Mayor halts pursuit of sludge‑landfill expansion; council hears finance committee concerns over salt‑shed repayment and DPW donation

Mayor Nixon told the Gardner City Council on Tuesday that he has directed the city’s Department of Public Works and Engineering Department to discontinue pursuing any further expansion of the existing sludge landfill while state and federal reviews are completed. “After reviewing the reports received from the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act office and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, I’ve directed the city’s Department of Public Works and Engineering Department to discontinue any further pursuing of any further expansion of the existing sludge landfill,” Nixon said.

The mayor said he reached the decision after weighing fiscal and environmental concerns and reiterated the need to let regulatory and feasibility reviews run their course before making a final decision. He told the council, “It would have been easy for me to simply torpedo this project when we first came into office… But by making a snap decision… is not what people in leadership position should do.” Nixon said his administration will continue to update the council as it works toward alternatives.

The…