GARDNER — The Gardner City Council launched its Fiscal Year 2026 budget process at its May 19 meeting, referring Mayor Michael Nicholson’s proposed spending plan to a committee of the whole for detailed review. The mayor’s plan includes a $36.7 million school budget and about $44 million for general city departments (with roughly $29.3 million for operating expenses and $14.6 million for personnel costs). The Council unanimously voted to schedule an informal budget workshop and tasked its subcommittees with examining their respective portions of the proposal.
State Representative Jonathan Zlotnik (D–Gardner), who has served in the Massachusetts House since 2013 despite being only 35 years old, attended the May 19 meeting to brief councilors on the state budget’s impact on local finances. He said that between 40% and 45% of Gardner’s budget comes from direct state aid, excluding additional grants and programs, and emphasized how critical those state-level decisions are for the city. Zlotnik described Massachusetts as being on “pretty good financial footing,” citing the state’s $8 billion stabilization fund—by dollar amount it’s the third highest in the nation—which now generates enough interest to leverage additional federal funding. He also noted that the House budget rejected $471 million in tax increases proposed by the governor and maintained several relief programs, including the expanded senior circuit breaker tax credit, which he called “underutilized.”
“Essentially, what the circuit breaker tax credit does is this: if the amount you pay in local taxes—either as a property owner or as a share of the property you rent—exceeds a certain percentage of your income as a senior citizen, the ‘circuit breaker’ flips,” Zlotnik said. “You can then receive money from the state to help offset that cost. I think that’s important to note, especially as housing costs continue to rise. It’s something we’re making a strong effort to raise awareness about, particularly for seniors.”
Education remains the largest component of state aid. Zlotnik said approximately 71% of Gardner’s K–12 education costs are now covered through Chapter 70 funding, thanks to reforms under the Student Opportunity Act.
Unlike many surrounding districts, Gardner has seen rising student enrollment, which boosts per-pupil funding. “Gardner has sort of gone against the trend of many districts in this area and… it’s actually seen increased enrollment, where many districts in the greater region are seeing either stagnant enrollment or declining enrollment,” Zlotnik said. He also highlighted state support for charter school tuition reimbursements, special education circuit breaker funds, and the continuation of universal free school meals. “There’s also half a billion dollars set aside for special education circuit breaker, similar to the concept behind the other circuit breaker program I spoke of,” he noted, “and an increase to almost $200 million to cover the cost of lost enrollment” for charter schools.
Zlotnik further noted continued legislative support for local nonprofits and services in Gardner, including the Gardner Community Action Committee (CAC) and Growing Places, both of which are developing space at the former Waterford Street School into a community center. “The legislature through direct appropriations support[s] not just the CAC, but also Growing Places…supporting their respective organizations’ move into and the further development of the community center at the former Waterford Street School,” he said.
He also highlighted the city’s eligibility for annual prison mitigation funding as compensation for hosting a state correctional facility. Gardner is home to the North Central Correctional Institution, a medium-security state prison operated by the Massachusetts Department of Correction. “Gardner, in exchange for hosting a state prison, receives anywhere from $115,000 to $135,000 to cover associated costs,” Zlotnik explained.
Concluding his remarks, Zlotnik emphasized the collaborative nature of the state budgeting process, noting that the House passed the budget in the last week of April with a final vote of 154 to 5. “Of those 13 budgets that I participated in, this is the 12th that has passed overwhelmingly near unanimously with broad bipartisan support,” he said, calling it “a commitment to compromise among House members” and a demonstration that “the biggest and most important piece of legislation that Massachusetts does every year almost always passes unanimously or near unanimously.”
Later in the meeting, councilors unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance creating a new Economic Development and Finance Manager position for the city’s Community Development and Planning Department. The role – which consolidates two existing jobs into one – will be added to the city’s non-union compensation plan at an annual salary of $85,000. According to officials, 30% of that cost will be covered by a federal Community Development Block Grant, with the remaining 70% paid by the city’s budget. By merging the positions and expanding their scope, the change is expected to free up over $30,000 in grant funds that can be reinvested in local development projects and services.
The Council also confirmed the mayor’s appointment of Jason Stevens as Director of Community Development and Planning, formalizing his role after several months in an interim capacity. Stevens previously worked at the Boston Chamber of Commerce. Councilor Brad Heglin, reporting for the Appointments Committee, lauded Stevens’ performance, saying he “brings a lot of energy, enthusiasm and relevant skills to the job.” Heglin noted that between a lengthy committee interview and four months of close observation, Stevens “probably [became] the most thoroughly reviewed mayoral appointment in a long time.” Council President George Tyros and other councilors echoed their support in unanimously confirming Stevens for a term through January 2026.
In other business, the Council approved a measure authorizing the Gardner Community Action Committee to modify its leased space at the Waterford Street community center. The nonprofit plans to erect a partition wall to meet federal guidelines for securing food pantry storage. Councilors additionally confirmed Michael Budwick – a long-serving member of the city’s Golf Commission and a local business owner – for a new term on that commission. They also approved the appointment of Brian Hall, who recently moved to Gardner after serving on Athol’s Conservation Commission since 2016, as a member of Gardner’s Conservation Commission. All the above measures passed with unanimous or near-unanimous support.
