Government

Rep. Jonathan Hecht Hosting Two Office Hours in June

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State Rep. Jonathan Hecht

The following information was provided by Rep. Hecht’s Office:

Representative Jonathan Hecht will hold office hours twice in Watertown in June. Constituents are invited to meet with Representative Hecht at the following time and location:

Monday, June 17

8:30-9:30 a.m.

Watertown Town Hall

149 Main St, 3rd Floor hallway

Thursday, June 27

6:00-7:00 p.m.

Watertown Free Public Library

123 Main St, Raya Stern Trustees Room

Anyone unable to attend these office hours can call Representative Hecht at 617-722-2140 to schedule an appointment at another time.

Government

Council Passes Fiscal 2020 Budget, Town Pays off Retirement Debt

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Town Manager Michael Driscoll’s plan to pay off Watertown’s retirement benefits deficit will come to fruition on July 1, 2019. Tuesday night the Town Council approved Watertown’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget, but it also marked the paying off of the town’s unpaid Retirement Benefits deficit and frees up millions to be spent in other areas, such as the school building projects.. On July 1, 2019, a payment of $13.18 million will be made, which will not only cover this year’s Retirement Benefits for town employees, but also the shortfall. Since Fiscal Year 2009, the Town has funded retirement at a rate of 152 percent to pay off the deficit faster. The total Fiscal Year 2020 budget of $147.76 million is 3.89 percent higher or $5.53 million more than Fiscal 2019, the current budget year.

Government

Water Rates Look Set to Rise for Watertown Customers

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Watertown residents will be seeing their water rates rise, and sewer rates go up even more sharply, a consultant told the Town Council on Tuesday. The combined rate for water and sewer in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget would rise $13.42 per quarter for the average customer, a difference of 15 cents a day, said consultant Dave Fox of Raftelis. That is based on a 2.5 percent increase for water rates and 4.9 percent for sewer rates. The total increase would be 4 percent. The rate increase is the most Watertown customers have seen for a number of years.

Around Town

Council OKs New Green Electricity Plan for All Watertown Customers with Small Savings

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More solar-generated energy will be included in the electricity received by Watertown customers. Tuesday night, the Town Council cleared the way for the Town to negotiate “green” electrical contract for all residents and many business customers that will have a small savings, and will include a much larger portion generated by renewable methods. The new Community Choice Aggregation program will be an opt-out program, into which all residents, small businesses and organizations will be enrolled automatically. The goal is to have 50 percent of the energy generated by renewable sources (such as solar, wind generated and hydro), and the rate will result in an estimated savings of $7 a year, said Watertown Energy Manager and Facilities Project Manager Ed Lewis. Watertown customers will have the option of opting for a basic rate (which includes the state required amount of renewable energy), for a plan with electricity from 100 percent renewable sources, or to opt out of the program completely.

Election 2020

Watertown High School Students Got Up Close and Personal with a Presidential Candidate

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Presidential candidate Wayne Messam, mayor of Mirimar, Fla., stopped by Watertown High School on Wednesday to speak with some students. On Wednesday morning, a group of Watertown High School students got to have their questions answered by someone who could become the Commander in Chief and Leader of the Free World. The WHS students took time away from their normal lessons to hear from presidential hopeful Mayor Wayne Messam. The Florida Democrat stopped by between campaigning in New Hampshire and an interview with a Boston Public Radio station. Messam shared his story of how he went from humble beginnings to being a football player at Florida State University, then started his own environmentally conscious construction company, become mayor of Mirmar, Fla., and now is running for the highest office in the land.

Around Town

New Veterans Services Officer Hopes to Reach More Veterans, Brings in Variety of Experience

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Watertown’s new Veterans Services Officer Patrick George, left, is pictured with Bill Byrne, Commandant of the Marine Corps League Shutt Detachment, and Mark Comeiro previous Watertown VSO and current Andover VSO. Watertown’s new Veterans Services Officer hopes to reach more former servicemen and women, both young and old, to make sure they are getting all the services they are entitled to for serving their country. Patrick George has been working in Watertown for just over two months, and is trying to get settled in Town Hall, and get to know local veterans groups, veterans in town and their families. He has already been busy. In May, he has already given his first budget presentation to the Town Council, helped get a memorial to a Watertown Marine killed in Vietnam approved, and will oversee the Memorial Day Parade for the first time.

Around Town

Council Votes to Close Gate Between East End Park & Parking Area

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The Town Council voted to close this gate to Filippello Park near the parking area at the end of Berkeley Street. A gate next to a parking area on the East End of Watertown will be closed after the Council approved a request made by nearby residents. The entrance to Filippello Park sits next to an area known as Glen Circle, which is at the end of Berkeley and Clarnedon streets. Residents of those streets have appealed multiple times to the Town to make changes in the area because they cannot find parking in the lot until the late hours of the evening and they said some park users speed down their street to get to the park, and others linger afterward drinking, smoking and making noise. Neighbors spoke about their situation in a meeting in March of the the Public Works and Human Services subcommittees.

Around Town

Watertown Marine Killed in Vietnam Will be Honored with Memorial

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Paul Gorman, a Watertown Marine killed in Vietnam, will have a memorial in his name on Main Street at Emerson Road. Paul Gorman was one of the nine Watertown residents killed while serving in Vietnam, but he was the only one who does not have a memorial in his honor. That will soon change, after the Town Council approved creating a memorial square in his name. His sister Bonnie attended Tuesday’s Council meeting where the memorial on the corner of Main Street and Emerson Road was approved. “This is a wonderful opportunity to honor Paul,” Bonnie said.