Development

Town Council Looking to Change Rules for New Developments in Watertown

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The Town Council seeks to change the rules for new developments proposed to be built in Watertown. 

On Tuesday, the Council voted to recommend changes to the town’s Zoning Ordinance, and requested that Director of Economic Development and Planning Steve Magoon start the process to change the rules. Under the recommendation from the Rules and Ordinances subcommittee, a public meeting would have to be held for any residential project with four or more units and any non-residential project of more than 10,000 sq. ft. before it could be submitted to the Planning Board. The proposal would require meetings to be advertised at least two weeks before the meeting, and the district councilor for the area where the project is proposed must be notified.

Police/Fire

Fallen Boston Firefighter Has Family on Watertown Fire Department

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Lt. Edward J. Walsh, one of the Boston firefighters killed in the 9-alarm blaze in the Back Bay on Wednesday, has family on the Watertown Fire Department.  

Walsh, 43, of West Roxbury, and firefighter Michael Kennedy, 33 of Hyde Park, died in the basement of a brownstone on Beacon Street when flames flared up in a backdraft, Boston Fire officials said Wednesday night. Thirteen other firefighters were injured in the fire. The fire touched Watertown, as Walsh has family members currently and formerly on the Watertown Fire Department. His father was a lieutenant on the WFD as was his late uncle Bill, according to the Boston Fire Department.

Around Town

Watertown School Supporters Call for Stabilization of Special Education Costs

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By Charlie Breitrose

The uncertainty of how much special education will cost the Watertown Public Schools each year has been a thorn in the side of school administrators and parents alike, and now supporters of the school want to establish a stabilization fund to deal with unexpected costs. The town must provide education for students with special needs from the age of 3 through high school, and in some cases until the age of 22. Some students attend programs in Watertown, but others attend schools outside of town which often have high price tags. This year alone, the district got 12 students who they had not anticipated who required out-of-district programs, said Student Services Director Arlene Shainker said at the School Committee Budget and Finance Subcommittee meeting on Monday night. That number is higher than most years.

Around Town

School Officials Say $6 million Hike Needed to Provide Excellent Education

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Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald, second from left, Assistant Superintendent Dari Donovan, second from right and financial specialist Frank Colvario presented the first draft of the Fiscal 2015 Watertown School Budget. Director of Student Services Arlene Shainker also participated. Photo by Charlie Breitrose

By Charlie Breitrose

School officials discussed a very preliminary school budget for the 2014-15 school year, but one number stuck out – an increase of $6 million or 16 percent officials said they need to provide the education that Watertown’s students need. The increase is based on what principals and program directors said they needed to run their school or program right, said Assistant Superintendent Dari Donovan said during Thursday’s School Committee Budget and Finance Subcommittee meeting. “This is what people really feel like that need to proved an excellent education to students next year,” Donovan said.

Around Town

Feds Nab Connecticut Man for Allegedly Trying to Meet Minor for Sex in Watertown

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By Charlie Breitrose

A man who drove from Connecticut to Watertown to allegedly have sex with an underage girl was arrested yesterday and faces multiple charges. Paul R. Hinkel, 56, of Chester, Conn., faces federal charges that he persuaded, induced, enticed or coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity, according to a press release from United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz’s office. “We vigorously pursue defendants who intend to use the Internet to evade detection and to infringe on the protections of children,” Ortiz said. Hinkel responded to an ad on Craigslist which he thought was placed by a woman who was looking for a man to have a “relatioship” which would also include her underage daughter. The ad, however, was placed by undercover Homeland Security Investigation agents, according to the announcement.

Around Town

Shortage of ESL Teachers in Watertown Schools

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By Charlie Breitrose

One in ten students in the Watertown Public Schools are in English as a Second Language classes, but more than half are not getting the ESL (now known as English Language Learner) instruction that is required by state law.The students are in all five Watertown schools, and they come in speaking one of 27 different languages, said ESL Program Director Allison Levit said during a School Committee Budget and Finance Subcommittee meeting. Students who know the least amount of English are supposed to get 150 minutes a day of ESL instruction. That amount drops to 60-120 minutes for mid-level students and 30 minutes for those close to moving into a regular classroom full time, Levit said. A couple years ago Watertown Middle School received an award for its ESL program, but now the system is struggling. Levit, who is in her second year as director, asked for more staff last year, and did not receive any more instructors.

Schools

New Group Pushes for ‘Watertown Strong Schools’

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By Charlie BreitroseA new group has emerged advocating for quality public schools in town, known as Watertown Strong Schools.The group seeks to support the Watertown Public Schools in the effort to get the “full funding needed to staff schools and purchase materials to provide quality education to Watertown students,” according to the group’s website, http://www.watertownstrongschools.com.Watertown Strong Schools has a three-tiered approach to improve the schools – data driven understanding and documentation of the schools; building relationships with the school, town and community leaders; and positive communication and outreach.The website provides a place to find out about upcoming meetings that impact the schools and town. It also has announced informational meetings about Watertown Strong Schools. The meetings will be held on Sunday, March 23 at 3 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library, and one on Wednesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. – place to be determined.