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Council defers Mackay Park report, ECD updates Greenwood Pool timeline and CDBG awards
Summary
Councilor Kacinskas asked to defer the Mackay Park investigation until the mayor can attend; Economic & Community Development provided updates on Main Street projects, Greenwood Pool phase 1 (under budget) and hazard mitigation planning, and the council placed the update on file.
Councilor Kacinskas told the Gardner City Council she would ask for more time on the Mackay Park investigation so the mayor could be present for the full department presentation. "I don't think the council should recognize a department head during our meeting, who is overseen by the mayor without the mayor present," Kacinskas said, and asked that the item be rescheduled. The council agreed to give more time to the item.
At the Economic and Community Development update, Kacinskas summarized several projects. She said 205–213 Main Street and the Garbos property share a similar review process; the Garbos appraisal is complete but the project is waiting on an environmental premium cost estimate before moving forward with a land disposition agreement through the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities because the site falls under urban renewal.
She reported that Rear Main Street remains on schedule for a May 31 completion but noted National Grid must relocate poles and wires before certain work can proceed. Regarding Greenwood Pool, Councilor Kacinskas said phase 1 demolition is complete and came in under budget by about $148,000. She said $38,000 of that was awarded to MVOC and about $110,000 to the Gardner CAC using CDBG funds from a prior award year; phase 2 (the Greenwood Memorial Pavilion) is planned next and will depend on securing funding.
Kacinskas also described hazard mitigation plan outreach, noting chapters 1–5 are completed and chapters 6–8 are under review before presentation to the planning board and council. She said two proposed housing developments (Centuryway and the Pearl Plan) were submitted for preliminary site plan review.
Councilor Mack asked whether the Greenwood Pool pavilion design has been approved and whether the design will be publicly posted. Kacinskas said the funding source needs to be nailed down before detailed design work is released and directed further questions to Director Stevens. The council placed the Economic & Community Development update on file.
