Around Town

MBTA Hosting In-Person & Virtual Meeting on Bus System Redesign

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Charlie BreitroseBuses like this one on the 71 bus will get priority heading toward Harvard Square on Mt. Auburn Street in the new Cambridge-Watertown Bus Priority Pilot program. The following information was provided by MassDOT:

Bus Network Redesign’s proposed bus network map is now available for your review at MBTA.com/BNRD. This proposal for bus service will create a more equitable network with more frequent service, better connections, and more all-day service every day. You can view the full proposal here.

Around Town

Health Department Running Two COVID Vaccine Booster Clinics

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The following information was provided by the City of Watertown:

Watertown Health Department will be hosting an Adult Moderna Booster Clinic on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. & August 9, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Watertown Public Library on the 1st floor in the Savings Bank Meeting Room, 123 Main St, Watertown, MA 02472. Register for July 19, 2022 clinic

Register for August 9, 2022 clinic

CDC recommends everyone ages 5 years and older receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Some people should receive two boosters. You can mix and match vaccines. Your booster does not need to be the same vaccine brand as your original COVID-19 vaccination.

Outside Burning

See Watertown’s Open, Outside Burning Regulations

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Fire Department:

Please be aware of these OPEN/OUTSIDE BURNING REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES IN WATERTOWN! The Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Watertown Fire Department limit open burning for public health and safety reasons. Per MassDEP open burning is prohibited in 22 densely built and populated cities and towns. THE FOLLOWING ARE COMMUNITIES WHERE OPEN BURNING IS PROHIBITED AT ALL TIMES: Arlington, Belmont, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, Medford, New Bedford, Newton, Somerville, Springfield, Waltham, Watertown, West Springfield, Worcester. Watertown is one of 22 communities in the Commonwealth in which open burning is NOT PERMITTED.

Around Town

Group Holding Two Part Discussion of Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision

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A discussion of the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade will be held in Watertown over two evenings. The event is hosted by State Rep. Steve Owens, Tiffany York, Elizabeth Peck, Daniel Pritchard, and Wayside Youth & Family Network. Organizers provided the following information:

You are invited to a two-part conversation on Monday, July 18 from 6:30-8 p.m. and Wednesday, July 20 from 7-9 p.m. focused on Watertown residents ‘ feelings, questions and experiences while building resilience in Watertown around the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. Register here for Part 1Register here for part 2Submit Questions

Government

Applicants Wanted to Serve on Watertown Cable Access Board

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Acting City Manager Thomas J. Tracy is seeking Watertown residents interested in serving on the Cable Access Corporation – Board of Directors. The non-profit corporation will work cooperatively with the Watertown School Department to manage a state-of-the-art studio located at Watertown High School. The Board of Directors will be charged with hiring an Executive Director and staff that will be responsible for day to day management of cable access programming. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest accompanied by a resume or other information concerning background or experience by email to citymgr@watertown-ma.gov or City Manager’s Office, 149 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472.

Around Town

Watertown Group Hosting Discussion of Ukraine and Danger of Nuclear Weapons

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Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment sent the following announcement for its July monthly meeting:

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 20 from 6:45 until 8:30 p.m. Via Zoom. The topic will be Ukraine and the Growing Danger of Nuclear Weapons. The Peace and Common Security working group will present, “Ukraine and the Growing Danger of Nuclear Weapons” at the July Monthly Meeting.  The Program will feature Dr. Ira Helfand, Past President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and a member of the Steering Committee of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. 

The war in Ukraine has raised the possibility of the use of battlefield nuclear weapons and the unthinkable exchange of nuclear weapons between the U.S. and Russia.  Dr. Helfand will discuss the devastation and effects of a nuclear exchange. Also joining us is Susan Mirsky, a member of Newton Dialogues for Peace and War and the Chair of the Nuclear Disarmament working group of Massachusetts Peace Action.  Ms. Mirsky will talk about how we, as active citizens, can work of nuclear disarmament and about the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The link to the zoom meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87184471301?pwd=VUQ5U1R1U2dYNnI5YkY5c3lkTFFtZz09\

For more information contact peaceandsecurity@watertowncitizens.org

Around Town

LETTER: Resident Concerned About Loss of Staff From Health Department

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(The following was first presented to the City Council during the Public Forum at the July 12, 2022 Council Meeting)

I am speaking to you about my concern over the long-standing problems within our Health Department. My information is from my attendance at Board of Health meetings, a review of minutes of public meetings, and my communications with members of the community and City staff. I read a statement at the January Board of Health meeting detailing my concerns, and what I described has since grown worse. In essence I asked the BOH to look beyond the Department Head reports and examine the reasons so many talented people are leaving our city vulnerable during what was such a critical time. I am appealing to the City Council to exercise their charter-mandated oversight responsibility and hold an Executive Session to address the situation. 

My key concerns within the Health Department are:

• An alarming attrition rate: around 8 employees in the last 3 years.