Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/author/cbreitro/page/946/)
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Jan. 5, 5:42 p.m.: A shoplifter was detained at Target along with her 2-year-old child. Security saw the woman putting items in the baby carriage and try to leave the store without paying. Police found $133.58 in items from Target and $127.99 in merchandise from Carter’s.
A Watertown runner turned in one of the best runs in the whole nation at a recent indoor track meet. Watertown junior Austin Lin turned in a time of 50.03 in the 400 at the at the recent Boston University mini-meet. The time ranks him the seventh fastest high school runner in the indoor 400 in the United States. The boys’ and girls’ indoor track teams also scored their first wins on Jan. 6, beating Stoneham 46-42 and 44-42, respectively.
The Town Council’s decision to reject the fire union’s contract may be felt come November’s Town Election. The vote on Dec. 9 rejected the arbitration award decided by a neutral panel. It also raised the ire of many in the Fire Department along with friends, family and others who thought that the Watertown Firefighters deserved a new contract and after 5 1/2 years. Tuesday’s meeting again drew scores of firefighters and other unions, who rallied before the meeting asking the Town Council to reconsider its vote.
The committee that will oversee the renovation of the track area of Victory Field will not start as soon as planned after one spot on the board still must be filled. Town Council President Mark Sideris said he planned to reveal names of the members of the Ad Hoc Victory Field Committee, but the list is not complete. The committee was formed after the first proposal to renovate the track area drew much criticism from neighbors of Victory Field and other residents (read more here). The most controversial part of the plan – adding artificial turf inside the track – was removed but other contentious areas, such as flood lights, could be included in the plan. The person he hoped to select as a representative from a Watertown youth sports group withdrew his or her name, Sideris said.
A number of homes have open houses in Watertown this weekend. $579,000 – 14-14A Charles St., 2 unit, 12 total room, 6 total bedroom, Open House: Sunday 1:30-3 p.m.
$925,000 – 75 Summer St. Unit 75, 3 bedroom, 3 full 2 half bathroom townhouse, Open House: Sunday 2-3:30 p.m.
Sponsored by:
$529,000 – 12 Wilson Ave. Unit 12, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom 2 family, Open House:
Saturday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
$379,000 – 87 Fayette St. Unit 87, 2 bedroom, 1 bathrooom 3 family, Open House: Saturday 1-3 p.m.
Labor unions had a strong showing in front of Watertown Town Hall Tuesday night before the Town Council meeting, but councilors did not reverse their decision to reject an award for the town’s firefighters approved by a state arbitrator. The rally came about after 8 of 9 Town Councilors voted to reject the arbitration agreement on Dec. 9, saying that the proposal that included 2.5 percent raises in Fiscal 2012 and 2013 and an increase for EMT training and would cost the town $2.74 million in back pay. Firefighters have been without a contract for more than 5 1/2 years. The deadline to file to reconsider the vote on the contract passed before Tuesday’s meeting, said Town Council President Mark Sideris.
With last week’s announcement that Boston had been chosen as the United State’s nominee to bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, a Town Councilor has proposed creating a group to take on the issue from Watertown’s perspective. On Tuesday, Councilor Tony Palomba said he will propose creating an ad hoc Watertown Olympic Committee at the next Council meeting on Jan. 27. “The committee’s role will be keeping Watertown in the mix as we move forward for potential planning for Boston and surrounding areas to host the 2024 Summer Olympics,” Palomba said. Even if no events take place in Watertown, Palomba said he expects the town to be impacted by the major, two-week sporting event.
At Tuesday’s Town Council meeting Town Manager Michael Driscoll addressed the situation with the Local 1347 firefighters union contract and the Council’s vote in December. Here is his statement:
In recent weeks there have been media articles and Letters to the Editor written about the Town Council’s decision on December 9, 2014 to reject a request to fund the arbitration award that was issued in connection with the Town’s efforts to reach a successor collective bargaining agreement with the Fire Union. Some of that discussion has included comments that the Union and the Town Manager followed a process – the arbitration process – and suggested that the Town Council’s vote somehow violated that process. Contrary to what some would have the public believe, however, the Town Council, by state statute, was also given a role in the overall process and that was to decide whether to fund or not fund an arbitration award like the one that was issued in this case. As set forth in Chapter 1078 of the Acts of 1973, once the Arbitrator issued his award the Executive Branch – in this case the Town Manager – was required to submit to the Legislative Branch – the Town Council – a request for an appropriation necessary to fund the award.