Government

Watertown’s Housing Plan OK’d by State, is Compliant With MBTA Communities Law

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

City of Watertown is Officially Compliant with the MBTA Communities Law! The official notice of compliance was sent to City Manager George Proakis on April 9, 2025. This marks a significant step toward the ultimate goals in implementing the Watertown Square Area Plan, and revitalizing Watertown’s downtown. A (Very) Brief History to MBTA Communities Law Compliance

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts adopted the MBTA Communities Law in January 2021. This required 177 Cities and Towns to establish “at least one district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right.”

Government

Council Update: FY26 Budget, Hometown Hero, Police Dog & More

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On April 8, 2025, City Council heard the City Manager’s FY26 budget presentation, recognized a hometown hero, heard updates on BERDO, the referral of the Demolition Delay Ordinance for review, and met the new Watertown Police dog. See the highlights of the meeting provided by Municipal Policy Analyst Doug Newton

City Council Newsletter 

Please see below for the city council’s newsletter for its meeting on April 8, 2025. You can view the video recording of the meeting here.  

Mary Barry Honored as a Hometown Hero

Mary Barry, a lifelong resident of Watertown who served as a volunteer in the food pantry for over thirty years, a Parent Teacher Association member for twenty years, among many other roles such as Town Meeting Member, Brownie Girl Scout Leader, and Election Worker in Precinct Three, was honored with a proclamation at Tuesday’s council meeting as a Hometown Hero. 

Mary spoke after receiving the proclamation and expressed that she wishes the rest of the world could be more like Watertown. The full proclamation can be read here.  

Manager Presentation of FY26 Budget

The significant majority of Tuesday’s meeting consisted of City Manager George Proakis presenting his FY26 budget to the council. The presentation given by the manager can be viewed here, and his full FY26 budget can be accessed here. 

The submitted budget contains expenditures totaling $223,660,433.

Government

Watertown Will Add Human Services Department in FY26 Budget; City Faces Uncertain Financial Times

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Watertown City Hall

Watertown’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes the addition of the Human Services Department, and City Manager George Proakis said that the budget is “being produced at atime of significant uncertainty.” The proposed FY26 budget of $223.66 million is $7.08 million or 3.27 percent above the revised FY25 budget, Proakis said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The budget maintains the full funding of City pensions, stays on track for funding OPEB (other post employment benefits), supports stabilization funds for affordable housing, open space, and Watertown Square, and it maintains the City’s strategic reserves, Proakis said. The education budget increased by 3.5 percent, and the public safety budget (Police and Fire departments) are being funded at record levels. The major addition to the City government is the creation of Human Services Department as part of implementation of the Health and Human Services Plan.

Government

City Announcement: Understanding Your Electricity Choice

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By Silas Fyler|City of Watertown’s Assistant Director for Energy Management

In many Massachusetts communities, residents have options when it comes to how they get their electricity supply. All of us receive a bill from Eversource that includes a cost for electricity delivery and electricity supply. We have no choice in who delivers electricity to our homes and businesses. In Watertown, that is always Eversource. But we do have a choice in who we pay for our electricity supply.

Government

City Manager Speaks About the City Budget, Staffing, Streets & Watertown Square in Local Podcast

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City Manager George Proakis spoke about development in Watertown, adding staff to the City government, the state of Watertown’s streets, and more on the Eye on Watertown podcast. He was joined by Assistant City Manager for Community Development and Planning Steve Magoon. Co-hosts Clyde Younger and Charlie Breitrose spoke with Proakis and Magoon on March 31 at the Watertown Cable podcast studio. Proakis shared some details about the future of the Sterritt Lumber site, recently purchased by the City. He also talked about his leadership style.

Government

Gov. Healey Concerned About Impacts of Federal Funding Cuts & Tariffs, Sees Housing as State’s Biggest Challenge

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Gov. Maura Healey speaks with Charles River Chamber President & CEO Greg Reibman during the Chamber’s Government Affairs Forum on March 31. (Photo by Leise Jones)

NEWTON — Gov. Maura Healey worries about the uncertainty in the economy created by policies coming out of Washington, as well as federal funding cuts negatively impacting some of Massachusetts’ biggest industries, she told an audience at the Charles River Regional Chamber event on Monday. Other challenges to maintaining one of the strongest economies in the United States includes creating more housing and the cost of energy, Healey said at the Chamber’s Government Affairs Forum at the Newton Marriott. Congressman Jake Auchincloss also appeared at the event. Massachusetts receives the most NIH (National Institute of Health) funding per capita, but that funding — some of which is used for life science research and development — may be at risk if cuts are made by the Trump Administration.

Government

Councilor Lisa Feltner Holding Annual Public Meeting

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Lisa Feltner seeks re-election as District B Town Councilor. All City Councilors must have an annual meeting to meet with the public according to the recent changes to the City Charter. District B City Councilor Lisa Feltner announced the date of her meeting. See info below. Please join City Councilor Lisa Feltner at her Annual City Councilor Meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 5:30 PM at the Parker Annex at124 Watertown Street, 3rd floor IT Conference Training Room 3H.

Government

City Council Wants More Study of Building Emission Reduction Before Adopting Ordinance

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The City Council wants more information and input from businesses and advocates before adopting a Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO). The proposed ordinance is aimed at 150 of the largest buildings in the City, and it calls for the largest non-residential properties in Watertown to reach net-zero energy status by 2035, and all buildings to reach that status by 2050. The Council’s Committee on Rules and Ordinances met twice to discuss the proposal that came from the Watertown Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee (WE3C). At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Council President Mark Sideris said there were questions about the impact of BERDO, including on residential buildings. “It appears that the Council and some others have some questions that we could get better clarification if we had the City staff perform a few things that I am going to lay out here,” Sideris said.