The City Council took a number of actions at the Feb. 25 meeting, including purchasing the former Sterritt Lumber site, removing the Watertown Police supervisors from Civil Service, honoring an Armenian artist and immigrant, and approving a Memorialization Committee. See more details in the City Council Newsletter provided by the City of Watertown.
City Council Newsletter
Please see below for the city council’s newsletter for its meeting on February 25, 2025. You can view the video recording of the meeting here.
Purchase of 148 Waltham Street
The council voted unanimously to approve a purchase & sale agreement of $9.2 million for the property located at 148 Waltham Street. This is the former site of Sterritt Lumber. The council also voted unanimously to approve a transfer of funds to pay a $500,000 deposit to execute the agreement.
While the city is technically using eminent domain to acquire the land, this is an example of what is referred to as a “friendly taking.” This means that the city negotiated the price with a willing seller and is using the eminent domain procedure to finalize the agreement.
After the purchase is finalized, the city will conduct a thorough community process to determine the purpose for which the land will be used. Multiple councilors as well as the manager noted that the land will not be used for a lab building.
Council honors Arshile Gorky
The council also unanimously approved a proclamation honoring artist Arshile Gorky. Gorky, an Armenian-American painter who was prolific in the field of abstract expressionism, lived in Watertown beginning on March 1, 1920 until early 1925. As such, the council proclaimed that March 1, 2025 is Arshile Gorky Day in Watertown. Jason Sohigian, Executive Director of the Armenian Museum of America, accepted the proclamation.
Residents can learn more about Arshile Gorky’s significance to Watertown here.
Memorialization Committee approved
The council voted unanimously to establish a Memorialization Committee. The committee will consist of the city manager or a designee, a member of the city council as designated by the council president, and three residents nominated by the city manager and confirmed by the city council.
Its role will be to serve as a uniform process for the naming of public spaces. The procedure for naming public spaces after veterans will remain in place and continue to exist separately from the memorialization committee.
Capital Improvement Plan deadline extended to March 11
The deadline for the Budget & Fiscal Oversight Committee to present the FY26-30 Capital Improvement Plan is now March 11. The committee has already had two robust meetings analyzing the plan with staff and will have another meeting on Monday, March 3rd.
Residents can review the proposed plan here.
Approval of Health & Human Services study & hiring of Human Services Director
The council voted unanimously to approve the HHS study which analyzes Watertown’s existing health & human services infrastructure and makes recommendations for improvement. Councilors noted that some tweaks may need to be made but that doing so will be possible as the report is implemented. Residents can read the full report here.
Additionally, the council voted unanimously to approve a transfer of funds to fund a salary for a human services director. The new director will develop and implement a human services plan. There will also be a human services cabinet to formalize much of the work that is already being done informally by several staff members.
Middle School feasibility study update
The council voted unanimously to approve a transfer of funds of $45,000 to fully fund the middle school feasibility study, the total cost of which is roughly $445,000. This study will examine a proposal to renovate the middle school without tearing it down and rebuilding it.
Police Department no longer in civil service
The council voted unanimously to fully remove the police department from civil service. This is consistent with collective bargaining agreements but requires a vote from the council. Until now, only the patrol divisions of WPD have been exempt from civil service. The city manager emphasized that this has allowed the city to hire lateral transfers with diverse backgrounds and language skills in a way that would not have been possible before.
Applications open for civics academy
Residents can now apply to participate in the inaugural civics academy. This is a free, six-week long program which helps residents understand the inner workings of local government and learn how they can make an impact. It will meet on Thursday evenings from 6-8PM from May 8th to June 12th. Each session will cover a new topic or theme within city government, taught by the Watertown city staff. Sessions will include interactive workshops, presentations, and behind the scenes visits.
Residents can apply at this link. Priority will be given to residents who have not participated in city boards, commissions, or other municipal bodies. Applicants will be informed of their enrollment status by the end of March.
Notes from the City Manager
City Manager George Proakis shared the following items:
The city is close to going out to bid on renovations for the parker annex. This will include, among other improvements, bringing the food pantry into the parker annex. Staff working on sustainability and community design will also move in to the parker building once renovations are complete.
Proposals for Victory Field Phase II are going out to bid currently. The manager expects that this spring he will be coming to the council with a funding proposal consistent with the community process which took place.
Wayfinding signs with branding which has been approved by the council will be going up around the city.
The Commonwealth’s 2023 economic development bill allows cities and towns to opt in to give property tax exemptions to property owners who rent to income-qualifying persons on a year-round, annual basis. The threshold can be set by the municipality as long as it complies with HUD guidelines and is not more than 200% of the area median income (AMI). While the manager is not aware of a community that has yet done this, the discussion is worth having. This matter was referred to the Committee on Budget & Fiscal Oversight.