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Committee reviews donations for police programs, asks for clearer documentation
Summary
The committee discussed three donation measures: a $5,000 gift from Lin Bario for the junior police academy, a U.S. Capitol–flown flag from Keller Partners, and a three‑year lease of a 2026 Chevrolet pickup for the K9 program. Members requested more specific documentation and said timing was not urgent.
The Gardner City Finance Committee on July 1 reviewed three donation items intended to support police programs and city commemorations.
Item 11872 proposed accepting a $5,000 donation from Lin Bario in memory of retired Deputy Chief Rock Bario to support the community policing division’s junior police academy. The Mayor said the funds would go toward the junior police academy and noted that previous donations from Ms. Bario supported the program. One councilor who teaches at the high school praised Officer Bario’s rapport with students and supported the donation; the chief’s office has indicated the junior police academy will be renamed in 2026 to honor Officer Bario.
Members asked for more detail about the specific use of the $5,000 and for that information to be included on the donation form rather than only in the attached letter. The Mayor said the standard template from the Department of Local Services (DLS) was being used but that the city could add more specific information.
Item 11873 is a donation from Keller Partners Company of an American flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary; the Mayor said the flag was obtained with help from Senator Ed Marky and would be displayed in a case at City Hall. Item 11874 is a proposed three‑year lease donation of a 2026 Chevrolet pickup for the Gardner Police Department K9 program. Committee members indicated the timing for action on these donations was not urgent and asked staff to provide narrower descriptions (what was donated and estimated values) in the next meeting packet.
No final acceptance votes were recorded at the committee meeting; members agreed to carry the items forward with clearer documentation for formal acceptance.
