City Manager Submits Nominees for Watertown Human Rights Commission

Starting with a pool of 28 applicants, City Manager George Proakis selected a group of nine people which is “very diverse with a very interesting mix of backgrounds” to nominate for Watertown’s first Human Rights Commission. The changes to Watertown’s Charter approved by voters in 2021 included the creation of a Human Rights Commission. More than two years later, the inaugural group of commissioners were submitted by Proakis to the City Council on Tuesday. “This one has been a complicated and long process to get us to this point,” Praokis said. The City Council adopted the ordinance to create the Human Rights Commission in September 2023, and in December 2023 Proakis sent out notice that he was seeking applicants for the Commission.

City Considering Going to Half Days on Fridays All Year Long

Photo by Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

City Manager George Proakis asked the City Council to consider changing the hours for City Hall, along with the Senior Center, to half days on Fridays because it would help with recruitment of employees and added that Friday afternoons are slow for City departments. The proposal would impact City Hall, the Parker Annex and the Senior Center, and would make the hours they are open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays; and Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Typically, Watertown City Hall has hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday most of the year, and during the summer it is open until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and closes at 2 p.m. on Fridays. Many city and town governments have half days on Fridays for the entire year, Proakis said. City officials examined open hours for neighboring communities, and those communities that are comparable to Watertown. They found that 12 of the 18 communities have full-year half-day Fridays.

Committee of Residents Will Make Recommendation for City Councilors’ Salaries

Watertown City Hall

A committee of residents and property owners will be created to study what salary should be paid to Watertown City Councilors. On Tuesday night, Councilors unanimously voted to create a Blue Ribbon Committee to study salaries. City Council salaries must be approved by the Council, and when approved they do not take effect until the following term. In January 2023, the Council approved an increase of $1,200 per year to $8,700 a year for the Councilors and a $1,500 increase to $12,000 for the Council President. The increase was based on a 2.5 percent raise per year from 2018 to 2024.

Police Log: Driver Arrested After Hitting 2 Parked Cars, Pair of Shoplifters Busted

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Feb. 25, 6 p.m.: A bike was damaged and a lock was vandalized at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center. The owner said the bike damage from what appeared to be an attempted theft that occurred between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The bike had multiple locks and the suspect was able to break away one of the locks while attempting to steal the bike. The spokes of the bike were damaged, making the bike unusable.

Youth Sports Success: Girls Youth Basketball Wins Tourney, Wrestler Places 2nd at States

Watertown’s Girls Fifth Grade Travel Basketball Team won the Div. 3 Metrowest Youth Basketball Tournament. (Contributed Photo)

Youth athletes from Watertown enjoyed some success recently, both on the basketball court and on the wrestling mat. Basketball

The Watertown Youth Basketball Fifth Grade Girls Travel Team won the Metrowest Youth Basketball Division 3 Championship last weekend. The team is coached by Head Coach Lee Haley and Assistant Coach Mark McAndrew. 

Watertown beat Raynham 34-15 in the final of the tournament that included 14 teams. The team got a bye in the first round, defeated Waltham 31-16 in the second round, and won its third round game against Walpole, 40-23.