Government

Council Subcommittee Supports Agreement with Adult Use Marijuana Dispensary

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A Town Council Subcommittee voted to recommend the full Council approve a Community Host Agreement with the group seeking to open an adult use marijuana dispensary in Watertown. The agreement is needed for the applicants, Natural Selections, to apply for a license to sell marijuana for recreational use from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. The legislation that came out of the ballot question legalizing the sale of adult use marijuana does not allow the Town to prevent all dispensaries from opening in town, but it has limited the number to three. Before it can open, the dispensary would not only need a license from the state but also a special permit from the Watertown Zoning Board of Appeals. Natural Selections previously received approval from the Town and the state to open a medical marijuana dispensary at 23 Elm Street in East Watertown.

Around Town

Athenahealth Looking to Sell Arsenal on Charles, May Impact Partnership with Town

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One of the largest employers in town and owner of the Arsenal on the Charles seeks to sell their headquarters property, but plans to stay in Watertown. The potential sale may impact a partnership athenahealth entered with the Town and a state agency. The Boston Globe reported that the health data tech company would like to sell the 29-acre former U.S. Army Arsenal property which it purchased from Harvard University in 2013. The article indicates that athena would like to sign a long-term lease with the new owners. “Since the change in our company ownership earlier this year, we at athenahealth have been striving to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality and sustainable health care for all,” the company said in a statement.

Elections

Find Out Which Candidate Won the Watertown Dems Presidential Straw Poll

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

 Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was the choice of Faire-goers for the Democratic nomination for President in the Watertown Democratic Town Committee’s annual straw poll at Saturday’s Faire on the Square.  The home-state senator won 49 percent of the nearly 150 votes cast, while former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden came in a distant second with 19 percent. The poll was held at the Democratic Town Committee’s table at Watertown’s annual Faire on the Square, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. Participants were asked to choose between the declared candidates in the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary. Coming in third place with 9 percent of the vote was South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, followed closely by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders with 8 percent.

Government

Two Opportunities to Meet with State Rep. Hecht in October

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State Rep. Jonathan Hecht

The following announcement was provided by State Rep. Jonathan Hecht’s office:

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

Tuesday, October 155:00-6:00 p.m.Watertown Free Public Library123 Main St, Lucia Mastrangelo Meeting Room

Tuesday, October 228:30-9:30 a.m.Watertown Town Hall149 Main St, 3rd Floor hallway

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

Around Town

See Which Issues Concerned People Most in the 2019 Watertown News Poll

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Traffic and transportation is the biggest concern, according to the unscientific Watertown News poll given at the 2019 Faire on the Square. Traffic and transportation are the biggest concern, according to a poll of attendees of the 2019 Watertown Faire on the Square, followed closely by development. At the 20th Faire on the Square, 25 people took the Watertown News Poll asking people about “what concerns you most in Watertown today?” People could check as many of the five categories as they wish, and could write in their own issue. The categories were: Schools, Development, Traffic/Transportation, Heroin/Opioids and Property Taxes.

Development

Oakley Country Club Taking Town to Court Over ZBA’s Ruling on Wall

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Oakley Country Club is appealing the Zoning Board’s decision that ruled that the wall that went up near Oakley and Arden roads was built without proper permitting from the Town. The case was filed in the State Land Court. The case of the wall built by Oakley Country Club on the edge of their property will continue, after the club filed an appeal in state Land Court to try to overturn the Zoning Board of Appeals ruling that the wall was built without getting proper permits from the Town. The appeal was filed in Land Court on Sept. 25, and notice was sent to the Watertown Town Clerk’s office on Sept.

Board of Assessors

Watertown Property Values Reassessed by Board of Assessors, Will Result in Changes in Tax Bills

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Board of Assessors. Changes to tax rates will be shown on the third quarter tax bill, which comes out at the end of 2019:

PUBLIC NOTICETOWN OF WATERTOWNBOARD OF ASSESSORS

The Board of Assessors is required by Massachusetts General Law to reassess all properties and have those values certified by the Department of Revenue every five years. The Board of Assessors’ staff and Patriot Properties recently completed a town-wide reassessment and have submitted new property values for preliminary certification. New assessments must reflect “Full and Fair Cash Value” based on property sales in calendar year 2018. The valuation date for Fiscal Year 2020 is January 1, 2019.

Government

Watertown Looking into Creating Rental Assistance Program

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Watertown Town Hall

Watertown officials will be exploring how the Town may create a rental assistance fund to help people who need help with security deposits in order to afford an apartment or other rental housing. The proposal came from the the Council’s Human Services subcommittee, which met more than a dozen times over the past year to look for ways to increase the amount of affordable housing in Watertown. The Council approved the recommendation to ask the Planning Department to draft a proposal for tenant-based rental assistance program, or programs, including how it could be appropriately funded and staffed. Councilor Tony Palomba, who chaired the Human Services Committee, said that Waltham has a rental assistance program. “The program is very successful in Waltham, and I am sure it will be successful in Watertown.”