Schools

Rising Special Education Costs Contribute to $1 Million Shortfall for FY24 Watertown School Budget

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The Watertown Public Schools face a shortfall of around $1 million for the 2023-24 school year (Fiscal Year 2024), due in part to a large increase in the cost of special education. Monday night the School Committee heard the FY24 preliminary budget presentation from School administrators, who said the Watertown Public School’s level-services budget faces a significant deficit. This budget would provide the same level of services and programs available to students during the current school year, though it might require additional staff to provide the service due to increased enrollment in a certain grade or in a particular program, said Heidi Perkins, the WPS Director of Finance and Operations. The Watertown Schools will receive a 3.5 percent increase from the City over the FY23 budget, or $2.84 million, which would make the FY24 budget $55.64 million. The amount needed to cover a level-services budget is $58.47 million, as of Jan.

Sports

WHS Sports: Hockey Team Hot, Big Comeback by Boys Hoops, Runners on Right Track

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown boys hockey seeks another trip to the Final Four and the Final at the TD Garden after finishing runner-up in 2022. The 2022-23 season has been a hot and cold one for the Watertown High School boys hockey. The Raiders appear to be heating up in the latter half of the season as they look to return to the Garden for a second straight state final. The Raiders started the season winning four of their first seven games, and tying one. Then Watertown dropped four of six, and added another tie.

Around Town

Find Out About Applying for Grants to Help Watertown Residents Age 55+

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The following announcement was provided by the Marshall Home Fund:

The Marshall Home Fund (MHF) is a community-based charitable foundation dedicated toserving Watertown residents aged 55 and older. We annually award modest program grants to public agencies, private non-profits, and town departments serving Watertown’s older adultpopulation. MHF also provides financial assistance grants to older residents in urgent need. MHF funds innovative projects and core services to support Watertown’s efforts to be an Age-Friendly Community — a place where older adults can live, thrive and contribute. Since itsinception in 2005, MHF has awarded over $1,000,000 in grants! Some of our recent grantrecipients include The Mosesian Center for the Arts, Metro West Collaborative Development,the Watertown Recreation Department, Perkins School for the Blind, Project Literacy, theSenior Center, and many others. 

The Marshall Home Fund would like to invite community members representing non-profit agencies and town departments to join us for a virtual Grant Information Session on Thursday, February 9th at 3:00 p.m. to hear about our 2023-2024 grant opportunities.

Government

See How Much the City Proposes Charging New Developments to Fund Affordable Housing

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Watertown City Hall

The City of Watertown recently received approval from the state to charge linkage fees on new developments to raise money to create affordable housing. A zoning amendment has been proposed that would set the fee to be paid by new developments. The special legislation approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Charlie Baker in December allows Watertown to charge up to $18 per square foot on projects over 30,000 sq. ft. The exact amount must be set by amending the Watertown Zoning Ordinance.

Around Town

Tour One of Watertown’s Oldest Houses with the Historical Society

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Edmund Fowle House, home of the Historical Society of Watertown. The following information was provided by the Historical Society of Watertown:

The Historical Society of Watertown will be giving Open House tours at the Edmund Fowle House on Feb. 19. The house was built in 1771 and is one of the oldest remaining in Watertown. In 1775 it became the seat of government for the Provincial Congress, and was the location of the first treaty signing after the United States gained Independence.

Around Town

Gore Place’s New Home for Sheep Being Built With Historic Method

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Charlie BreitroseA new barn is going up at Gore Place for the estate’s herd of sheep. It is being built using a historic method. A new building going up at the farm at Gore Place will provide a new home for the flock of sheep at the historic estate, but it will also embody the architecture of the 19th Century, when the home and farm were built.

The beam and post method is being used to build the barn, where pieces are cut to fit together and are held together with wooden pegs. During construction, workers use only hand tools, besides the crane that lowered the beams into place when the frame went up in mid-December. The building is a reproduction of an English-style threshing barn which would have been used for threshing wheat, housing animals, and other purposes, said Thom Roach director of interpretation at Gore Place.