Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/government/page/150/)
Massachusetts voters will cast their ballots in the 2018 State Primary on Sept. 4, but to be able to vote you must be registered by Wednesday, Aug. 15. You can register on the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s website (click here) or in person at Town Clerk’s office in Watertown Town Hall, 149 Main St., Watertown. The Clerk’s office will be open on Wednesday, Aug.
The latest plans by developers of Arsenal Yards to add biotech research and development space to the multi-use development have been put on hold by the Planning Board. Until now, the focus of the development has been creating new retail and residential space on the former Arsenal Mall property. Developers also have plans to renovate the historic brick buildings on the site, including Building A (where Marshall’s is located). Wednesday night Boylston Properties presented a request to change the approved plans for Building A to allow biotech tenants on the second floor. Mark Deschenes of Boylston Properties said that plans changed since Phase 1 was approved by the Planning Board in May 2017.
To the Editor,
Last March the Watertown Republican Town Committee endorsed Geoff Diehl for United States Senate. So I was thrilled to read that our Republican State Committeeman Steve Aylward, is personally endorsing Geoff Diehl. Steve is a longtime respected Watertown resident, who has served community for decades in many capacities. His opinion on these matters should weigh heavy on us as we select our nominee to run against Elizabeth Warren. Geoff has done more for Massachusetts than Senator Warren has done in her time in the Senate.
The following piece was provided by Andrew Bettinelli, Chief of Staff for State Sen. Will Brownsberger (D – Belmont) who represents Watertown:
The House and Senate have reached an agreement to regulate and tax short term rentals, like Airbnb. Perhaps most importantly, the bill preserves local control, giving cities and towns wide latitude to regulate short term rentals. Preserving local control is critical because cities and towns across the Commonwealth have different concerns, and even within Boston, the impacts are different from neighborhood to neighborhood. By requiring registration of short term rental units, municipalities will be able to collect the data needed to better understand the impacts on different neighborhoods. https://www.watertownmanews.com/2018/02/22/town-mulling-over-how-to-handle-airbnb-other-short-term-rentals-in-watertown/
This bill would:
Tax short-term rentals and accommodations rented through hosting platforms like Airbnb at the same uniform tax rate imposed on stays at traditional brick-and-mortar lodging accommodations like hotels/motels/bed & breakfast establishments.
The following announcement was sent out by the Human Resources Committee:
The Town Council’s Committee on Human Resources continues its discussion of affordable housing in Watertown with a meeting on Thursday, Aug. 2 at 7:15 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers. The theme of the meeting is Zoning and Affordable Housing. The Committee will hear from Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and Director of Community Development and Planning and special guest, Larry Fields from the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance.
The Committee will be holding additional meetings on the topic of affordable housing in September, October, and November. The schedule is listed here. Sept. 6 Statewide and Regional Organizations and Resources
Sue Connelly, Massachusetts Housing Partnership
Karina Milchman, Massachusetts Area Planning Council
State Legislator, Massachusetts Housing Bond Bill (TBD)
Oct. 4 Affordable Housing Development
Jennifer Van Campen, MetroWest Collaborative Development
Representative Michael Connolly, Real Estate Transfer Fee
Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and Director DCDP
Nov.
The new director of the Watertown Department of Public Health has been appointed, Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced Friday. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of Larry A. Ramdin to the position of Director of Public Health, effective Aug. 27, 2018,” Driscoll said in the announcement (see the letter below). Ramdin has over 40 years experience working in the field of public health, and has been head of local health departments in Salem and Reading for the past 11 years. He also worked for six years for the City of Newton as an environmental health specialist.
Watertown High School student Shariel Joseph spoke during Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s announcement of the investigation into vaping and e-cigarette companies on Tuesday. Joseph, who will be senior in the fall, has been involved in anti-tobacco efforts as a Watertown Youth Coalition Peer Leader. At the announcement she represented The 84 Movement, a group of youth from Massachusetts fighting against tobacco. During her address, Joseph talked about how “JUULing” (named after the leading vaping equipment company JUUL) became a big thing at Watertown High School, and she saw students using them in school bathrooms, the hallways and even classrooms.
“From the beginning of my junior year to the end there was a huge increase of people JUUL-ing,” Joseph said. “Before there were a few people who JUUL-ed but now it seems like everyone is JUUL-ing, especially since it is summer, now.
The Watertown Department of Public Works announced that the construction project on Common Street will soon begin, and the street will be closed much of the day.
The project includes creating a roundabout at the intersection of Common Street, Orchard Street and Church Street. Also, the intersection with Spring Street will be redesigned. The DPW sent out the following announcement:
Beginning Monday, July 23, Common Street will be closed between Mt. Auburn Street and Orchard Street between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., with local access provided to abutters and Middlesex Road residents only. The closure will also include the intersection of Spring Street — there will be no access to Common Street from Spring Street.