Election 2017

One Watertown Town Councilor Will Not Run for Re-election This Fall

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As candidates begin pulling papers to run in the 2017 Watertown Town Election, one longtime Town Councilor will not be seeking another term. 

Councilor At-Large Susan Falkoff said she has decided to step down from the Council at the end of her term. “It’s just time,” Falkoff said. “I feel like I have made a good contribution. A lot of things I have worked on have come to fruition.” She was first elected in 2003, but lost in 2005 “along with the CPA,” Falkoff said.

Arsenal Park

Lights at Watertown’s Fields and Parks a Priority for Rec Department

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With field space difficult to find in Watertown, Recreation Director Peter Centola told the Town Council Thursday that lighting at fields is one of the main priorities for his Fiscal 2018 budget. 

Some fields would get new lights, while others would get the ones already there in better working shape, Centola said. Finding practice and game time has become a problem for Watetown youth sports groups, so lights would enable the fields to be used longer. Centola noted that discussion about Phase II of the Victory Field renovation is about to start, but is not in his budget for Fiscal 2018. Updating the electrical boxes at Casey Park’s baseball field, Filippello Park and Saltonstall Park are key projects, Centola said. The three are part of one project.

Development

Ordinance Requires New Developments to Cut Number of Solo Drivers

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The Town Council passed regulations that would require new developments to work on reducing the number of people making solo driving trips to and from their business or residential property. 

The new Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Ordinance (see details here) applies to new projects, and at their May 9 meeting Councilors said it puts into policy a practice it has had with developments over the past few years. Some residents worried that it would prevent them from using their car freely around town. Creating a TDM plan is required for developments of 10,000 square feet or more or residential projects with 10 or more units, if the project requires a special permit and site plan review from the town. It also applies to projects that projects that generate 150 average daily trips (someone driving to and from a complex would count as two trips), or more than 15 at peak hours that current previous conditions. Plans could include steps like educating employees or residents about public transit options, providing free MBTA passes, organizing carpools and providing facilities for people bicycling to work to cleanup and dress for work.

Government

Temporary Home for HATCH Found, Library Officials Seek Permanent Spot for Makerspace

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Watertown’s HATCH Makerspace has a temporary home when it loses its space in the Arsenal Mall, but library officials still need to find a permanent home. 

Leone Cole, director of the Watertown Free Public Library, said officials are close to finalizing an agreement with The Residence at Watertown Square to move the makerspace into a vacant commercial space on the ground floor of the assisted living building at Spring and Summer streets. That combined with the hiring of a full-time coordinator for HATCH will expand the offerings of the makerspace. “We will be able to have more hours and better classes,” Cole said. The space in The Residence is 1,200 square feet, but it will need to be completely outfitted inside, including a handicap bathroom and enough electrical service for all the equipment at HATCH. Assistant Town Manager Steve said that The Residence has agreed to split the cost of the renovations for the HATCH space.

Government

Committee to Begin Discussion of Renovation of Track, Courts at Victory Field

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After more than two and a half years, the discussion about how to renovate the track and courts area of Victory Field will begin once again. 

The Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Renovations will meet on Wednesday, May 31 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Town Hall. The group is made up of two Town Councilors, two Town officials, and five residents representing the surrounding neighborhood and sports groups (see the members here). The committee will discuss what is being called Phase II of the Victory Field renovation. The first phase was the installation of artificial turf on the football/baseball fields at the complex. Artificial turf was among the reasons the first attempt to do Phase II stalled in October 2014.

Development

Council Stresses Importance of Transportation Planner, Worried About Development

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The position of Transportation Planner has been discussed for years and the town has searched for someone to fill the role, but has struggled to find someone qualified to do the job. Tuesday night the Town Council stressed to Community Development and Planning Department Director Steve Magoon that they want the position filled. 

The Transportation Planner would deal with issues such as traffic, public transportation and the planned Watertown shuttle. Magoon appeared before the Council for his budget hearing. During the discussion, Councilors also worry that the Planning Department has enough resources to deal with all the development in town. Filling the Transportation Planner position has been high on Magoon’s list.

Fallen Firefighter

Town Covers Cost of Fallen Firefighter, Will Cover Future Fire, Police Funerals

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The Town of Watertown paid for the cost of the funeral and burial of fallen Firefighter Joseph Toscano, and the Town Council approved a policy that will do the same for future tragedies involving Watertown firefighters or police officers. The state has an optional law that communities can adopt that allow them to pay for the funeral and burial expenses of a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty up to $15,000. Watertown had not adopted the law, but the Town Council unanimously approved it at its May 9 meeting. At their previous meeting on April 25, the Council approved a transfer of $9,896 from the Town Council Reserve to the Funeral Expenses Account to cover the funeral and burial costs of Joseph Toscano, who was honored by a funeral procession through Watertown Square and services at St. Patrick’s Church.

Government

Calls for Watertown to Become Sanctuary City Continue as Neighbors Adopt Policies

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As more area towns pass ordinances to declare that undocumented immigrants will be protected from federal efforts to deport them, the debate continues whether Watertown should join the growing list of Sanctuary Cities and Towns. The ordinances typically declare that local police departments will not check immigration status as part of routine matters, but they will if a crime is committed. Also, illegal aliens are not protected by the Sanctuary City ordinance if they have committed a felony or violent crime. Local supporters of Watertown becoming a Sanctuary Town held signs in Watertown Square followed by a rally at a nearby church attended by hundreds. The next week, dozens packed the Town Council Chambers to voice their opposition to the Council passing a Sanctuary City ordinance.