Government

City Watertown Retirees Will Get a Pension Boost After Council Vote

By |

This week, the City Council voted to give City retirees an increase in their pension benefits, while maintaining a fully-funded pension system. Retirees typically get an annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 3 percent a year, said City Manager George Proakis, but that increase only applies to the first $14,000. On May 13, the Council voted to increase the amount that the COLA is applied to by $1,000. The pension number is fixed based upon an employee’s years of service and their age when they retired, Proakis said. The increase came at the request of the Watertown Retirement Board, said City Council President Mark Sideris.

Government

City Councilor Caroline Bays Hosting Annual Public Meeting

By |

City Councilor At-Large Caroline Bays. As part of the changes to the Watertown Charter all City Councilors must have an annual meeting to meet with the public. City Councilor At-Large Caroline Bays announced the date of her meeting. See info below. Please join City Councilor Caroline Bays at her Annual City Councilor Meeting on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, from 6-7:30 p.m.

The meeting will take place in the Third Floor Conference Room in City Hall, 149 Main Street, Watertown.

Government

Staffing for Second Watertown-Run Ambulance Approved by City Council

By |

The Watertown Fire Department got approval to run a second ambulance after the City Council approved funding to staff the ambulance on Tuesday. The vote came a couple weeks after the City Council’s Committee on Budget & Fiscal Oversight heard a presentation from Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson and members of the City administration. That meeting was the second hearing on adding a second ambulance. Nicholson said when calls are handled by the contracted ambulance run by Pro EMS, it takes longer to get to calls, and the City is losing reimbursement for the transportations to hospital when the outside ambulance handles a call. Additionally, he said that Watertown’s paramedics are overworked, morale is low, and several have left the WFD.

Government

City Council Will Hear from Department Heads at Three Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Hearings

By |

Watertown City Hall

The City Council will hold three hearings on the Fiscal Year 2025 Watertown City Budget beginning on Tuesday, May 20. See more information provided by the City below. In accordance with the Watertown City Charter and Council Rules, the Honorable City Council of the City of Watertown will meet, as the Committee of the Whole, for the purpose of holding public hearings on the City Manager’s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2026. Department Heads will be available for questions at the above scheduled hearings. Under this schedule, it’s anticipated that the City Council will take formal action on the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget at its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

Elections

Candidate Papers for Watertown’s 2025 Election Will be Available in Early June

By |

Charlie BreitroseWatertown residents cast their ballots at Watertown City Hall. The General City Election will be Nov. 4, 2025. Residents planning to run for elected office in Watertown in 2025 will be able to take out papers in the beginning of June, and will have to get the signatures to the City Clerk by mid-July to run in the 2025 City Election, which will take place on Nov. 4.

Environment

Lt. Gov. Recognizes Watertown as Part of Inaugural Group of Climate Leader Communities

By |

City Council President Mark Sideris speaks with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll at the Climate Leader Communities event held in Watertown on May 2. (Courtesy of the DOER)

Watertown’s efforts to promote energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases were recognized by the State on Friday. The Healey-Driscoll Administration held the celebration of the state’s first 19 certified Climate Leader Communities outside the “crown jewel” of Watertown’s green efforts: the net-zero energy high school now being constructed on Columbia Avenue. The Climate Leader Communities program encourages municipalities to lower municipal emissions, maximize the efficiency of buildings and transportation, and slash energy costs. CLC certified communities can apply for grants of up to $1.15 million for projects that reduce municipal emissions.

Government

Community Preservation Committee Hosting Annual Public Hearing in June

By |

The Community Preservation Committee will host its annual Public Hearing on June 26, 2025. See details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. Don’t miss the CPA Annual Public Hearing hosted by the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). You may also join the hearing and meeting remotely via Zoom: https://watertown-ma.zoom.us/j/91525442843. Save the Date: CPA Public Hearing, Thursday, June 26, 2025, 7 p.m..

Government

City Councilor Tony Palomba Will Hold Two Annual Meetings

By |

Tony Palomba seeks re-eleciton as Town Councilor At-Large. City Councilor At-Large Tony Palomba announced he will host a pair of meeting with the public. See the announcement below. Please join me at one of my Councilor Annual Meetings.  Each councilor is required to hold at least one community meeting annually. This is required of our City Charter. I have chosen to hold two meetings in order to give the residents of Watertown a couple of options. 

The meetings will be on Wednesday, April 30 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM and again on Thursday, May 1 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Both meetings will take place in the Mastrangelo Room on the second floor of the Watertown Free Public Library. There is no formal agenda nor will there be a formal presentation.