Conservation board approves beaver fix, duplex swap
Conservation Commission · Meeting of September 28, 2026
Gardner's Conservation Commission presses on with permit votes as a citywide hiring freeze stalls its search for a dedicated agent. The freeze, extended through November 1, froze a September 14 job offer after the candidate raised questions about the city's pay schedule, leaving a staffer who said he is "still managing this department, the planning board, and a myriad of other responsibilities" to cover enforcement alone. Commissioners unanimously approved an emergency beaver-removal certification tied to a near-blocked culvert threatening the Pearly Brook Dam, approved an amendment shrinking a Matthew Morrow-represented duplex into a single-family house with 44 percent less impervious area, and signed off on a DCR plan to rebuild 135 meters of trail steps at Dunn Pond State Park.
A resident identified only as Al urged the board to keep open an enforcement order over unrepaired erosion barriers at the city's sludge landfill, which DPW inspection reports have not updated since June 1.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,999 words
Source: the Conservation Commission meeting of September 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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