Gardner mayor highlights $52 million in grants, school gains and infrastructure projects in State of the City address

Mayor Nicholson on Tuesday evening delivered the annual State of the City report to a joint meeting of the Gardner City Council and the Gardner School Committee, outlining recent grant wins, infrastructure work, K–12 enrollment gains and plans for a new master plan to guide housing and downtown development.

The mayor told the assembled councilors, school committee members and visiting officials that Gardner has brought in more than $52,000,000 in grant funding since hiring professional grant writers, funded a new water transmission main with a $1,000,000 grant and additional city investment, and has projects underway or planned across the city including a rear Main Street redevelopment and a new nonprofit community center at the former Waterford Street School.

The report matters because the grants and projects Mayor Nicholson described fund capital work the city says will reduce operating costs, support new housing and spur private investment in downtown Gardner. The mayor said those investments let the city undertake projects it otherwise could not afford and improve services for residents.

Mayor Nicholson said the city updated the administrative portion of its city code last year and described recent charter amendments approved by voters and signed by the governor as the most substantive update to the Gardner City Charter since 1923. "The state of our city is strong," the mayor said, praising collaboration with the state and neighboring municipal leaders.

On education, the mayor said Gardner Public Schools have reduced the number of students leaving the district since 2018 and now show a net gain of students for the first time since 2013. He credited an expanded early college program, a partnership with Mount Wachusett Community College for automotive and manufacturing pathways, and a rotating-week partnership with Monty Tech that allows students to earn industry credentials while receiving a Gardner High School diploma. The mayor added that plumbing will be added as a shop option next year and highlighted investments in elementary and middle school curricula and professional development.

Infrastructure highlights in the address included a recently installed water transmission main connecting the Crystal Lake treatment plant to storage tanks on James Street. The mayor said that project — funded in part by a $1,000,000 grant and additional city investment over four years — is saving roughly 80,000,000 gallons of water annually that had been lost to leaks. He cited a catastrophic water main break on Aug. 3, 2021, that released nearly 4,000,000 gallons and said the city has begun a valve-exercising program to test and replace aging shutoff valves.

Other capital work the mayor listed: construction of a new salt shed, full reconstruction of the municipal airport runway and taxiway, purchase of a new ambulance, fire engine, heavy rescue and ladder truck, expanded bicycle infrastructure and a downtown parking study to plan for anticipated housing and commercial growth. He said the rear Main Street redevelopment — featuring new parking, an event plaza, water park, food court and outdoor seating — is expected to be completed within the year and was supported by a $3,500,000 grant the mayor described in his remarks.

On downtown revitalization, Mayor Nicholson said two vacant storefront revitalization districts created in March 2023 have reduced vacancy in downtown from 34 to 11 and in the South Gardner corridor from 10 to 2. He told the meeting that the downtown electrical grid has reached capacity for current projects and that National Grid must deliver seven new transformers to continue some work.

The mayor announced that the city contracted Barrett Planning Group to draft Gardner's first master plan. He directed staff to include a housing production plan to identify areas for growth, address permitting and "unnecessary red tape," and propose approaches to multifamily housing, accessory dwelling units and tiny homes. He also said he will present reforms aimed at improving interdepartmental coordination and project oversight following problems on a recent Mackie Park project.

Community services mentioned include a new nonprofit community center under development at the former Waterford Street School, leases with the Gardner Community Action Committee and Growing Places for food distribution and expanded pantry services, and an expanded summer recreation program that served more than 400 students in 2024. The mayor also said the City Council unanimously approved an administration recommendation to waive 100% of property taxes for Gold Star families living in Gardner and described a new veterans work-off pilot program that provides property tax relief in exchange for volunteer service.

Transportation initiatives the mayor described include a local on-demand service the remarks named (transcription) and expanded shuttle service to the Wachusett commuter rail station in partnership with local operators to provide alternatives to driving on Route 2.

The mayor closed by saying the city has "cut back red tape," seen a rise in private investment and remains focused on completing projects on schedule while planning for long-term growth.

Adjournment: At the end of the joint meeting, Councilor Kaczynski moved to adjourn, Councilor Brooks seconded, and the motion carried.