Schools

Kindergarten Enrollment Expected to be Down, District Adding PreK Class

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Hosmer Elementary School in Watertown will have a second PreK class next year. Registration for kindergarten has been lower that expected, allowing School officials to use money on other things. Meanwhile, space is available to add another PreK class for Watertown students. Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee about the changes to next year’s school budget made possible by the lower enrollment on Monday night. When the first Fiscal Year 2020 budget project was presented two weeks ago, four new teaching positions were included to accommodate enrollment growth at certain levels.

Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighters Remember Fallen Colleague Two Years After His Death

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Watertown Firefighters salute Joseph Toscano on the second anniversary of the firefighter’s death. Two years after Watertown Firefighter Joseph Toscano lost his life at a fire in East Watertown, members of the Watertown Fire Department gathered to pay their respects. Sunday’s ceremony took place at the corner of Bigelow and Merrifield avenues, just down the street from the home where the fire occurred. The corner was named Firefighter Joseph A. Toscano Square last year on March 17, the one-year anniversary of his death. The event was attended by hundreds of people and drew media from around the region.

Arrests

Police Log: Older Resident Scammed Out of More than $50K, Laptop Stolen from Gym

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

March 5, 1:58 a.m.: An officer patrolling on Nichols Avenue near Dexter Avenue spotted a vehicle run a stop sign. The vehicle was pulled over and Police discovered the driver had a warrant for his arrest. The 63-year-old Brighton man was arrested on the warrant from Newton District Court for distribution of a Class B substance, and he was cited for a stop sign violation. March 5, 5:41 p.m.: Police spotted a man they recognized as being wanted on a warrant driving on Lexington Street near Carey Avenue.

Real Estate

A Single-Family, Two Condos Were Sold in Watertown This Week

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Three Watertown homes sold this week. $835,000 – 57 Katherine Road Unit 57, 8 room, 4 bedroom, 3 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$674,000 – 41 Harrington St. Unit 41, 7 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

$875,000 – 42 Winsor Ave., 8 room, 4 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Colonial single-family home

Sponsored by:

Schools

Watertown Youth Sports Groups Concerned About Being Charged to Use School Gyms

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The School Committee is examining its policy for charging groups to use school facilities, such as the gyms. Watertown youth sports groups oppose any fees, saying it could prevent some kids from participating in their programs.

A proposal to charge town youth groups to use the gyms at the Watertown Public Schools has parents and youth sports groups concerned. The subject came up last year because School officials had heard that Watertown youth groups were getting squeezed out of the gyms by for-profit renters. A policy was created to create a priority list for users of the school facilities, and fees were examined and increased on for-profit users. At a joint meeting of the School Committee’s Budget & Finance and Buildings & Grounds subcommittees, School officials found that the fees had not always been charged. “As the fees were implemented, it became clear that past practice had not followed the past fee policy and there were significant inconsistencies regarding who was charged and at what level,” said School Committee Vice Chair Kendra Foley.

Real Estate

More Than a Dozen Open Houses in Watertown

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See this week’s Watertown open houses below. $850,000 – 129 Boylston St. Unit 2, 7 room, 3 bed, 2.5 bath 2/3 family, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 Sunday 12-2

$929,000 – 11-13 Richards Road, 2 unit, 14 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family multi-family home, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$679,000 – 51 Eliot St. Unit 51, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 3 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$799,900 – 199 Coolidge Ave. Unit 302, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Mid-Rise condo/townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$649,000 – 57 Union St.

Government

School Projects, Parks Big Part of Watertown’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan

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Reconstructing Watertown’s public schools and renovating some of the parks in town made up a significant part of the conceptual recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2020-24 Capital Improvement Plan, which were approved by the Town Council on Tuesday. The Capital Improvement Plan covers five years, and includes more than $503 million in possible spending on construction, building repairs, vehicles, and equipment. The amount budgeted for Fiscal Year 2020 (which starts July 1, 2019) is $11,196,937 or about 7.6 percent of the total Town Budget. On Tuesday, the Council gave approval to a list of 29 conceptual recommendations on the FY20-24 Capital Improvement Plan. Much of the work will be paid for by money borrowed by the Town, but some will be paid through the money collected through property taxes, grants and other ways.