Committee recommends new economic development and finance manager position, backs $85,000 compensation

The Gardner City Economic and Community Development Planning Committee recommended creating a single economic development and finance manager position for the Community Development and Planning Department and asked the full City Council to consider an ordinance amendment to add the new job to the nonunion compensation schedule with total compensation set at $85,000.

Committee members said the position combines two previous roles, aims to improve project and grant management, and is intended to reduce turnover and increase the department’s capacity to pursue state and federal funds. The committee voted to recommend approval and to send the ordinance to first printing with the compensation amendment.

Committee discussion focused on the job’s responsibilities and salary. Members said the role requires project-management and financial skills to handle grant administration and economic development work. The director of the Community Development and Planning Department, Dorothy Stevens, submitted a written narrative and job description that the committee reviewed; Stevens was not present at the May 16 meeting. Several committee members said the proposed $75,000 salary originally included in the materials would not be competitive and supported raising total compensation by $10,000 to $85,000.

Councilor Heath said the new structure “strengthens DCDP by integrating financially and developmental oversight into a single leadership role,” and said the combination improves coordination and yields cost savings. President Tyre said the net savings from combining two positions “is actually going towards CDBG funding,” adding the change could free funds for infrastructure and social services.

The committee’s recommendation covers two related agenda items: an order to create and approve the job description (item 11510) and an ordinance to amend the City of Gardner Code, Chapter 171 (personnel), Schedule E (nonunion compensation schedule) to add the position (item 11511). The committee asked staff to verify whether the recommended action should go to first printing or be adopted in a different manner before the full council meeting.

Next steps: The committee sent its recommendation to the full City Council and asked that the ordinance be placed on first printing with the amended compensation amount; the ordinance will require the usual printing steps (first and second printing) before final adoption. The director’s narrative and the job description will appear in the council packet for the full Council’s consideration.