Forestry Supervisor

Meet the New Tree Warden at Watertown Group’s Online Event

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Trees for Watertown invites residents to meet the new Watertown Tree Warden/Forestry Supervisor during an online event on Nov. 11. The group sent out the following announcement:

Please join us via Zoom on 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 (VETERANS DAY)6 PM – 7:30 pmfor a very special event!TFW is delighted to be welcoming GREGORY MOSMAN, MCAWatertown’s new Forestry Supervisor-Tree Wardenat TFW’s 2020 Annual Meeting! Greg Mosman comes to Watertown with 18 years managing Boston’s public forest of over 37,000 shade trees.  We are immensely lucky to have his experience!

2020 Election

See How Watertown Voted for President, Senate and Ballot Questions

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Watertown voters came out in huge numbers for the 2020 Presidential Election, and heavily supported Joe Biden and other Democrats on the ballot. The voter turnout for the Nov. 3 election in Watertown was 76.09 percent, or 19,197 ballots cast. This was slightly higher than the 2016 election when 18,402 votes were cast, or 75.89, in an election which also featured the local ballot question on the Community Preservation Act. The Biden/Harris ticket got 14,885 votes locally (77.5 percent), while Donald Trump and Mike Pence received 3,795 votes (19.7 percent).

Ballot Questions

2020 VOTER GUIDE: New Polling Places; Contested Races & Ballot Questions

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The vote to decide the winner of the 2020 Presidential Election will be Nov. 3, but there are a number of other races in which Watertown residents can cast their vote, as well as up to four ballot questions. Also, three precincts will not be in their normal location. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Watertown. The Presidential race tops the ballot, but there are also races for U.S. Senate and Congress along with the ballot questions.

Elections

Watertown Ballot Drop Box to be Closed on Halloween

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The ballot drop off box outside Watertown’s Town Hall. Watertown’s ballot drop box will be closed on Saturday, Oct. 31, Town Clerk John Flynn said. The Town Clerk’s office sent out the following announcement:

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin has asked that ballot drop boxes be secured on Saturday, October 31st to avoid any Halloween pranks. The Town of Watertown will lock its ballot drop box, located on Saltonstall park side of Town Hall, at 5:00 p.m. on Halloween and will reopen at 8 a.m. the following morning. 

The ballot drop box will then remain open until polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Climate and Energy Master Plan

Town Using Part of Budget Surplus to Fund Climate & Energy Master Plan

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Watertown’s Town Hall. On Tuesday, the Town Council approved using some of the funds left over from the Fiscal Year 2021 budget to fund the creation of a Climate and Energy Master Plan. Town Manager Michael Driscoll told the Town Council that the Town’s share of state aid and new growth came in higher than projected when the FY21 budget was created. As a result, the Town ended up with $1.57 million in additional revenues. He proposed using the money in multiple ways, including the Climate and Energy Plan.

Elections

Big Voter Turnout Already in Watertown From Mail-In Ballots, Early Voting

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The ballot drop off box outside Watertown’s Town Hall. Many Watertown voters have already cast their ballot in the 2020 Presidential Election, with the number of votes already received by the Town Clerk’s office nearly as high as the total cast in the September Preliminary Election. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 40 percent of Watertown’s registered voters had turned in their ballots, according to Town Manager Michael Driscoll, who got the latest numbers from Town Clerk John Flynn. The Town sent out 13,255 vote-by-mail and absentee ballots, many of which have already been returned, Driscoll said, plus early voting started on Oct. 17 and continues through Oct.

Government

Watertown Winter Overnight Parking Ban Dates Announced

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The following announcement was provided by the Town of Watertown:

Watertown Chief of Police Michael P. Lawn has announced the 2020-2021 Winter Parking Ban dates. Effective Monday November 30, 2020 and continuing to April 1, 2021 the Winter Parking Ban will be in effect and strictly enforced. The regulation reads in part; “No vehicle may remain on any public way for more than one hour between the hours of 1 AM and 6 AM all days of the week.”

For residents who lack sufficient off-street parking, the Town allows for temporary parking at any municipal parking lot and other locations noted:

The police station at 552 Main Street (visitor’s parking lot only)Any public school parking lot except the Cunniff SchoolMarion Road parking lot at Victory FieldO’Connell Park, (lot at the corner of Boylston Street and Mt Auburn Street)Grove Street parking lot at Filippello Park (No parking in the spaces along the driveway)101 Morse Street – 14 spaces at the rear of the parking lot (currently being constructed, available once completed)

Please note that these locations may be used free of charge, however vehicles may only use available spaces after 7 PM and must be removed by 7 AM the following day. Vehicles must be removed from school property no later than 6 AM. Violators may be towed.

Government

Parking Plan with High-Tech Meters, Pay by Card & Phone Approved

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Watertown’s current parking meters will be replaced with “smart” meters that offer a range of payment options. Watertown’s parking lots will be getting new meters which allow for paying by credit card and with cell phone apps in the parking plan approved by the Town Council on Tuesday night. The Parking Management Plan was the result of studies that go back to the fall of 2018. It included studies of how parking is used in Watertown, public meetings and surveys and presentations to the Council’s Joint Committees on Public Works and Economic Development & Planning. Other parts of the plan look at pricing of meters and who sets them, way-finding signage for the municipal lots, looking at finding private lots for the Town to partner with, and even creation of a pedestrian path through the lot near the Watertown Library.