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Finance committee trims budget lines, consolidates professional development funds and accepts insurance renewal
Summary
Gardner City Finance Committee moved several budget recommendations: it voted to reduce the executive aide salary to FY2026 levels, moved departmental professional development/travel items into the mayor's unclassified account, noted a 12.5% Blue Cross renewal, and agreed to continue studying salt-shed repayment and facilities staffing.
The Gardner City Finance Committee on May 26 reviewed department-by-department line items for the FY2027 budget and approved multiple recommendations affecting personnel and operating lines.
Key committee actions: a motion to recommend reducing the executive aide salary back to the FY2026 amount was moved, seconded and carried by voice vote (motion recorded as carried). Separately, Councilor Verma moved—and the committee approved—a recommendation to remove department-level professional development and travel line items and consolidate them into the mayor's unclassified account (setting those departmental lines to $0 in the mayor's departmental listing). The committee asked staff to provide an accurate year-to-date spending report before full budget hearings to confirm consolidated numbers.
Purchasing staff noted that at least one new hire will require MCPPO certification with an estimated training cost (approximately $600 per class; three classes are required for certification). The committee and staff discussed encumbrances (carryover funds) and confirmed that encumbered funds remain within departments but can offset near-term training costs.
The mayor reported the city will remain with Blue Cross at a 12.5% premium increase; open-enrollment letters reflecting that change were distributed. The committee also discussed the salt-shed repayment item: the mayor said the law department has advised certain uses of stabilization funds would be illegal, and staff are developing a reallocation plan and repayment schedule expected by fiscal year end.
The committee concluded its agenda by recommending the chief of staff job description to the full council (see separate article) and approving a substitute amendment to the compensation schedule that lowers the chief of staff starting salary to $70,000.
Votes at a glance: executive aide salary reduction — approved (voice vote); removal/consolidation of PD/travel lines — approved (voice vote); recommendation of chief of staff to full council — approved 2-1; amendment to lower chief of staff starting salary to $70,000 — approved (voice vote).
The committee adjourned after approving the listed motions and instructing staff to update budget documents for the council.
