Government

Community Meetings Coming Up About Casey Park, Moxley Field Renovations

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The Recreation Department will hold a pair of Community Meetings about planned renovations to two Watertown Parks. 

The Rec Department sent out the following information:

Casey Park Renovation

The Watertown Recreation Department will be hosting a community meeting to review a draft preliminary rendering of potential facility renovations at Casey Park. If interested, please feel free to attend the event. Community Meeting
Thursday, February 1 at 7 p.m.
Town Council Chambers, Town Hall, 149 Main St., Watertown. Moxley Park Renovation

The Watertown Recreation Department will be hosting a community
meeting to review a draft preliminary rendering of potential facility
renovations at Moxley Park. If interested, please feel free to attend the event.

Election 2017

UPDATED: Town Attorney: 2017 Watertown Election Ballot Contained an Error

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{This story was updated on Dec. 16, 2017 at 11:49 a.m. to correct the fact that the Library Trustee is a “public office” in the attorney’s opinion.}

The law firm that works with the town on legal issues issued an opinion that one of the candidates in the 2017 Watertown Town Election had a description next to his name that is not allowed under state election laws. 

On the ballot for the 2017 Town Election, Library Trustee candidate Michael Hanlon had the description “Former Chair of Library Trustees” under his name. Hanlon served as a trustee for 12 years and lost his re-election bid in 2015. The 2017 election for Library Trustees was unusual in that it had no incumbents. Leanne Hammonds, however, had sat on the board after being appointed to fill a vacant seat.

Election 2018

Republican Senate Candidate Campaigns in Watertown With Former Patriots

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Tuesday night former New England Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan spoke at an
event for State Rep. Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman), who is running against Senator Elizabeth Warren.Diehl’s campaign sent out the following press release:

“I strongly believe that we need a Senator who will put Massachusetts first and stop all the partisan bickering. Unfortunately, Senator Warren has been more concerned about building a national profile and scoring political points than getting things done for the Commonwealth,” Diehl told the large crowd. “Voters are upset that the incumbent seems more focused on attacking every initiative than trying to find
solutions. I will make the Commonwealth the priority, not party politics.”

“Geoff is one of the good ones. We need him to replace Warren in Washington.

Elections

Republican Senate Candidate Stopping in Watertown with Former Pats’ QB

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U.S. Senate Candidate Geoff Diehl, the Republican State Rep. from Whitman who is challenging Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018, will be appearing in Watertown along with a former New England Patriots star. The Diehl for Senate campaign released the following announcement about the event:

Representative Geoff Diehl, candidate for United States Senate, will hold a special event with New England Football Hall of Famer Steve Grogan. What: Geoff Diehl, candidate for U.S. Senate, special event

Special Guest: New England Football Hall of Famer and former New
England Patriots Quarterback Steve Grogan

When: Tuesday, December 12th

Where: Miller’s Ale House, 617 Arsenal Street, Watertown

Time: 5:30 pm VIP Reception, 6:30 pm General Reception

For more information about the campaign go to www.DiehlForSenate.com

Government

Changes Planned for Intersection of School St. and Walnut St./Dexter Ave.

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The intersection where School Street meets Walnut Street and Dexter Avenue will be altered in an effort to control traffic flow and make it easier for pedestrians to cross. 

The project – estimated to cost $200,000 to $250,000 – is part of the $25 million in I-Cubed projects that are being funded by Athenahealth in a program in which they partnered with the Town of Watertown and the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation. Representatives from the company based in the Arsenal on the Charles, about a block from the intersection, spoke with the Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee on Wednesday night. The biggest change will be adding sidewalk bump outs on the four corners of the intersection, said Steve Boudreau, traffic engineer from Vanasse & Associates – the consultant working with Athenahealth. “The bump outs will make it safer for pedestrians, reducing the crossing distance on Dexter and Walnut,” Boudreau said.

Government

Watertown Gets Grant to Test Dedicated Bus Lanes on Parts of Mt. Auburn St.

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Watertown officials announced Wednesday that the Bar Foundation, as part of its BostonBRT initiative, has awarded the community a grant to conduct a pilot project testing bus rapid transit (BRT) features in collaboration with the City of Cambridge and the MBTA. The pilot will seek to create a faster and more reliable commute for more than 12,000 daily bus riders on routes 71 and 73. The pilot, which will take place during 2018, will take bus riders out of car congestion through the creation of all-day dedicated bus lanes for significant segments on Mount Auburn Street between Belmont Street and Fresh Pond Parkway. It will also include inbound “queue jump” lanes to give buses
priority in intersections on Mount Auburn Street and Belmont Street near where they meet, and timed traffic signals where feasible so that buses get more green lights. The pilot is a temporary demonstration.

Government

Town Hosting Meeting on Making Watertown More Pedestrian, Bike and Transit Friendly

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The Town of Watertown will host a meeting about Complete Streets, and discuss where the concept should be implemented in town. 

Complete Streets helps make the streets more walkable, bikeable and more public transit friendly, according to the announcement from the Town. On the meeting agenda:
• What are Complete Streets? • Where should Complete Streets projects be implemented in Watertown? • Next Steps in the Prioritization Plan Process
The Town’s Complete Streets Prioritization Plan meeting will be on Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m., in the Town Council Chambers in Town Hall, 149 Main St., Watertown.

Elections

Watertown Library’s Democracy Talks Focusing on Future of Voting Rights

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The Watertown Free Public Library’s Democracy Talks will host a talk on “The Future of Voting Rights: 2018 and Beyond,” the library announced
During the event, the sixth in the Library’s ongoing series, Professor Rachael Cobb of Suffolk University will talk about what’s at stake in the 2018, according to the event announcement. Cobb is an associate professor and chair of the Government Department at Suffolk. She studies elections, election administration, the electoral politics, civic engagement and political participation. She established the University Pollworkers Project, a non-partisan program designed to recruit college students to serve as poll workers in partnership with the City of Boston’s Election Department. The event will be on  Thursday, Dec.