Obituaries

OBIT: Mary Sullivan, Worked at Verona, Advocated for Anti-Hazing Law

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A Funeral Mass for Mary C. (Whyte) Sullivan will be celebrated on Monday June 9, 2014 in the Church of St. Patrick, Watertown at 9 a.m.

Mrs. Sullivan was born in Waltham, a daughter of the late John P. & Mary C. (Bowes) Whyte. Mary was born and raised and spent 50 years in Watertown. She graduated from Watertown Hugh School, Class of 1959. Mary worked at Verona Restaurant for years as well as for FEMA for 25 years and worked tirelessly and was extremely instrumental in the passing of the 1984 Anti-Hazing law in Massachusetts.

Government

Child Sex Abuse Law Pushed by Local Reps Moves Closer to Approval

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After years of pushing for a child sex abuse law, a bill on Beacon Hill has moved closer to being passed than ever thanks in part to the work of two local legislators. The law would extend the statue of limitations for civil law suits to be filed by victims of child abuse. Last week, the House gave initial approval of the bill that came out of the Committee on the Judiciary, which is co-chaired by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, D – Belmont, (who represents Watertown). Brownsberger has been a champion of the bill in the senate. On the House side, State Rep. John Lawn, D – Watertown, has worked hard on the bill.

Police/Fire

Man Arrested After Altercation at Super 8 Motel

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A Framingham man faces multiple charges after police responded to an altercation at the Super 8 Motel. On May 27 at 11:03 a.m., police responded to a domestic incident at the motel. Keith Herring, 24, of 101 Phelps Road in Framingham, allegedly grabbed his girlfriend’s throat, slammed her head in a door and took her cell phone, according to Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. Police arrested Herring and charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, domestic assault and battery, intimidating a witness, attempted murder and larceny over $250, according to police.

Obituaries

OBIT: Former Watertown Police Officer Chuck Lenaghan Jr.

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A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Church of St. Patrick, Watertown for retired Watertown Police Officer Charles William “Chuck” Lenaghan, Jr. on Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 10 a.m.

Mr. Lenaghan was born in Cambridge, a son of the late Charles W., Sr. and Rita (Brogan) Lenaghan. He passed away at the Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge on Tuesday morning June 3, 2014 after a short illness. He was 67. Chuck graduated from St.

Government

Schools Make Budget Case, Councilors Want More Info

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Tuesday night Watertown School officials made their case for the major increase in their school budget to the Town Council, but Councilors had concerns and questions about the schools’ request. After making some adjustments to the request, the Watertown Public School asked for a $5.8 million in Fiscal 2015 over the current year, or just under a 16 percent hike. On April 29 when Town Manager Michael Driscoll first presented the budget their figure was $6.1 million or 16.87 percent more than Fiscal 2014. This is the amount of money needed to return the Watertown Schools to the point where they were before the Recession sapped the schools of funding, said Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald. On Tuesday, Driscoll again presented his proposed budget which would give an increase of the town appropriation of $2.2 million or 6.18 percent.

Government

New Approach to Making Budget Needed to Add Staffing

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As the Town Council reviews the budget during the Fiscal 2015 budget hearings they often lamented that they do not have the funds to boost staffing for multiple departments. To actually add, a new approach to budgeting is needed, Town Council President Mark Sideris said. One department that several Councilors pointed to as being in critical need for more staff is the Community Development and Planning Department. Development in Watertown is booming, and the town is also working on the Comprehensive Plan, a huge document that will help shape what Watertown looks like in the future. Councilor Cecilia Lenk said she would like to see a staff member th help coordinate public transportation for the new developments.

Schools

Watertown Schools Hire New Business Manager

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After enduring a difficult – and still ongoing – budget year without a director of business services, the Watertown Public Schools hired one on Monday night. The School Committee approved the hiring of Charlie Kellner, and he will begin work after July 1, 2014. Kellner last worked as the school business director for the Medfield Public Schools. He said the Watertown job appealed to him. “I am familiar with some of the staff and I grew up not far away in Newton,” Kellner said.

Government

LETTER: Watertown’s Retirement Savings is Misleading

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Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to your article on the May 27 budget hearing in the hope of clarifying issues surrounding Watertown’s pension funding decisions. [Click here to read the article.]

The article reports the misleading claim, made by the Town Manager in the April 29 budget presentation document and again during the May 27 budget presentation, that moving the end-date for eliminating our unfunded pension liability from 2022 to 2019 will save the Town $32 million. This inaccurate claim leads to the false and damaging impression that the pension appropriations for FY2015 and subsequent years cannot be reduced because doing so would eliminate substantial savings. To the contrary, in order to realize $5 million savings by 2022 (not $32 million!), by 2019 the Town must make $10 million more in contributions than had been previously scheduled through 2019. Before addressing arcane aspects of pension funding, we need to ask: Why is this important to Town residents?