Around Town

Library Trustee Selected to Fill Vacant Seat on the Board

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Watertown Free Public Library

The Library Board of Trustees once again has a full quota of members after the vacancy left when a trustee elect left town before the term began. The five elected trustees and Town Council President Mark Siders selected Emily Izzo to fill the vacancy left by Mara Dolan, who moved out of Watertown after she was elected in November, according to Watertown Cable’s Watertown Weekly News (click here to see the report). The board interviewed more than a dozen applicants during two meetings in February, and voted to make the appointment on Feb. 19. Izzo works as municipal law attorney with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and formerly worked as the chief of staff for the Mass.

Elections

Watertown State Rep. Hecht Talks About Leaving His Seat After A Dozen Years

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State Rep. Jonathan Hecht

Jonathan Hecht has been a popular guy since he announced that he would be stepping down from as State Representative for the 29th Middlesex District at the end of his term. The Watertown resident has represented most of the Town, plus part of Cambridge, since 2009. Last week, he announced publicly his decision not to seek reelection. “People have been very nice. I don’t know whether that means they like job I’ve done or they are glad to see me leaving,” Hecht said.

Elections

Watertown Democrats to Elect Delegates to State Convention

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Democratic Town Committee:

Registered Democrats in Watertown will be holding a caucus on Saturday, March 7 in the Hosmer Elementary School Auditorium at 1 p.m. to elect 25 delegates and five alternates to the 2020 Massachusetts Democratic Nominating Convention. Doors open at 12:30 p.m.

This year’s state convention will be held Saturday, May 30 at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, where thousands of Democrats from across the state will come together to vote on candidates for the US Senate ahead of the September primary. “This year’s convention will be a great opportunity to strengthen the party for the 2020 elections. The Watertown caucus is a chance for people who want to get involved in the process to connect with other local activists,” said Watertown Democratic Town Committee Chair Steve Owens. The caucus is open to all registered and pre-registered Democrats in Watertown. Pre-registered Democrats who will be 16 by February 15, 2020 will be allowed to participate and run as a delegate or alternate. Voter registration will be available at the caucus.  Delegates will be divided equally between men and women, and all ballots will be written and secret.

Development

Councilors Say They Hear Resident Concerns, But Pass Galen Street Zoning

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The Town Council Chamber was filled with residents there to hear about the decision on rezoning parcels along Galen Street. Developers are interested in building biotech lab buildings on the site south of the Charles River. Residents concerned about the impact of a proposal to change the zoning for properties along Galen Street jammed the Town Council Chamber Tuesday night. The change paves the way for a biotech lab project to be built on east side of Galen Street on property that includes for the former Colonial Buick GMC dealership. After hearing from the public during public forum, and then having a 1.5 hour discussion of their own, Town Councilors voted 8-1 to approve the zoning change requested by the owners/developers of the property.

Government

State Rep. Jonathan Hecht Makes Big Announcement

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State Rep. Jonathan Hecht

The following statement was released by State Rep. Jonathan Hecht, who represents Watertown Precincts 1-9 and part of Cambridge:

Dear Constituents,

I am writing to share with you my decision not to run for re-election this fall. For the next 11 months, I will remain fully dedicated to serving as your State Representative. Come next January, it will be time for me to move on to new challenges and time for someone else to take up this job. It is genuinely an honor and a pleasure to represent you at the State House. Thank you for all the help you have given me and for being such caring, engaged constituents. With best regards,

Jon

Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee

Deadline Coming Up to Take Watertown’s Bike & Pedestrian Plan Survey

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The following announcement came from the Town of Watertown:

Watertown encourages active transportation — walking, biking and transit — to help reduce congestion, and improve both air quality and public health. The Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan will help achieve those goals by identifying and prioritizing future improvements to the Town’s streets and walkways, making it easier for people of all ages and abilities to choose more active forms of transportation. The plan will identify new and improved bicycle and pedestrian connections in Watertown and to the region’s larger active transportation network, to help people get where they want to go easily and safely, and car-free. 

The Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee also provided the following information:

The Town of Watertown is developing a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. The Plan will establish short and long term goals to improve upon the Town’s pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure, policies, and programs, and will make recommendations on how to reach identified goals. Implementation of this plan will make transportation safer and more convenient within Watertown and to neighboring towns for all users, improve the Town vibrancy, and expand transportation mode choices. Public input is critical to the creation of the plan.

Capital Improvement Plan

Watertown’s Capital Plan Includes School, Park and Street Repair Projects

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Watertown’s plan for major projects and purchases includes funding for the school building projects, improvements to parks, upgrades of fire stations and street and sidewalk repairs. The proposed Fiscal Year 2021-25 Capital Improvement Plan was released this week, and discussions of the projects begin this coming week. One of the largest expenditures on the five-year spending plan is $295 million on the rebuilding and renovation of Watertown’s three elementary schools and Watertown High School. Numerous parks have improvement projects in the plan. The most significant is the $3 million renovation of the Victory Field Track and Courts.

Development

Residents Air Concerns About Galen St., Traffic & Watertown’s Planning Process

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Town Councilor Lisa Feltner holds a computer showing drawings of a proposed development on Galen Street. She hosted a meeting at the Watertown Library to hear residents’ concerns about the proposed zoning change and related issues. More than 40 residents concerned about a proposed biotech project on Galen Street crammed into a meeting room at the Watertown Library Wednesday evening. They worried about what would be built there, and the traffic impact on one of the most congested roadways in town, and how projects are approved in Watertown. Those at the meeting said they would like to find a way to put a temporary halt to development, at least in the Galen Street area, so that a plan can be formed to improve the whole area.