Around Town

Watertown Library Extends Hours for Curbside Pickups

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Watertown Free Public Library

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:

Beginning Monday, June 15 the library will offer additional evening curbside pickup hours. The new pickup schedule is: Monday 1 pm – 4 pm, Tuesday 4 pm – 7 pm *New Hours*, Wednesday 11 am – 2pm, Thursday 4 pm – 7 pm *New Hours*, Friday 9 am – 12 pm 

Placing Orders: Call 857-203-8009 to place orders. Calls can be made Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. A library employee will take orders for up to 5 items that are currently available in the library catalog. Anyone that does not have internet access may call for personal assistance with choosing materials.

CARES Act

UPDATED: No Layoffs in Watertown Budget Despite Projected Revenue Loss of $4 Million

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Watertown’s Town Hall. (This story was updated on June 15 at 9:06 am and corrected the number of ALS ambulances funded in the FY21 budget.)

No layoffs — that was the first highlight given by Town Manager Michael Driscoll when he presented the Fiscal Year 2021 budget on Tuesday night. This comes despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic — projected to cause a drop of more than $4 million in revenues for the Town government. The total budget would be $152.44 million, which is $2.5 million (1.69 percent) more than the FY2020 revised budget. The increase from FY2019 to 2020 was $5 million.

COVID-19

Watertown Preschoolers Get to Say Goodbye to Their Teachers in Drive By Event

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A staff member from the Early Steps Integrated Preschool attended the preschool parade where the staff could say goodbye to their students. Children in the Watertown Early Steps Integrated Preschool got a special treat last week, and got to see some old friends — their teachers! The Watertown Public School’s preschool program, located at the Phillips Building, closed along with the other schools in March. As the school year wound down, the preschool staff wanted to see the kids one more time, and they organized a parade to come by the school, said Karen Feeney, Watertown’s Director of Early Childhood. Cars full of preschoolers and their parents drive through the lot behind the Phillips Building during the drive through goodbye event on June 1.

Government

Watertown Courts, Other Rec Facilities Remain Closed Despite Start of Phase 2

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The basketball courts at Casey Park are among the facilities that remain closed in Watertown even with the beginning of Phase 2 of the Governor’s reopening plan. Recreation Director Peter Centola had to turn away some disappointed people hoping to make use of Watertown’s basketball courts and other facilities that are allowed to open under Phase 2 of the Governor’s reopening plan. While Monday was the first day that many recreation facilities were allowed to reopen, Centola said that the ultimate decision lies with Town officials. “Courts, dog park, the spray park, all things said we were closed continue to be closed until you hear differently from the Town of Watertown,” Centola said. Centola said he has not heard when the other facilities will reopen.

Environment

Fixing Sinking Areas Part of Renovation Plans at Arsenal Park

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A drawing of the proposed renovation of Arsenal Park. This shows the 25 percent design plan, which the Conservation Commission approved in 2019. The areas of sinking are in the upper left corner, near the playground, the oval driveway and the pathways connecting them. Town officials set a goal of completing the renovations of Arsenal Park by the end of 2021, and part of the work that will be done will be to fix the sinking area of the park near the playground, driveway and parking lot. On June 3, the Conservation Commission saw a timeline that, if accomplished, would enable to project to be planned, bid and constructed by the end of the construction season in 2021.

Government

Town Manager Presenting Budget Monday, Council Voting on School Project Funding Tuesday

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The Town Council will consider approving the funds to build the new Hosmer and Cunniff elementary schools Tuesday night. Here is a rendering of what the new Hosmer will look like. The Watertown Town Council will have back-to-back meetings this week, beginning with the presentation of next year’s Town Budget on Monday, and then councilors will hear a presentation about and are expected to vote on the funding for the construction of the new Hosmer and Cunniff elementary schools. Budget Presentation

Town Manager Michael Driscoll will present the Fiscal Year 2021 Town Budget Monday at a special Town Council meeting that will begin at 6 p.m.

The budget had been scheduled to be presented in April, but was delayed due to the uncertainty of some of the Town’s revenue due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The budget meeting will be conducted online, and the public watch and participate in a number of ways:

Join the virtual meeting online at: https://watertown-ma.zoom.us/j/91777824276Join in audio-only mode on the phone — 877 853 5257 (TollFree) or 888 475 4499 (Toll Free) and enter Webinar ID: 917 7782 4276#Watch the meeting on WCATV (Watertown Cable AccessTelevision) on the air at Comcast Channel 99 or RCN Channel 13, and online at https://wcatv.org/government-channel/

Council Discusses School Projects

The $103.45 million in funding for to construct new schools at Cunniff and Hosmer elementary schools will be the main agenda item at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Arrested for OUI Suspected of Dealing Drugs, Food Delivery Taken

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

May 26, 2:38 a.m.: An officer encountered a Jeep sitting in the intersection of Arsenal and School streets with the motor running and brake lights on. The driver had his head back and his eyes closed, and appeared to be sleeping. Officers knocked on the window for several minutes and eventually woke him. When the driver awoke, he was unaware of his surroundings or where he was.

Real Estate

Two Properties Were Sold in Watertown This Week

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Watertown had a pair of homes sold this week. $965,000 – 59 Barnard Ave., Single Family – Detached Colonial 2,315 Living Area Sq. Ft., 10 Room, 4 Bedroom, 3 Full & 1 Half Bathroom

$815,000 – 133 School St., Multi-family Home – 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down, 2,856 Living Area Sq. Ft., 2 Units, 10 Total Rooms, 4 Total Bedrooms

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