All right. Um, with the time being 5:00 PM, I now call the meeting of the appointments committee of Gardener City Council, Wednesday, September 24th, also known as Mary Nicholson's birthday. Happy birthday. >> Thank you. >> To order. Clerk, please do a roll call.
>> Councelor E, >> present. >> Councelor Hland, >> present. >> Councelor Kazinsk. >> Announcement of open meeting recordings. Is anyone recording today's meeting besides staff? All right. Um, there's no one here
recording. Uh, reading of minutes of prior meetings. There are no prior meetings. >> Oh, no. Actually, it's the 26th. August 26, 2025. Move to dispense with the reading of the minutes and accept them as presented.
>> Second. >> All right. Um motion made by council Hegelin, second by councel consensus to wave the reading of the minutes. Um any discussion? >> Nope. Um all those in favor say I.
>> I. >> All those in oppose say no. Nay. All right. All right. Discussion of on appointees. Um item 11628. a measure confirming the appointment of
Greg Dumis to position of conservation commission member. Um Mr. Dumis couldn't make it today. Uh he asked for well he asked for more time. Um we'll go ahead and put more time for that item. Put them with the rest of the conservation members
for one of the next meetings. Items 11629, a measure confirming the mayor's appointment of Andre Guran. >> Girtton. >> Girtton um to position of airport commission
member. Um report for the mayor. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Uh in looking up the information for this appointment, uh one of the I think most neat facts I think I found uh in doing this is Mr. Gertie is actually the city's longest current serving appointee
uh that we have having originally been appointed in 1982 by Mayor McCain to the airport commission uh and continuing to serve in that role here today. Um I've been really happy with the work that he's been doing on the airport commission and the couple times we've met and talked about the stuff at the airport. I've been uh very impressed with his insights and input and the
certainly being here since 1982 has a vast amount of institutional knowledge uh with the operations of the airport and happy to put him forward for your consideration. >> Awesome. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Girtton. >> Yes. >> Would you like to um introduce yourself?
>> I'm Dre Girtton. >> That's it. >> A little bit of background. I work for two major airlines. Work for Boeing on the 747 program. Retired from MIT and the flight facility. And uh here I am.
>> Thank you. Um council, any questions? >> Thank you. Uh, no questions for me. Thank you so much for all the years you've put into this role in this position and dedication to the city. Uh, I'm excited to be reappointing you. >> Thanks. >> The same comment. Thank you very much
for your years of service on the reappoint. >> Can I support it? >> Um, okay. >> Motion. >> Okay. >> Move to recommend the full council the member be confirmed. >> Second. >> All right. Motion made by councelor Heglin, second by councelor Kazinskus to
present this to the council as a whole. Um, all those in favor? >> The motion to confirm the mayor's >> Oh, I'm sorry. To confirm the mayor's appointment. All those in favor? >> I >> I >> All those opposed. All right. Motion pass.
Item 11630, a measure confirming the mayor's appointment of Davidart. >> Ukart. Thank you. to the position of airport commission member report from the mayor. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Urkart's uh original appointment to the
airport commission formally began uh in January of 2022, but he's been no stranger to the airport and the garden community through his work with NEWW, his business uh and just general overall community involvement. Uh and the couple times that I've, you know, had the privilege of sitting with Mr. Birkhart and talking about things that are
happening over at Gardenner airport um happening in Gardner as a whole. Um and just getting that different business perspective and uh really keen insights. I I I will say too because I don't think there's been a conversation that we've had that I haven't left thinking better about something uh that's you know going
on around the city and around the airport. Uh I've been really happy with his performance and wanting to see Gardener Airport grow and move forward. Uh and I'm happy to put forward his reappoint. >> Awesome. Um Mr. Erhart, would you like to introduce yourself?
>> Um, I'm David Urkhart. I've um I'm currently the uh chairman of the board New England Woodenware for many years where I was the president, but I've changed that role pre recently. And um I have been involved with the Garden airport for um
uh something approaching 20 years. Uh been on the commission for the last three or four years. And um I think it's a great community and I have a great appreciation for the fact that I do not live in Boston. How about that? >> Awesome. Thank you. Um Miss uh
Francisco, any questions? >> I have no questions. Uh I think the your uh experience speaks for itself and I want to thank you for your service and I'm glad to support the reappoint. So thank you. >> Awesome. Cra, I'll echo that. I think having your business experience is a a
benefit to in the operational sense of how things are running over there. So really appreciate that the time you've dedicated the city for having a business here in the city as well. Um and just thank you and everyone else who's made it today. It's important to us to get to meet you or see you all in person. So even if it's quick and short,
>> it goes a long way. So thank you. >> Yeah, I've been involved with woodenware uh for 45 years and uh it's uh time has flown by, let me tell you. >> I'm still there. I don't know how to walk away. >> Well, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
>> All right. Thank you for everything that you do. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Appreciate the be confirmed. >> Second. >> All right. Motion made by councelor Hegman, second by councelor Kazinskas to
confirm the mayor's appointment. All those in favor say yay. I >> I. Those opposed say no. >> Motion pass. Item 11631, a measure confirming the mayor's appointment of James Woods to
the position of airport commission member. >> Report from the mayor. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Wood is also finishing his first formal term as a member of the airport commission, but has been involved with Gardner airport for several years as
well. Uh a pilot himself also. Um and uh when he was first appointment uh his appointed 3 years ago in 2022, it came at the very strong recommendation of the late Ken Bon who served as the chairman of the airport commission for several decades. Um since that time uh Mr. Wood
and I have met on several occasions to go over uh things that are happening at the airport, how the overall operations are running, um how the projects are moving going forward, particularly with the airport runway reconstruction project that we recently undertook, how we can uh better, you know, cooperate with our vendors, our uh tenants who are
over there, uh the look at our fee structure and everything in between. And certainly no stranger to the gardener community through his involvement with Wood Ambulance Company, uh his family business. I'm happy to put forward his reappoint. >> Awesome. Uh Mr. woods. What you >> I've been a businessman in Gatner for a
long time. Uh I've been involved with the airport since 1984. Actually, I was renting an airplane from or became a partner and went down there and uh now there's only me left in the partnership. But uh
the first day uh I went into the first meeting and all that and they promptly elected me chairman. So, I've been chairman for the whole stint that I've been there. It's a learning curve that I did not anticipate, but uh I do enjoy it. Uh
keeps me occupied. Um I am still learning a lot of the ways of city hall and the businesses of city and I have some ideas that I want to try and keep promoting and I feel I'm not done yet. So, I'd like to keep going if I can and
as chairman if necessary and if not they can elect me somebody else. But I like the job and I'm trying to do all the things that are required and uh involves a lot more reading than I ever expected. >> Awesome. Um I you have any questions?
>> Thank you. Uh no questions again. Um, I I really appreciate the time you've given again to the city of Gardener in this role. I did not know you were a pilot, so that was fun to learn. Um, I did not know you were a pilot, so that was fun to learn. >> Yeah. Um, >> I've been a pilot for 52 years.
>> 52 years. That's uh that's pretty cool. Um, I don't know if I'm brave enough to do that, but maybe one day. We'll see. >> It's the best thing I ever did for myself. Mhm. >> And I think too I I I I like hearing that you you know you have changes you want to bring and and things you want to as you're learning and bringing forward.
I think that's definitely necessary. Uh and I look forward to any way the council can learn more about that and whether it's in the budget process or other times you know keep us informed and >> we try I try. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Very hard. >> No. Thank you. >> Awesome. >> That's it for me officially.
>> Thank you councelor Kisser. Yeah, I again I appreciate your experience um you know with the city and uh I did not know you were a pilot either. Um also your business experience in the city as well. I mean, all three of these reappoints, we have very dedicated and
committed people who've been part of the community for a really long time. And I just think that's really kind of the shining thing about Gardener is a lot of our business community is so much more involved in um other parts of the community that people don't realize a lot of the time. And I just think it's it's a real testament to, you know, the
way that Gardener is. And um I just think it's wonderful to be able to give your time to something you're passionate about. So, I really really appreciate that. Uh and like you know I echo what the counselor said as well just about your experience and what you want to bring forward too. It is a lot to chair a border commission. It's a lot to be a
member of those as well. You have to know what you're talking about. You have to take votes on significant things that impact um the whole city and um a lot of times it's another thing people don't really realize. So it's part of public service I know that I certainly appreciate. Um I don't have any other questions. I just wanted to say that I
support the reappoint and thank you very much for your time and service. I would like to add that the uh airport I feel is an extremely important entity for the city. I think a lot of people that uh use the airport, we have people who come
in for business a lot or some uh I think it's just a real important thing because a lot of cities and towns are saying no to airports and they're very hard to keep going. But uh working with the federal FAA,
FAA, EPA, Mass DO, the mayor and you people. I appreciate all the support I can get and I really really don't take it for granted. So, thank you.
>> Thank you. Awesome. Um I will just go ahead and go add you know um based off of uh you know the comments that the council's made uh the word passion is what was just used and you know to be doing this for that long and be willing to learn >> and to continue to learn um you know the
same goes and I don't mean any disrespect can't teach your old dog new tricks >> you know and you're definitely sitting here and you're like I've been doing this for a long time and I'm still willing to learn and that's awesome because a lot of people >> well there's a saying in the pilot world
that the license is to fly and it's a license to continue learning and every time you fly you learn something and that is very true. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. Thank you. Um >> thank you.
>> I will make a motion to recommend to the full council to confirm the mayor's appointment. >> Second. >> All right. Um motion made by councelor Kaziscus to and seconded by councelor Heagen to confirm the mayor's appointment. Um all those in favor say
I. >> I post say no. Motion >> passes. >> A measure confirming the mayor's appointment of Alan Constantino to position of airport commission member. This is a new appointment. um report from the mayor.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh this is a new appointment to fill the vacancy that was created by the resignation of Robert Schwarz who previously served on the airport commission. This gets us up to the minimum number that the ordinances require for the members of the airport commission uh for the minimum membership. Uh the uh airport commission
can have a up to a total of 11 members per the ordinance. So this will get us the minimum number there. Uh Mr. Cosantino came to us through the recommendation of our airport manager, Isabelle Davis, uh who brought um a letter of uh interest that I uh provided to the city clerk's office um for your
viewing as well uh from Mr. Cosantino, who's a local pilot who utilizes the facility and is looking at getting involved. >> Awesome. Awesome. Um Mr. Constantino, would you like to introduce yourself? >> Yeah, my name is Alec Costantino. I live in Templeton, Massachusetts, and I've
been invested in the airport since uh well, 13 years ago, so 2013. Um own a hanger, multiple airplanes, not multiple, like five or six, just a couple. Uh I work for the Department of Corrections. Uh I wrap up my prison
sentence in 23 months, so I'll be retiring from there. Worked for Case International in the past. I was a truck driver for number of years. because I got a,600,000 mi driving a trailer truck. I hold a class CDLA license and hydraulics license along with my pilot's
license. Uh I feel as though I'm an asset to the airport with the uh things that I can do down there, repair stuff, uh fix equipment, so on and so forth. Um I have donated time and and uh little
bit of money to help things get fixed down there. and uh I feel as though I'd like to be on the uh on the commission and see if I can uh help out down there whatever way it comes up. Thank you. >> Pretty much it. >> Awesome. Um Council Kazinskas, do you
have any questions, comments? >> Uh well, I think the mayor covered some of my answer just kind of in an introduction and you certainly did too with your introduction and you have a clear vested interest in the airport. You know, you've been involved for a number of years. Uh how long have you been a pilot? I've been licensed since
July 31st, 1997. >> Oh, wow. Okay. That that's just come up a few times today. So, that um excellent. And I don't have any further questions. I think it's I think you have a lot of um experience and clearly, like I said, you've been a member or you've
been involved for 13 years. It's great next step and you're going to have some time coming up on your hands. So, it's exciting for you. Um so, I don't have any further questions. >> So, council he >> Thank you. Nice to meet you. I really appreciate and this has been a nice theme we've had is people coming to us
to join committees and commissions that hasn't always historically been the case. So, thank you for your interest and I appreciate you having your note in there as well expressing the um you touched upon it, but is there anything else you're hoping to bring to the commission or change or anything you see as a new perspective over there or that
you think we should know about? And if not, that's okay. It's a big question. >> Well, honestly, haven't been to many meetings because I, you know, I work Monday through Friday. have the weekend's off luckily, but uh you know I will be uh probably doing swaps for a Wednesday once a month to be down at the
airport. But for the most part just uh you know helping with the experience that I have fixing equipment and and uh see what other things I can I can be assistance to. >> Awesome. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> All right. That's it for me.
>> Awesome. Well well um thank you for everything that you do. um you know you listed a lot of things that you do uh between working at the prison CDL you just do it all. So I just want to say thank you cuz like council said is
um you know it's nice of you to go ahead and offer your services rather than us trying to find someone with your experience and everything else. So um thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. Motion move to recommend the
full council of the measure be confirmed. >> Second. >> All right. Uh motion made by councelor Hegeland to confirm the mayor's appointment. Um seconded by councelor Kaz. Sorry to confirm the mayor's appointment. All those in favor say I. >> I.
>> Those oppos say no. Motion pass. All right. So item 11633, Major Kur and the mayor's appointment of John Adiki Adiki I knew was going to get me to the position of cemetery commission member report mayor. >> Thank you very much Mr. Chairman for
both this one and 11634. Um I just it's pretty much the same explanation for both just so you're aware. Um but Mr. Adiki uh after Mr. Mr. Girtton, who you met earlier, is the second longest continuously serving appointee in the city's history, having originally uh current history, I should
say, having originally been appointed to the position by Mayor Ma in 1995. Uh serving as both a member of the municipal grounds commission and the cemetery commission. Uh it's I've been very happy with the work he's been uh doing in both of those. He comes at the recommendation of the director as well who uh who the director of public works
who works directly with both of these commissions. Uh these commissions advise on the uh fees, usage, upkeep, and everything with our cemeteries and the cemetery commission and all of our other city- owned land and the municipal grounds commission, mainly our parks and playgrounds. Um uh Mr. Ardicki is no
stranger to the community as a whole through his various different involvements, having been recognized just this past weekend as the now now former, uh treasure of the Gardener Athletic Hall of Fame, uh 501c3 organization. uh retiring from that role but not retiring from us here in the
city. I'm very proud of the work that he's been doing and I'm happy to put him forward again. >> Awesome. Uh Mr. Alicki, would you like to >> Yes. John Dicki in uh continuing is the right word. I used to be almost called the recreation commission way before 1985.
Uh I was uh when man the King came in, he felt that uh I did not know much about recreation or athletics and did not reappoint me at that time. And so I just stepped away and then when Mayor Mank
came in, he came to my house and asked me if I'd come back on the then recreation commission. Since then, it's been turned into municipal grounds and cemeteries. So I've been doing that since 1995, but it probably goes back maybe 15 to 20 years before that when it
was just the recreation commission, but it is continuing as he said. So I would guess discontinued for a number of years and I'm still here in God and I'm still interested in what's going on in the city. >> I'd be the seventh mayor to appoint him
to something over his tenure with the city. >> The best one, right? No, I thought that just that came to mind when as people started talking that when you said continuing, I realized that >> continuously. Yeah. >> And I'm glad I'm 95 because I knew it was way before then.
>> Yeah, >> I am way before then. >> Council Hegman, any uh comments? >> Uh obviously impressive years of service. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um that's really wonderful for us in the city. I think we've greatly benefited from it. I look forward to
benefiting from your knowledge more. I think the two appointments, the next one being municipal grounds, I think this is great overlap. I think your knowledge and experience is going to really benefit us. I like that we move from the air to the ground as well. >> I'm more comfortable on the ground.
[Music] >> So, no questions for me. I just can't say thank you enough. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Awesome. Council Kinskus, >> Mr. Adiki, thank you for all the years of service. It's incredibly it is overwhelming how much institutional knowledge you bring but also your time
and the number of years and your dedication and to come back after not being appointed to it just shows that you are genuinely interested in probably serving the city and I really appreciate that. I think also having experienced members of these um you know of our uh
commissions within the city it just helps set the tone for people when they come in if they are new to the committee. I I just I can't say enough how much I think that experience is really really important and it sets a precedent for the way that we do things in the city and clearly it's worked out really well over the last 40 years or so
with what you've been involved in. So, uh very impressive. As we said, you're clearly dedicated to Gardener being here um as long as you have serving us. So, I I appreciate and thank you for your time. I'm glad that you will be appointed. >> Thank you. >> And I and I support it.
>> Awesome. Um thank you for everything you did. I can't sum it up any better than these two just uh you know I I I can say for as long as you worked here you don't look like you worked here as long as you say you worked here. So I don't know if you found a fountain of youth or what
but if you happen to know where that is please give me the location. All right. Um thank you for everything. >> Thank you sir. >> I make a motion to recommend to the full council to confirm the mayor's appointment. >> Second. All right. Um motion made by
councelor Kazinskis to uh seconded by councelor hegland to uh confirm the mayor's appointment. John >> Dicki Dicki. Um all those in favor say I. >> I.
>> All those oppos say no. Motion pass. All right. We have item 11634. Um that was with Mr. Aiki as well. The uh the municipal grounds is a stipened position unlike the uh cemetery commission. So the members receive a annual stipent of $750 and the chair
receives a stipen of $1,000. >> Awesome. Thank you. Um >> so we'll go on that one. >> Yep. Is there a measure I mean I'm sorry a measure a motion >> move to recommend to the full council the measure be confirmed? >> Second. >> All right. Motion made by councel Hegeland, seconded by councelor
Kazinskis to confirm the mayor's appointment of John Dicki. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Those oppos say no. Motion pass. Item 11635. Um this also goes with 11636.
Um a measure confirming the mayor's appointment of Denise Miriam to the position of cemetery commission member report mayor. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Uh Denise has been serving on the cemetery commission and municipal grounds commission for the next one since uh
2019 following her retirement with the city after 28 >> 45 >> after 40 45 years of service with the city in various employment roles. Um so she's been you know quite involved in quite a lot again continuous in the same
position is the key word that we said earlier today but Denise has been involved for decades uh with us in gardener and again just a wealth of institutional knowledge particularly with the department of public works where she worked for a lot of that time um which also works directly with both
the municipal grounds commission and the cemetery commission work going from now the operations side to the policy side of it through these two different uh commissions there too which really been a ve very big asset. Uh and I believe chair of both of these commissions is that right? >> John chairs the
>> oh cemetery >> John chairs the cemetery Mr. Dicky chairs the cemetery. Denise chairs municipal grounds. >> Don't chair municipal grounds. That's some mic. >> Oh, okay. Well, either way, >> chair retirement. >> The retirement. That's what she retirement. Denise is the chair of the retirement board as well on top of all
of this. I knew she was the chair of one of them. I'm sorry about that. Um, but that was not in my notes, so that's just going off of memory. Um, but either way, she's been a big help for us here in the city and I'm happy to see her wanting to continue moving forward now after 45 years of service with the city, three years on both of those ro in both of
those roles and couple years more than that on the retirement board as well. Um, >> yeah, >> she she's gardener through and through and I'm happy to put it forward. >> Awesome. Um, Miss Mariam, would you like to go ahead and introduce yourself? like that said at all. I've been working for
the city for 45 years and I was involved with the cemetery and the municipal grounds. So when I retired, I wanted to stay on the committees and so that I could see how things progressed. >> Awesome. Awesome. Uh council consensus, any questions?
>> Uh no. >> Thank you, Denise. Glad to see another reappoint and familiar face. Lots of familiar faces and reappoints this evening. So, um, as councelor Hegeland said, it's nice to have people before us and anyone that we don't know to introduce themselves and, um, just to
let you know that we, you know, thank you for the all of your service and I think the mayor said it well when he said you're gardener through and through because you are and um, I remember Denise's retirement. it was during co um but so glad that you you decided to
stay on because again it's the institutional knowledge that you have when you want to be part of one of these boards or commissions but also for you it's just your time with the city you know working for the city and and all the things that you know it just helps set I think a standard and a bar that is expected from these groups that we need
because they do important work and if we don't have them we don't run the way that we do it really does take so many people to keep the city moving along um and without these positions being filled. It's just not possible to be done the way that it is. So, I really really appreciate you sticking with us
and for being here today and I will be supporting your appointments. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, council Hegel. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, no question, just good to see you. Thank you for staying involved. Um, I had the pleasure too of working alongside you when I worked for the state rep and and
you were working with DBW. So, I know that you are more than qualified for these roles. Um, and having both sides of the coin, that knowledge is really beneficial. Uh, so I look forward to this and several more reappoints. I think you're >> Thank you. You're
>> supposed to be retired. >> Awesome. Well, I just want to say thank you for everything that you do. Um, I'm learning as you you're telling me and as um as much as the mayor is uh speaking on your behalf um because I don't really know that much to be honest with you. So, I'm learning it and everything else
and it seems like 45 years like you know you're still willing to go ahead and go is that's that's crazy to me but I appreciate you. Thank you. Um I just a comment about today's meeting. I feel like we have the most experience in this
room today in all the appointments meetings I've been in. So, thank you again. >> All right. Uh motion. If there's no objection, I'll move to uh confirm move to recommend to the full council that both 11635
and 11636 be confirmed. >> Second. >> Motion by councelor Hegelund for items 11635, 11636 be um put to the whole council to be
confirmed. Uh seconded by councelor Kazinskas. All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposite item 11637. This also goes with item 11638. This is a measure confirming the mayor's appointment of Chuck Lee
>> Leah. I will get one of these names right. All right. Leah um to the position of historic I mean to the position of cemetery commission member and historic goal commission member.
>> Thank you very much Mr. Chairman. In the amendments that were made to the administrative legislation last year, we increased the number of members that were eligible to be put to the cemetery commission that prior to that had a cap at three members total. Uh one of the reasons why this came forward and right now Mr. Lehei would be a fourth member.
The ordinance says that we can have five. Um is because actually because of Mr. Lehei. He brought forward that with the amount of work that the se the historical commission does in maintaining and overseeing the old burial grounds uh behind the former congregational church now the Marinatha
church. um that it would be prudent to have someone from the historical commission on the cemetery commission to make sure we bring that historical perspective in all of our cemeteries that we have around the city and all of our old graves, not just the old burial ground, but also with the old burial ground because that does also fall under the purview of the cemetery commission.
Uh Mr. Leah has been active in the historical commission since he was first appointed in July of 2000 and has been continuously serving in that role since >> then for the last 25 years. um and has been involved in various other
historical events, commemorations um through uh that we've had on the city side, excuse me, through his work with the Gardener Museum, through his just involvement in the community. Uh former business owner, through his livery service here in Gardener, uh
local community member, just familiar face that we have around the city and just wants to make sure that Gardner maintains the character that Gardener has always had. and I'm very proud to put his appointment forward for both uh his reappoint to the historical commission and his new appointment to the cemetery commission.
>> Awesome. Thank you, Mr. Lehei. Go ahead and uh um tell us more about you. Well, I worked in the cemetery in Southboro where I grew up for the summers when I was not in school and I
learned to appreciate um not only for the family of the person who had passed but for that person respect and uh I got the reason the way I got on was I got caught working in the cemetery by the
late great um Kenny Arsenal. And you know, you might want to question the guy with a shovel. And uh he said, "What are you doing?" I said, "I'm straightening these stones." He goes, "You really can't. Insurance reasons. You got to get on the commission." So I did. And then
we decided to restore the cemetery. My sons and I put 50 stones back, got a map from city hall, put the stones back where they belonged, even correct corrected some of them, fixed them, and then we hired Gary Granite to do the
rest. Um, and I've always, you know, we've got 61, well almost 61 of the guys that signed the petition to become a town buried in there. And then then there's a PAC who's on the uh on the
ship with a tea party. So there's a few famous people in there, but all of them even through throughout the whole town should be taken care of. And that cemetery was in a mess. So that's how I got involved in the historical commission. And we've done other things
like the 225th anniversary. Uh we ran that and that was successful. So, I'm I'm having fun, but we got to there's stuff that we still got to do. I think there's seven Well, the Catholic ones don't count under us,
but there's like five cemeteries to take care of. So, you can't just cut the grass. You have to do other things. So, that's about it. I don't have a pilot's license. >> We're on the ground. We're We're in the ground. All
right, Council Hegel, you have any uh questions, comments? >> No questions. I really do love the bridge between the two commissions. I think it's a great idea. I can't thank you enough for taking care of the old burial ground and preserving that history and those memories. Um whether or not ancestors are still around to
those folks, like you said, it's important that they be honored um and that ground be maintained. So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Council consensus. >> Yes. Thank you very much. particularly have a vested interest and long history of, you know, being involved. And I
think that's the perfect kind of um interest and experience someone can bring to both of these uh commissions. And I I do I love that idea of just saying we should we should have someone who's on both because along with the cemetery comes so much history. So I think that that's a great idea and I
appreciate you bringing it forward. A lot of times people have ideas and they're not sure what what to do, but when you do and you bring it to fruition, it just kind of makes other things come out of that that are good. So, I appreciate that and also your appreciation for um you know preserving the community in in the way that it is.
I think that's that's something that's really noble and I'm glad that we have it. And again, it's >> it's very um it's institutional knowledge, right? It's the years that we have and um I agree with the counselor that this is probably the most experienced agenda we've had in a very long time. And I I just it's something
that, you know, for me being a lifelong resident of Gardener, it's just it's something that is expected, I think, cuz this is just what I'm used to in Gardener. Um, with the way that people want to get involved and we have new people come to the city and they want to get involved, they can feel that this is the type of thing that we foster here.
So, I really appreciate your contributions to that and service. >> Um, >> I grew up down the street from the Old Bearing Ground. My parents lived on Green Street. Well, live on Green Street. And um I used to walk up there when I was a kid all the time. It was like a big deal to walk around the block and we would go in and we would read. My
best friend and I would go in and read all of the stones all the time and we would just make up all these stories about where this person was from and how they were related and all these things all the time. It was like this like treasures chest and I just I just I loved it and I I'm so glad that we have
an appreciation for it and we keep it moving along. Um, but like you said, there's other um there's other places as well that need to be maintained and it's if we don't get that information now and preserve it now down the road, it's never going to be done. So, I really
appreciate the initiative to do that. Um, and I'll be I'll be supporting the appointments. >> Awesome. Thank you. Um, I said it all. Um, I hope there's other municipalities that see what you're
doing and kind of follow suit and maybe, you know, instill someone as you maybe hopefully with the u same amount of experience or more. But, uh, you know, and go ahead and go do it cuz like they said, that's a great idea to go ahead and combine the two or have you on both commissions.
>> Okay. >> They go hand in hand. So, awesome. Thank you. >> Cool. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. I'll make I'll make a motion to recommend to the full council to confirm the mayor's appointments. And if there's no objection, we'll take for item 11637
and 11638. Sounds good. Second. >> All right. Um motion made by councelor Kasinskus, seconded by councelor Hedgedwin to um bring the uh I'm sorry to bring the measure uh to
be confirmed by the full council items 1063738. All those in favor say I. >> I. Those oppos say no. >> Thank you pass. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um I can say this name. I
don't know. I got this one. Item 11639, a measure confirming the mayor's appointment of Jeffrey. Go ahead. >> I need you to go right. I said you said you're wrong. >> G all N. Um, mayor. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr.
Glenn was originally appointed to the golf commission in April of 2008. He currently serves as the chair of the commission. Um, at least that's what we have on our records. and I'm sure he was very involved with the gardener golf course before that too from other stories that I have heard. Um, but I can only go back as the records in the vault
have. Um, he's definitely been involved in the community in various different capacities through his business, through his involvement with the community, his involvement with the chamber, Gardener Square 2, various other different capacities here. Um, he's definitely a familiar face to gardener. He's been doing an excellent job overseeing the golf course. The golf course now currently has uh one of the highest
memberships it's had in recent years. Has the healthiest enterprise account that it's had in recent years. Uh and that's to the leadership of all the members of the golf commission. Uh not just Mr. Glenn, but definitely as the chair, someone who steers the helm there for that. Uh very happy to see that, very happy to put that forward. Uh the golf commission is a non-monetary
compensated position, but it is a um by city ordinance that was adopted in 1976. The members of the golf commission do receive a uh family membership uh to the commission subject to taxation, which currently has a value of $2,000 a year. >> Awesome. Mr. Glenn, would you like to
>> Okay. My name is Jeff Grant. I'm a local CTA. Um I've been a member of the Garden Golf Coast for oh probably bit about 55 years. So I started playing when I was about 10 years old. Um I think it you know the golf course is a great asset
for the city. Um it's been in pristine shape ever since I've been playing. So we've had you know uh some great superintendent come along and just maintain this golf course. Um it does attract a lot of golfers from the you
know from the um from the country and uh we receive a lot of accolades. We uh we usually have like a mass uh amateur open uh qualifying round that's usually there and most of the participants that play in it, you know, they love the golf
course. So um my goal is to continue it and uh look at possibly um maybe building a new restaurant and a pro shop. So awesome. Awesome. Uh, Council Haggling, you have any, uh, questions, comments?
>> Uh, no. Actually, I had a question if you had any vision, but it sounds like there might be some vision for the future. >> Look forward to seeing where things go. Um, much to my dad's sugar, I did not get the love of golf that he has, but do >> love these there every day. So, um,
can't thank you all enough for maintaining it. It is a gem. It is something we're really lucky to have. Um, it's got to be one of the best courses in our area and a lot of people who come from all over for it. So, uh, yeah. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Awesome.
>> I have no questions. I will support the the reappoint. I appreciate the work and time and service that we've done for the golf course and the commission also within around the community. Um again a lot of very we have a lot of history here today that was you know in the room on the agenda and it's um really with
the state of the city and the way these things have gone along the golf course being one of them over the years it just it's just a tribute to that experience and for people willing to give. So I can't say that enough and I appreciate that from you as well. Uh the golf course as we've said it is an absolute gem. I I always hope that people
appreciate how lucky we are to have such a beautiful municipal golf course and and for them to realize really what that is and what goes into that. >> Some of the most beautiful views in the city are from the golf course in my opinion. Uh and I am, you know, excited
about the idea of some type of expansion or change over there in terms of um you know the pro shop and and the restaurant and what we can do with that. It is definitely something that's different from a regular country club or somewhere where it has membership prices, but to keep it affordable for people here for
as long as we have is is just wonderful. I mean, I just remember I I' I've worked there in in the day um one of the restaurants for a couple of summers and >> Oh, yeah. And um you know, I just growing up in Gardener and everything and you know, you just have all your
friends who play golf, but I was always on the weekend. I worked on the weekend. I worked on the golf cart and I saw every single person's dad, uncle, like everyone I grew up with was golfing and they had their and they would still get frustrated all the time when they were
golfing. Um, but it is one of those sports, but it's, you know, a day out for everyone. And, um, I, again, I just think we're so lucky to have such such a a beautiful, um, municipal golf course, but, also, it's it's it's affordable,
it's reasonable, and people have so many memories there. It's just it's one of those things. So, we have to have a strong commission to support it. And, um, I think you've done just that. So, I will be supporting the reign. >> Thank you. Um, thank you for everything that you do. Uh, you know, I I go to a lot of
different events throughout Massachusetts. Well, actually New England um with uh the youth and >> people always ask where you from and I'm like, "Oh, gardener." And oh yeah, I go out there to go golf. >> They always bring that up. I go out there to go golf. >> And I'm like, "Oh, yeah. It's awesome.
It's literally right in my backyard." You know, I'm like, "Oh, really?" So then I get these random texts from numbers that I don't know. Hey, I'm over here. I don't know who they are. Hey, I'm over at the golf course. Hey, come on through. Like, >> I don't know who that is. So, um, you
know, it's it's good to hear that, especially from, you know, other area codes, zip codes that I'm in, you know, where they're saying that and they, you know, they notice a guard on the golf course, you know. Um, I I was on a cruise actually and somebody walked by me, you know, I was out of Boston and
somebody had a guard in a golf course shirt. I'm like, you know, like I don't know. And they walk by me. Hey, Dana. I didn't know who they were. >> Wow. >> You know what I mean? But it was out of Boston. Uh, another one had a Westminster woods cher, but we won't talk about that. >> But um um but yeah, so it's just awesome
to go ahead and go see and um know that it's recognized. So you guys do great work up there and >> we have a great staff, great pro shop staff and you know, ground staff. They do all the work. >> Awesome. Awesome. Um one other question.
Were you Did you happen to be there on Monday? >> Yeah, I was playing in the golf tournament Monday. >> Um was anybody on your left? Did they do Well, >> I just I saw him cutting and kind of part of it off the gym. >> I got a sunburn that day. That's about
the most I got out of that. >> I thought that was just your face turning red right now. >> We have a motion. >> Recommended the full council the measure be confirmed. >> Second. >> All right. Awesome. Um motion made by council Hegeland, second by councelor
Koninskis to uh present this to the full council to be confirmed. Um all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Those oppos say no. >> Motion pass. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> So we on the agenda for the next council meeting. Do we have to go to get sworn in? >> You'll uh you'll be on the agenda. you can go to be sworn in, but if you can't make it to the meeting, then the clerk's office will reach out to you and and they will they'll swear you in, but we
will we will um recess the meeting to swear anybody in who is there that that are confirmed. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um item four, discussion of appointments, committees, rules. Um, so
I gave you guys a little PDF and I don't know if I'm tired and I was blurry right now, but um, so this right here was a format so that we can kind of know in advance, you know, basically what we're going to go
ahead and do. Section one has position details. U, section two has appointee information. Section three is administration and compliance reviews. And then four is the signatures and our certifications. Um there is one thing that I wish I would have put on here and
you know just just to be clear I wanted to present this to you guys and ask for more time for this item so you guys can look at it and then if we have to tweak it we can go ahead and tweak it. So um the one thing that I should have
probably put on here was the um expiration date >> of the appointee. >> So the appointment term. Yes. Yes. That's the one thing I think. Um and again, I just wanted you guys to go ahead and go see this and um have you
guys look at it, dwell on it. Um more time um if you guys are okay with that and then we can bring it up for the next meeting, put on the next agenda to go ahead and um take a vote on if this is the process that we should go ahead and
go forward with. So this would be um this would be this would be provided to us like in our packet for each appointee. I just want to make sure I think this is great honestly like this is everything we should have been getting all along. Um
and so you know it answers a lot of questions ahead of time. It's all relevant information just from looking at it right now. So I'm I'm definitely for keeping this on the agenda and discussing it. But this is going to be provided to us like by the mayor. >> Yes.
>> By the mayor. Um by the time that we get the certificates. >> Um >> Okay. >> So we get appointment certificates and these for every single person when the packet's posted or when that Jen is posted with the packet. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So it would basically be his write up
along with this right here just so that we can go ahead. >> Okay. So this with the write up. >> Yeah. The write up would be almost in section two is the statement of qualifications. provide the >> narrative explaining that stuff there. So that would be the write up at that point. >> Okay. Yeah, I I'm glad to take this and
look this over a little bit more to see if there's anything that you know again just cuz we just got it. But I to add or subtract or whatever, but I the whole concept of this and the idea of this is something I'm glad that we've evolved this committee to do because I think this is what we need to have ahead of time. And it clears up a lot of things.
And quite honestly, the like the signatures and certification section, this like this to me is by the time that if if the mayor is going to put up a confirmation of someone, you would have you you would
you're pretty sure you're clear you want to, you know, they should check these boxes, right? Like if there's a >> cuz for example, there's an HR section on here. Now, if there is an HR issue with someone, they should not be up in front of us for appointments, you know? So that would be something that should be being take care being taken care of
in HR through personnel processes that you and HR do already. So >> what by the time we get people we have our perspective and our questions but these are very technical things to me that don't have to do with what our our job is as this committee and I don't
think that was the intention for this committee. I think for this this is like all the basic and thorough information about the candidate that the mayor's put forward. Um and it answers a lot of those questions ahead of time and that way when we have the interview when we need them we have any other questions about their experience or whatever that
may not be in the attached write up or is that's it still goes along with what we're doing. It's just a lot more thorough vetting ahead of time. So that's my thought on the process. I just I would never expect like the piece where it has the mayor certification, HR, director certification, appointee
acknowledgement. I think that's great cuz again, if this isn't here already, if this isn't square, >> you wouldn't have put them up to us in the I wouldn't expect that we would get them put in front of us in the first place. >> Yeah. >> Um cuz that for us it's um it's we're a different piece of the confirmation process
>> to be kind of clear on that. So >> yeah, >> that's my thoughts. >> Do you have >> Sure. If No. Um, I I agree. I think it's all really well said. I look forward to reviewing this at quick glance. It looks nice. I think it's a lot of the things we already do, but tightened up in a
nice, easy, accessible format. Um, because this, you know, I I think this important, this committee was an important one to be established. I think it's done a lot of good for the mayor, for the public, and seeing some of these people and who who's doing these roles and jobs and making sure commissions and
committees and boards are are filled. Um, and so having this information really is going to help us prepare. You know, it is difficult and challenging for any meeting to prepare if you don't have everything you need ahead of time. Uh, and I think this will be hopefully a
little more accessible for everyone to do and being respectful of people's times. I think this is a nice quick way to make sure everything is checked and everything's done. um you know thinking of of sort of another example of something that it's nice to have policies and
procedures in place because while you know we obviously hope that most of us are professionals and and there's common sense as well you hope things are going to be done right um you know an example that comes to mind where that doesn't always happen and and things get busy and not having some tracking system in
place can be detrimental you know I think of the you know we had taken a vote back in May um on the inspectional services item. It took us quite a while to get a response. We finally did though. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I know we haven't had that item before us just
yet. It was on our last agenda. Um but that's sort of my thinking of where policies and procedures can help. It's really frustrating that you know it took months to get that reply. It was on our agenda and then somehow it got left off of this agenda. Wherever that disconnect
happened, wherever that miscommunication happened, I think if there are policies and procedures in place to help counter human error, things that do happen, um it's it's really important because to me that was such a simple and straightforward thing. We took a vote. I
think the votes we take here matter. Um and and wanting to defend those and defend that process. um you know, it's it's just difficult when then things do fall short or things aren't ready, things aren't in place, items aren't tracked and carried over
from agenda to agenda. Um so I I hope that this will help clear some things up for sure. >> All right. Um I just noticed something. I I'm sitting there and I'm reading it like I did, right? But um I guess my margins are wrong. So I will email this
to you guys. If you look on the end, like the words are cut off, >> you know what I mean? But I mean, you get the gist of it. But I will email it so that you guys can have a copy and then we can go ahead and go. Um >> I I think that this is great and you know, in a number of things and
obviously you guys touched on it. Um the one thing I really like is um you know, like the uh annual HR training, you know what I Like I literally just had to do mine yesterday at my job and I have multiple training videos I got to watch and it's the same thing over 20 years
and all I do is press play and I let it go and then I answer the questions at the end. However, you know, in this you know standpoint here it's u you know like I like that right there and obviously the background checks and things already happening but it's right there for us easy for us to go ahead and
go see and everything else. So again the only thing I wanted to add on here was you know basically um the term on here like they're current or you know that's that's a Justin. >> Yeah. No, I I agree with that and I I
appreciate Councelor Pin's comments as well. Um just kind of on you know the principle of this. I I think with adding the term on it's going to be really helpful to just keep it organized too. I know this is a lot of work for the mayor's office, but I think having these you can pull them the next time around
and keep them in an order that needs to be done. Now you just kind of have to go through and and well from the beginning when we knew that this needed to be a thing which is why we have this committee you know you have to go through and find we have two to 300 appointments that will be expiring that haven't been filled in years that you know were given to you when you became
mayor like there's a lot that goes into it but this to me is an organizational thing and so if these exist the next time it comes up someone wants to be a reappoint you can go in and pull this and see you know what was going on with them the last time and all these boxes should check you know and that it goes along that way that was
For me, this is like for someone to handle something like this and get me organized. Thank you. You know, that's kind of how I am with things. So, uh I just I do I do think the organizational piece of it and then the next time around the policies and procedures, this goes in lines with those kinds of things
and that being streamlined, it's it's incredibly helpful for the history of things that happened in different departments as well. One other thing before we um um close out. I think that um on here that and I don't know if this is the
right place to go ahead and go speak about it, but maybe a window on when it expires. if we get a 60 days or 90 days before it expires, but on top of that, maybe a six-mon review >> if they're stipened or salaried
employees >> with HR before it gets to us. >> Well, I I agree with that, but only because I think they should be doing that anyways. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, they do. And >> I don't know. I don't know what the >> should be a line on here. >> What? >> To me, that would check out with the H
>> which HR Well, she that would just be under her responsibilities. Would I just want to be clear on the HR stuff this is personnel things and I don't know if that would fall under something >> yeah that >> like that would I we could maybe word it a different way but I just wouldn't want >> that the HR piece I'm glad is added but
I I really like the way that it's worded here because >> it doesn't and I and I have to look at it longer but that to me gets a little bit >> too far into HR and if to me if if HR signs off on this and the mayor signs off on this this person should not have
any pending issues like they should not be for us if there are any of those kinds of issues. Those are that's not something we should we would be that's not what the appointments committee is for just to be pretty straightforward. Um if there's issues and they've made it to the appointment committee then that is a much longer conversation. Yeah,
that's an issue with the mayor in my opinion, not >> sure. And that would be again that would be from the department that is there doing responsibility and um our HR director is I've been very impressed by her so far. I'm sure that's something that she would welcome just in other conversations with her about things that
she's been doing in her department. So um maybe you know maybe that is a question for for her, but I I don't know enough about the processes to be able to really speak to it. I just don't want to get into someone's personnel file during our meetings. >> Yeah. No, I think it's we the assumption. Yeah, it would be under the assumption that if she signs off on it,
that has already been done. That's simple enough. >> Yeah. The only thing I would throw into there, too, is if we do either a 60-day or 90day temporary appointment, whatever the ordinance allows, that's the only window that we can have for a probationary period because once they have a full 3-year appointment or however long the appointment is for the
council's confirmation, what the mayor puts up and things like that nature, then that person is entitled to that length of time on their appointment certificate. Um, tandamat to a contract almost. Um, so you know, six months being a lot longer than 60 or 90 days, we technically couldn't then go back and
do that because the appointment that they have is the appointment that they're entitled to at that point. So, it would either have to be the 60-day or the 90-day. And that's why uh for the department heads who I've hired, I've always done the 60-day temporary appointment first before they get to the city council so that they have that probationary period. Yeah. Um, but it uh
legally we wouldn't be able to do a contingent honor review after this amount because they have been entitled to whatever amount of time that their appointment certificate sites. >> So, I apologize. I was meaning um 69 days before it expires. >> Oh, okay. >> That's what that's what I meant by it.
>> That's how I understood it. So, >> I I did not take it that way. So, that I >> So, we you mean we would take up the appointment 60 to 90 days before it expires. So, we're not running into people expiring. And you know, we want to we we want to put them in a in a great in a better spot. >> Yeah. >> To Okay.
>> You know, so again, this is a >> we could add that to this. >> Yes. This is a draft, so we can work it out and go ahead and go do as such. Um any other comments? >> I would just say that um for um the clerk's office for this to be included
in our next packet, this draft of it, even though we know we're likely going to discuss and make changes like so if it gets sent to the court. Thank you. That's it. Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All right. Um motion made by councelor Kinskus, seconded by council
Hegman to adjurnn. All those in favor say I. I. >> Those oppose say no. >> Motion passes.