Schools

Watertown School Committee Puts Hold on Purchasing Vans with End of Year Surplus

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The School Committee balked at using funds remaining at the end of the year on two vans, at least for now, but approved spending money to prepay special education tuition and to add funds to the Town’s Special Education Stabilization Fund. The proposal came Monday night, at the last planned School Committee during Fiscal Year 2018, and if funds are not spent or designated they go back to the Town’s general fund. The Watertown Public Schools is projected to end the year with a $785,928, said School Committee Vice President Kendra Foley. The surplus came about due to lower than expected special education costs, vacancies left unfilled and hires that were not made, Foley said. The School Committee’s Budget and Finance Subcommittee discussed what to do with the funds at a prior meeting, and proposed using $400,000 to prepay special education tuitions for the first three months of the next fiscal year, put $200,000 into the Special Education Stabilization Fund and purchase two 12-seat vans (10 passengers plus the driver and the front passenger seat) with $100,000.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Receives Grants from True Value, Lowe’s to Improve Club

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club received a pair of grants to help improve the Clubhouse on Whites Avenue, Club representatives announced. True Value Grant Provides Paint

As students across Watertown get ready to go back to school, Watertown Boys & Girls Club is getting a fresh coat of paint thanks to a partnership with Waltham True Value. The Club is one of many across the nation selected to receive a “Painting a Brighter Future” grant. Every day, 11 million kids are left unsupervised after school. Boys & Girls Clubs are there to provide kids with quality after-school programming to keep them on track to academic success and a great future.

Around Town

Watertown Grecian Festival Features Food, Music, Dancing and More

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Watertown’s Taxiarchae-Archangels Greek Orthodox Church announced it is hosting its annual Grecian Festival on June 22, 23, and 24. 
Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, June 22, and Saturday, June 23, and Noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 24. The Festival features homemade Greek cuisine (including its famous gyros), pastries, Greek frappé coffee, Greek music and dancing, Greek imports and souvenirs, a bookstore, children’s games, Church tours, and a raffle. Music will be provided by Orfeas Band (Friday and Saturday, 7-11 p.m.) and Greek Music and Video (Sunday, Noon-8 p.m.). The Festival will be held in the Church’s Hellenic Cultural Center and under the tent in its parking lot, both located at 25 Bigelow Ave. For further information, please call the Church office at 617-924-8182.

Government

OP-ED: State Senate’s Letter to President on Separating Children from Parents Seeking Asylum

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{The following letter was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, and was sent on behalf of the Massachusetts State Senate}

June 20, 2018

President Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump,

We write to you as a united and bipartisan group of Massachusetts State Senators, to denounce the immoral policy of separating children from their parents when they seek asylum at the United States border with Mexico. We believe this policy is toxic to our reputation as a country and, most importantly, damaging to the families it impacts. This policy has already separated over 2,300 children from their families; the federal government has an affirmative duty to reunite every family that was separated by this policy. Further, rising public knowledge of this new un-American practice by your administration has created outrage and deep sorrow across our country. In a time when politics regarding immigration policy has become more divisive than ever, response to these actions has united Republicans, Democrats, independents, family advocates, and business groups – all calling for the common sense practice to keep families united.

Government

Watertown Shuttle Will Have to Wait Until More Businesses, Apartment Complexes Sign On

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Those hoping to ride a shuttle down Pleasant Street to Watertown Square, or anywhere else in town, will have to wait. 

The proposed shuttle would be largely funded by private businesses and residential developments, with the Town also contributing. The Council’s Economic Development and Planning subcommittee heard from Transportation Planner Laura Wiener Tuesday night, who said that not enough organizations have committed to funding a shuttle to launch a viable pilot program. The current plan is to run a shuttle along Pleasant Street, Wiener said, because the street does not really have any public transportation. The estimated cost for running a shuttle for a year is $150,000, Wiener said. The Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) has committed $25,000, and the Town has volunteered in-kind donations of a vehicle and fuel equivalent to about $50,000.

Environment

Solar Panel Requirement for New Buildings Supported by Council Subcommittee

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New developments in Watertown would have to put up a solar energy system if the zoning amendment heard by a Town Council subcommittee is adopted by the full Town Council. Watertown would become the first community in Massachusetts to require solar energy systems on new developments, Ed Lewis, the Town’s Energy Manager, told the Economic Development and Planning Committee Tuesday night. Other communities and the state has come up with proposed ordinances, but none has enacted them, Lewis said. Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli said it is nice to be leading the way. “I’m excited to be the first in the state to require solar on buildings,” Piccirilli said.

Police/Fire

Boy Struck by SUV While Heading to Cunniff School, Suffers Minor Injuries

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An 11-year-old boy suffered minor injuries when he was struck by an SUV while on the way to Cunniff School on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred on Highland Street at Copeland Street at about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The incident was witnessed by the boy’s sister. The boy was either riding or walking his bicycle across the street when a Jeep Grand Cherokee heading eastbound struck him. “The child was transported to Children’s Hospital Boston with minor injuries,” O’Connor said.

Basketball

Watertown Basketball Coach Hosting Basketball Camp in July

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Watertown High School girl’s basketball coach Pat Ferdinand will host Mass. Hoop Academy, a basketball camp for boys and girls in grades 4 to 12. The camp will be held July 2, 3, 5 and 6, 2018 at Watertown High School. The camp staff will be Ferdinand as director, New Mission High School girls varsity coach Mitchell Hercule as high school division camp director, and counselors Nicole Lanzo (WHS alum), Katelyn Rourke (WHS alum) and Maggie Mulligan (UMass Amherst alum). For more information and to register go to: http://masshoopsacademycamps.myonlinecamp.com/