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Council asks mayor for written plan after auditor finds building‑permit workflow lapses
Summary
Following an auditor report that recent building permits bypassed required departmental checks, the Gardner City Council invoked charter authority to request a written mayoral response within 14 days detailing operational changes to bring the permit workflow into compliance.
Citing an auditor review that found building‑permit workflows had bypassed required financial checks, the Gardner City Council on June 15 moved and passed a request that the mayor submit a written plan within 14 days describing operational changes to bring the building department into compliance with city code.
Councilor Nyros outlined the auditor's findings, saying every recent permit had skipped the assessor's review and nearly all had omitted treasurer and civil enforcement officer checks required by code. "When we bypass these checkpoints, we lose vital revenue verification and cross‑department coordination," Nyros told the council as she moved the request under City Charter section 25.
Councilors said the lack of documentation and missed deadline for the mayor's update (a June 11 deadline referenced in the packet) showed the issue had not been resolved. Councilor Mack and others praised the auditor's efforts and supported the request for a prompt, written corrective plan.
The motion passed on voice vote; the council expects the mayor's written response within 14 days and reserved the right to follow up if the auditor's concerns are not addressed.
Next steps: The mayor was asked to provide a written explanation and timeline for workflow changes to restore compliance; the council may pursue further action if the response is incomplete.
