Government

Some Major Changes in Final Draft of Community Preservation Ordinance, but it Keeps the Spirit

By |

A Town Council subcommittee approved the final draft for the rules on establishing the committee that will oversee the money brought in by the Community Preservation Act. The final draft eliminated some major portions of the previous version, but kept the main priorities. Tuesday night, the Council’s Rules and Ordinances Committee voted to send the draft to the full Town Council, which includes the changed ordinance and the separate policy for appointing the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) members who are selected by the Town Council. Each year the CPC will send to the Council a list of projects to be funded by the CPA funds. The state’s CPA statute allows the money, which comes from a 2 percent property tax surcharge, to be spent on affordable housing, open space or historical preservation.

Government

Stormy Winter Pushes Watertown’s Snow Plowing Costs Nearly $700K Over Budget

By |

The string of snow storms over the winter of 2017–18 has busted Watertown’s snow plowing budget by close to $700,000. Last week, the Town Council approved an increase to the Snow and Ice Removal Budget for Fiscal Year 2018. The Town budgeted $1,170,000 for snow and ice removal, but Town Manager Michael Driscoll said that has been well exceeded. “Given the amount of events, and the amount of snow, we are asking for $624,734 to be added to the Fiscal Year 2018 Snow and Ice Removal Budget,” Driscoll said. Town Council President Mark Sideris said he hopes that the approval of the additional snow and ice removal funds is not premature, given the whacky weather thus far in April.

Government

Representative from Congresswoman Clark’s Office to Visit Watertown

By |

A representative from Congresswoman Katherine Clark’s office will be in Watertown three times in upcoming months to meet with the public, according to the Town of Watertown. The following information was sent out by Town officials:

Mr. Jay Higgins, Constituent Services Representative for U. S. Congresswoman Katherine Clark (MA-05), will be holding office hours at the Watertown Senior Center, 31 Marshall Street, on the following Thursdays: May 3, June 7, and July 5 from 10:30-11:30 AM. Please contact the Watertown Senior Center for details 617-972-6490.

Government

State Rep. Hecht Advocates for Electrical Vehicles at State House

By |

On Tuesday at the State House, Representative Jonathan Hecht joined his colleagues, Representatives Smitty Pignatelli, Joan Meschino, Solomon Goldstein-Rose and Jack Lewis to host an Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive, Hecht’s office announced in a press release. The day began with a morning briefing, which highlighted the benefits of electric vehicles, showcased the enormous advancements made in electric vehicle technology over recent years, and addressed the future of electric vehicles in the Commonwealth. Attendees also learned about Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles, which are expected to hit the Northeast car markets soon. The briefing brought in a diverse set of speakers, including Matthew Beaton, Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs; Alli Gold Roberts, State Policy Director at Ceres; Basim Motiwala, Government Relations at Honda; and Karsten Barde, New Customer Offerings at National Grid. After the briefing, legislators, State House staff and media were invited to test drive a host of electric vehicles, including a BMWi3, a Nissan Leaf, a Chevy Bolt, a Mini-Cooper Plug-In, a Hyundai Ioniq, a Tesla Model X, and a hydrogen fuel cell Honda Clarity.

Government

Town Council Approves Funding to Renovate North Fire Station

By |

The Town Council approved the funds needed to make some major renovations to the North Fire Station to modernize it for the firefighters who live and work there. 

The facility on Orchard Street, also known as Station 3, has five firefighters assigned to it, and runs the Watertown Fire Department’s Engine 1 an Rescue 1 ambulance. The Council approved $1.242 million for the renovations, which will replace or modernize the systems in the building, said Provisional Fire Chief Bob Quinn. “These are long overdue improvements to Station 3,” Quinn said. While there have been some work to the roof within the last couple years and to the floor in 1998, but Quinn said some of the systems are very old. “We will get rid of the old steam radiators and replace them with new heated fin tubes,” Quinn said.

Government

OP-ED: Criminal Justice Reforms About Lifting People Up, Not Locking Them Up

By |

(The following piece was submitted by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who represents Watertown)

Last week, the legislature sent a broad reform of the criminal justice system to the Governor with a unanimous vote in the Senate and a near-unanimous vote in the House. The bill is about lightening up on the little guy – the person who has made some mistakes but wants to turn a corner and live right. If possible, we want to lift that person up instead of locking them up. And we want to cut away the web of bureaucratic entanglements that makes it hard for them to get back on their feet. For the most dangerous offenders though, the focus has to be on public protection and the bill also gives police and prosecutors a number of useful new tools.

Government

Town Councilors Disappointed That Starting Date For Watertown Shuttle is Still Uncertain

By |

Progress on getting shuttle buses on the roads of Watertown appears to have stalled, with no start date in sight. The news disappointed Town Councilors and others at the Economic Development and Planning subcommittee meeting. In August, coordinators of the Watertown TMA (Transportation Management Association) hoped to get a pilot for a shuttle on Pleasant Street started by the spring of 2018. On Tuesday night, Michele Brooks from TransAction Associates, the firm hired by the Watertown TMA to mange the TMA, said the start of the shuttle will have to wait. She has been meeting with the TMA’s Board of Directors, which includes members paying into the TMA.

Government

Long Time Watertown Building Inspector Passes Away

By |

Watertown Building Inspector Ken Thompson passed away on April 2, 2018. He had worked for the Town’s Planning Department for nearly 14 years. 

Thompson always had a quick wit, remembered Steve Magoon, the Assistant Town Manager and Director of the Department of Economic Development and Planning. “He was someone who was big in stature and had a real big presence, independent of his size,” Magoon said. “He always had a quick wit and joke to offer for everyone which would lighten the mood when things got intense.” Thompson, 72, of Lynnfield, would have worked for the Town for 14 years in June, Magoon said, and he was not only the local building inspector but also the building commissioner.