses. The police department expects a free‑cash request of about $170,000, driven largely by vacancies and the need to backfill officers on overtime.

Budget staff said several near‑term workforce changes should relieve some pressure: a…