# Gardner Finance Committee Meeting Oct 28 2026


**Body:** City of Gardner Massachusetts
**Date:** November 05, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Construction & Infrastructure, Physical Infrastructure


The Gardner City Council Finance Committee meeting, identified in the title as October 28, 2026 (the provided meeting timestamp is November 5, 2026), reviewed several proposed collective bargaining agreements for FY2027–FY2029. Agreements for city maintenance and clerical staff, animal control officers, police superior officers, and police dispatchers were discussed, but no ratification votes were taken; the items were kept in committee pending financial analysis and corrections or clarification to contract language. The mayor said the agreements require separate council appropriations because their funding was not included in the June budget. The animal control agreement was estimated to have an approximately $19,000 impact in FY2027. The other agreements generally include cost-of-living increases of 1%, 2.5%, and 2.5%, with the auditor preparing cost and department-budget analyses.

The committee also discussed a proposed $1.3 million sewer enterprise fund borrowing for wastewater treatment facility improvements, with repayment information provided for review; the item remained in committee. Funding for underground storage tank removal was not yet identified, and the city was communicating with the state about a longer-term plan. The city is compiling a vehicle fleet inventory and considering vehicles for surplus, with a finalized list expected around Thanksgiving. The auditor presented a first-quarter budget review, including areas to monitor such as fire vehicle repairs and police, fire, and DPW overtime. The committee voted to place the budget information on file and share a report with the full City Council. No vendor selections or procurement awards were identified.

**Source:** City of Gardner Massachusetts