The meeting opened with the election of a council president pro tempore, with Council General Laz taking on the role for the evening. Following this, the council moved on to handle various orders and communications from the mayor. Among the topics, the council referred a non-union salary study to an informal meeting of the council as a whole.

One notable discussions revolved around the city’s cyber security. The order to appropriate funds from free cash to the IT department’s City Hall cyber security system account was presented by the finance committee, which had conducted a thorough study on the matter. The importance of robust cyber security measures was underscored in the council’s debate, with discussions on the necessity of obtaining multiple quotes for the service. However, the decision was made to proceed with the single quote received.

Furthermore, the council addressed a substantial financial commitment to enhance grant writing capabilities. The order appropriating $49,000 from free cash to the mayor’s Professional Services for grant writing was discussed in detail, with council members expressing support for the initiative. The finance committee approved the order, which was subsequently passed by the council. The allocation was earmarked for a seven-month contract with Keller Partners, aimed at securing Federal grant opportunities for Gardner. Council members, mindful of the responsibilities associated with grant management, emphasized the importance of diligent follow-up and effective utilization of the funds.

The meeting also saw the passage of an order appropriating $555,500 from free cash to the Elections and Registration Department. This allocation was intended to cover election officer salary and Professional Services expenses. The mayor had clarified the need for these funds due to overage expenses from recent elections, and the council members recognized the reimbursement received from the state for election expenses, lending their support to the appropriation.

In addition to financial matters, the council delved into legislative action with the petition for home rule legislation entitled an act changing the use of school land in the city of Gardner. The urgency of this matter was addressed by the mayor, and a second motion was passed by the council. Furthermore, the council discussed a measure to establish a Special Reserve fund for the opioid settlement and approved an easement from Kristoff Vardia to the city for snow storage on Rock Street.

Additionally, the council referred a measure to adopt a local option room occupancy excise rate increase for broader discussion.

Other items on the agenda involved infrastructure and public safety. The Service Committee supported a petition by National Grid and Verizon New England Incorporated to install a jointly owned pole on Allen Street, with the stipulation of adding a guywire to the pole, which the council approved. Meanwhile, the Safety Committee requested more time to deliberate on an ordinance related to vehicles and traffic, as well as ordinances regarding handicap parking and parking prohibitions on certain streets, awaiting action from the police department following 60-day trials.

Moreover, the Welfare Committee sought additional time for an ordinance to add a new chapter entitled agricultural commission to the city’s code.

As the meeting drew to a close, the council addressed the election of the city clerk. With the finance committee requesting more time and consideration for this significant position, the council members agreed to postpone the election to ensure a complete council presence for the vote.