Appointments committee recommends confirmation of Jason Stevens as Gardner City planning director

Jason Stevens, director of community development and planning, was recommended for confirmation by the Gardner City Council appointments committee on May 14 after committee members reviewed his first four months on the job.

The committee's recommendation follows a short interview during which Stevens summarized projects he said his small team is managing, including implementation and drafting of the city master plan, work on a hazard mitigation plan, a housing priority zone, the rear main project, completion of the North Central Pathway and a CDBG application for fiscal year 2026. Stevens said the department is “down to just myself, my administrative assistant, and my conservation agent” while he completes hiring and structuring work. “I'm really proud of the work that we've done, me and my team,” he said.

The reappointment matters because the planning director oversees multiple near‑term projects that affect public infrastructure and development. Committee members asked about Stevens's background, his approach to communication and department staffing, and recommended the appointment to the full council so the city can move forward with project permitting and the department hiring process.

Stevens told the committee he has prioritized communication with citizens and departmental transparency, especially in interactions with the Economic and Community Development Standing Committee. He described recent and upcoming work: addressing unforeseen site conditions on the rear main project using geotech fabric to prevent settling before paving; finishing construction on the North Central Pathway and pursuing grants to extend it; preparing to pave Crystal Lake Drive; overseeing a Main Street demolition listed in the record as “205213 Main”; and submitting a Community Development Block Grant application for FY 2026 to the state. He also said he was appointed to the city cultural council to help process reimbursements for FY24 and FY25 grantees.

Committee members praised Stevens's responsiveness and said they have observed his monthly updates at standing committee meetings. “He has quickly absorbed a very large amount of information,” Councilor Kacinskas said, praising his “goal oriented and solutions focused approach.” Chair Heath and Councilor Haglund also expressed support; Haglund moved to recommend confirmation and Kacinskas seconded. A roll‑call vote recorded unanimous support from the committee members present and the committee voted to recommend confirmation. The appointment, if approved by the full council, would run through Jan. 16, 2026.

Stevens told the committee he expects to make an offer soon for an assistant director and said a fuller staff would allow him to delegate tasks now handled by himself. He encouraged residents to participate in the master plan public workshop he described as “next week” from “05:30 to 7” in the Perry Auditorium at City Hall and urged local input to shape the city's development over the next two decades.

The committee's recommendation is advisory; the full Gardner City Council will consider the confirmation at a later meeting.