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Gardner council confirms mayoral appointments, elects city clerk and approves multiple budget transfers
Summary
In addition to contested school funding, the Gardner City Council on June 15 confirmed multiple mayoral appointments, elected Jennifer Pavven as city clerk, adopted a five‑year housing production plan and approved a slate of budget transfers and free‑cash appropriations.
The Gardner City Council on June 15 handled a large portion of its consent and committee business, confirming mayoral appointments, electing a new city clerk and approving a range of budget transfers and free‑cash appropriations.
The council unanimously confirmed multiple mayoral appointments to commissions and boards (golf commission, redevelopment authority, cemetery commission, planning board, cultural council, council on aging and bandstand committee members) following committee recommendations.
On Item 11852 the council elected Jennifer Pavven as city clerk for a three‑year term effective July 6, 2026. The clerk's role was filled after the special search committee reported 49 applicants and three finalists; the nomination passed by an affirmative voice roll call and the clerk was sworn in during a brief recess.
The council also adopted the city's five‑year housing production plan (Item 11837) and a municipal surplus‑property plan (Item 11845) intended to identify properties that could be repurposed or sold to return parcels to the tax rolls. Both measures were presented by the administration and recommended by the finance committee.
On routine fiscal business, the council approved several transfers and free‑cash appropriations: transfers to cover DPW repairs and equipment purchases (including $100,000 from maintenance salaries to repairs), an order to move $40,470 from sewer retained earnings to DPW equipment, a $40,000 water‑enterprise transfer for meter purchases to continue replacing meters (an ongoing program to replace roughly 6,600 meters, with this appropriation funding an estimated additional 1,200–1,300), and free‑cash appropriations including $573,186 to the snow‑and‑ice account and $355,000 to fire department overtime to address staffing shortages.
Votes: Most routine items passed on voice vote or unanimous roll calls as recommended by committees. The housing production plan and municipal surplus plan were adopted after motions to waive rules; the free cash and transfer orders were approved after committee statements and, in a few cases, limited requests for additional vetting.
What happens next: The city clerk assumes office July 6; the housing‑ and surplus‑property plans guide future land use and housing work; the approved transfers allow departments to close the fiscal year and continue scheduled meter replacements and maintenance work.
