Michael Joseph Nicholson sworn in as Gardner mayor, pledges housing and infrastructure push

Michael Joseph Nicholson took the oath of office and delivered his inaugural address at a ceremony in Gardner, pledging to push housing reforms, finish downtown and neighborhood infrastructure work and continue investments in schools and public safety.

In his address, Mayor Michael Joseph Nicholson highlighted recent local policy changes, calling the HOME Act “a step” toward easing housing shortages and saying, “we now allow tiny homes in all residential districts.” He said the city has increased multifamily zoning and reduced parking and lot‑size requirements to encourage development.

Nicholson cited investments in education and workforce partnerships as examples of the administration’s priorities. He highlighted the Monachusett Vocational Partnership Academy, a rotating program that lets Gardner High students attend Monte Tech for trade instruction, and said the city has completed school facility upgrades, including renovation of Landry Auditorium and athletic facilities.

The mayor outlined recent public‑safety equipment purchases and planned replacements, saying the city bought two fire engines, a heavy rescue truck and two ambulances in the last five years and expects to add a ladder truck and another ambulance soon. Nicholson also said the city reinstated a full‑time domestic violence advocate after 10 years and increased library hours at the Levi Haywood Memorial Library to 50 hours per week.

On community aid, Nicholson announced the city invested $150,000 in community development block grant funds to support the Gardner Community Action Committee and the Montechusia Veterans Outreach Center’s food pantries, calling the move a response to rising demand.

Financially, the mayor credited a new on‑call partnership with Keller Partners for grant writing and lobbying, saying the arrangement brought in “over $52,000,000 in grant funds for various projects around the city.” He said a recently completed school project came in more than $10 million under earlier conservative estimates, freeing local funds for repairs at City Hall, the new community center and other priorities.

Looking ahead, Nicholson said the city will break ground on a South Gardner infrastructure improvement project to bury overhead wires, install sidewalks and Victorian‑style lighting, and pursue energy projects including rooftop solar and electric‑vehicle chargers on municipal property.

City Council President George Tyros, who preceded Nicholson at the podium, framed the council’s role as a check on the executive and urged continued fiscal discipline as state and federal funding conditions shift.

The ceremony included musical performances by the Greater Gardner Community Choir and the Gardner Middle School Select Choir, an invocation by Father Luke Johnson and a benediction by Pastor Leroy Dixon. Titi Sarafin, city clerk, read the certified election results and conducted the roll call and oath for school committee members and city councilors earlier in the program.

The program closed with the newly sworn officials exiting the stage; organizers asked the audience to remain seated during the procession.