Company Profile
City of Gardner
Company Overview
Gardner is located along Interstate 35, just 30 miles southwest of downtown Kansas City. It is a historic community with a keen vision for the future. Gardner’s roots stretch back more than 150 years. Gardner was founded in 1858, “where the trails divide.” Gardner has a significant place in the history of the westward expansion of the United States. The California Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, and the Oregon Trail all left the Gardner area, sending travelers and settlers west over the mountains or north toward the Kansas River valley. Founded as a free-state settlement by emigrants from Massachusetts, the city was named for Henry Gardner, then governor of Massachusetts.
Gardner is located in Johnson County, Kansas, a county considered to be one of the top growth areas in the state, and one of the top growth areas in the nation. Johnson County is the largest county in Kansas with a population of approximately 615,000. Because of Gardner’s location on the edge of the Kansas City metropolitan area, it serves as a suburban/exurban living area for individuals employed in the metropolitan area and also serves the outlying, rural agricultural community.
The City of Gardner is currently approximately 11 square miles in size. Presently, Gardner is home to over 24,000 residents and is committed to maintaining its traditional small-town values while providing for future growth and development. The City possesses an award-winning school system, which includes seven elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Its proximity to other communities provides for many of the amenities of a larger metropolitan area including ample shopping, great restaurants, major sporting events, considerable cultural activities, and easy access to higher education and high-quality medical care. Housing costs in Gardner are reasonable; in 2020, the estimated median house or condominium value was $201,100.
The City provides a full range of public safety services including police protection through its Police Department, fire services with Johnson County Fire District No. 1, and ambulance services with Johnson County Med-Act. The City provides municipal electric, water, and wastewater services, street maintenance and engineering. Other City services include: planning, zoning and codes enforcement, municipal court, parks facilities and recreational activities, community development, and general administrative services.
In the past four decades, Gardner has experienced significant growth. This growth is expected to continue as the City benefits from direct access to a unique combination of interstate, air and rail infrastructure: two interchanges on Interstate 35, Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s major rail transit route, New Century Air Center (the fifth busiest airport in Kansas) on the City’s eastern side, and the recently opened BNSF Intermodal facility on its western side.
Company History
The City of Gardner was established on March 16, 1858 and came under the jurisdiction of the State of Kansas in 1861. The City was incorporated as a Municipal Corporation of the Third Class in January 1887 and as a Municipal Corporation of the Second Class in December 2002.
The City has a Mayor-Council-Administrator form of government. The Mayor and five Councilmembers are elected at-large to serve a four-year term. The Governing Body appoints a City Administrator who oversees the day-to-day operations of the City.
Benefits
The City of Gardner offers a wide range of employee benefits including:
Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
Flexible Spending Plan
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Employee Assistance
Supplemental Life, Accident and Disability Insurance
Employees are eligible for benefits coverage the first day of the month coinciding with or immediately following their employment date.
Detailed information about these employee benefits, including coverage options and rates, can be found at www.gardnerkansas.gov
The City of Gardner also offers the following additional benefits:
Retirement
457 Deferred Compensation Plan
Long Term Disability Benefits
Recreation Discount