George Tyros elected new president of Gardner City Council

GARDNER — At the Gardner City Council meeting on the evening of Monday, January 13, 2025, Councilor at Large George Tyros was unanimously elected as the council’s newest president by all 10 of his colleagues on the board.

Elizabeth Kazinskas, who has served as the council president since April 2020, nominated Tyros for the role at the meeting’s start. She emphasized the benefits of diverse leadership experience within the council, stating, “I have had the honor of serving as the Gardner City Council president for the past four years and nine months to the day.” Adding, “Currently, I am the sole member of the council who has served in the position [as president]. Councilor at Large George Tyros has demonstrated that he is more than capable of serving as the 39th president of the Gardner City Council.”

Kazinskas noted that Tyros, now in his third term on the council, has served on multiple standing committees, actively participated in city business, and consistently proven responsive and reliable to his constituents. “The knowledge he has gained serves as a substantial foundation for his future leadership of this council,” Kazinskas said.

After the election, Tyros, who had recused himself from the voting process, reflected on the upcoming year, noting that the council certainly has its work cut out for it.

“There are multiple transformative initiatives underway in our city that demand heightened focus and dedication to see them through,” Tyros said. “Completing those initiatives in alignment with our vision for Gardner is of utmost importance, because we cannot afford to slow down the progress we’ve made.”

Tyros committed to ensuring government transparency and accountability, stating, “It is our duty to ensure that the actions of municipal government are transparent, accountable, and in the best interests of our residents.”

Mayor Michael Nicholson congratulated Tyros, whom he described as both a friend and a fellow alum of Holy Rosary School, Gardner High School, and UMass Amherst.

“President Tyros has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership in fostering growth and development in Gardner,” Nicholson said. Adding, “From collaborating on ordinance proposals to support business expansion and address underutilized properties, to overseeing Community Development Block Grant projects, to brainstorming ideas for a stronger future for our city, I have witnessed first-hand his unwavering commitment and dedication to our residents and the community at large.”

Mayor Michael Nicholson also expressed gratitude to Kazinskas for her steadfast leadership and resilience, particularly during a critical period when she served as acting mayor during the pandemic.

“In April of 2020, when she took on not only the position of Council President, but also the city’s acting mayor, we were in the midst of a pandemic where information was changing almost daily,” Nicholson said. “Gardner was in a spot where progress could have easily been stunted due to the uncertainty of the times. However, thanks to her leadership while acting as mayor, her partnership as council president after I was elected and took office, and her vision for what Gardner can and should be – we’ve achieved milestones that were once thought to be impossible for Gardner.”