At the Nov. 25 Gardner City meeting, Department of Public Works staff reported several operations updates: the newly delivered salt shed is in place and nearly ready for winter, paving work on main streets is about 95% complete, and the James Street pump-station project is underway but likely will not finish until early spring.

DPW staff said the salt-shed project came in roughly $75 under budget and that the city will install remote-controlled gates to restrict unauthorized truck access. "This salt shed actually was $75 under budget," a staff member said. The department also said it is preparing for winter with plow trucks and sanders staged.

On the James Street pump station, staff said the project went out to bid last year and construction is ongoing; the project in discussion was described in the transcript with a numerical figure associated with project funding but that figure is unclear in the record. Staff warned that the contract needs to be signed by Jan. 9 but said state law and the absence of an auditor could prevent the city from completing the signature and might force the city to rebid the job.

No council vote on these items is recorded in the transcript; staff said the pump-station contract was approved previously by the council but signature logistics remain unresolved because of administrative constraints.