The committee’s approval of the $10,867.80 transfer from the auto department salary and wages to the expenditure account for professional services was a focal point of the meeting. This transfer is intended to fund interim auditing services from CLA, a firm with a strong history of assisting the city, as Gardner navigates the transition between auditors. The mayor explained that the transfer was calculated based on a conservative estimate to ensure sufficient coverage until a new auditor is hired, with the possibility of reallocating unused funds back to the auditor’s salary appropriation.

Another noteworthy agenda item involved a $10,643.67 donation from the Department of Public Works to the Gardner Community Action Committee. The donation, derived from scrap metal collected over three years, was discussed in light of procedural inconsistencies identified by the city solicitor. The committee decided to review the city solicitor’s opinion before taking further action at the next meeting.

Further financial matters included the endorsement of a $1,622.79 transfer within the city council department to acquire an additional “owl” and laptop device for council meetings. This purchase aims to address recent audio issues by providing a dedicated system for the council’s standing committees.

The meeting also addressed the city’s health insurance trust fund, which currently stands at approximately $1.4 million. Concerns were raised about the rising insurance claims exceeding the city’s regular monthly payments to Blue Cross, attributed mainly to GLP-1 prescriptions and elective surgeries. The mayor noted that while the claims are increasing, the recent switch to a fiscal-year-based insurance rate has helped stabilize the budget. This issue remains a concern, and the committee plans to keep it under ongoing review.