Government

Legislative Breakfast in Watertown to Address Opiates, Homelessness and More

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The Metro Suburban Advocacy Initiative – East group will host a Legislative Breakfast in Watertown to discuss a variety of issues, including the opiate crisis, homelessness and disabilities. The event will be Friday, May 13 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave. in Watertown. Watertown’s State House legislators – Sen. Will Browsberger and Reps. John Lawn and Jonathan Hecht – have been invited to attend.

Government

See When the Council Will Hold its Town and School Budget Hearings

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The Town Council announced its schedule of budget hearings for the Fiscal 2017 budget (beginning July 1, 2017), which includes meetings with the heads of all the municipal and school departments. Meetings will be held in the Council Chamber on the second floor of Town Hall, 149 Main St. in Watertown. After the hearings are completed, the Town Council is expected to vote on the Fiscal 2017 budget on Tuesday, June 7. Tuesday, May 17 – 6 p.m.

Budget Overview – Town Manager
Library
Community Development and Planning

Thursday, May 19 – 6 p.m.

Treasurer/Collector
Parking Lots & Meters
Purchasing
Town Hall Maintenance
Veterans
Recreation
John A. Ryan Skating Arena
Assessor

Saturday, May 21 – 9 a.m.

Health
Council on Aging
Police Department
Personnel
Department of Public Works
Town Clerk
Elections
Information Technology
Town Council
Town Auditor
Insurance & Employment Benefits
Retirement Benefits
Debt Retirement/Capital Projects
Town Manager
General Government Budgets/Miscellaneous

Tuesday May 24 – Approximately 8 p.m. (Part of the regular Town Council Meeting).

Government

State Rep. Jonathan Hecht Announces May Office Hours

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Watertown State Rep. Jonathan Hecht announced two upcoming office hours where residents can talk to their representative on Beacon Hill. State Rep. Jonathan Hecht will hold office hours on Monday, May 9 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Raya Stern Trustees Room of the Watertown Public Library and on Thursday, May 19 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on the third floor hallway of Watertown Town Hall. Constituents are invited to meet with Representative Hecht to discuss pending legislation or any other issue of concern to them. Anyone unable to attend these office hours can call Representative Hecht at 617-722-2140 to schedule an appointment at another time.

Around Town

Future Direction of the Watertown Community Path to be Discussed

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The Town Council’s Public Works Committee and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee will talk about the designs for linking the Community Path in the Watertown Square area on Thursday night. 

Currently the path runs east to west from Arlington Street, behind the Watertown Mall, and onto School Street. From there it runs along Arsenal Street and will end at Irving Street after the new apartments are built on Arsenal Street. On the other side of town, the Community Path starts up again behind Town Hall and goes to Waverley Avenue and continues near Moxley Park. However, there is no direct link between the two sections. There are a few options for link, with scenarios focusing on the areas east and west of  Watertown Square.

Business

Watertown Dealing with Good and Bad of Booming Development

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Watertown and Belmont are undergoing development booms, which has bolstered town budgets, but also come with struggles, such as traffic and schools bulging at the seams, officials said at the Watertown Belmont Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Towns breakfast on Thursday. Watertown is about to see more than 600 apartments come online on Arsenal Street this year, said Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon. The town seeks to increase its revenue by encouraging more hotels and restaurants. “We had 15 additional liquor licenses approved by the Legislature, which will be an important component in brining restaurants and economic growth the community,” Magoon said. “The Marriott Residence Inn is a 150 room hotel expected to be completed in August.”

Government

State Starts Study of Mt. Auburn Street Corridor in Effort to Improve Traffic

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The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in conjunction with the Cities Cambridge and Watertown, plans to commence a Mount Auburn Corridor Planning Study later this month to develop a range of implementable short- and long-term plans for the improvement of Mount Auburn Street from the Watertown line to Fresh Pond Parkway and parts of Fresh Pond Parkway. Additionally, the agency will initiate a community outreach strategy that will assist the DCR’s project team in developing options for creating safe and welcoming conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians, enhancing access to the Charles River Reservation, and optimizing transit bus operations for Routes 71 and 73, while ensuring that vehicular access is maintained. The specific project area extends from Mount Auburn Street at Belmont Street in the west, to Huron and Aberdeen Avenues in the north, and to Fresh Pond Parkway at Greenough Boulevard and Memorial Drive in the southeast. Within the project area there are several high traffic destinations such as the Mount Auburn Cemetery, the Mount Auburn Hospital, local schools, historic neighborhoods, and several local businesses. DCR is assembling a stakeholder group to help work through the intricacies of the project.

Government

Proposed Town Budget Includes New Positions, Strong School Funding

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Watertown’s town budget will increase nearly $4 million in Fiscal Year 2017, and includes big increases for the schools, and additional police officer and making the town’s Social Services Resource Specialist a permanent position. 

The budget proposed Tuesday night by Town Manager Michael Driscoll for the fiscal year staring July 1, 2016 will be $126.3 million, or $3.85 million more than the current fiscal year. Education
The School Committee requested $44.15 million – a 6.5 percent increase over Fiscal 2016 ($2.7 million) – and Driscoll said they will receive that much, though the funding sources will not all be from the town appropriation. This will allow the addition of 20.25 new positions to the school disitrict. The town will contribute $43.57 million, and there will be town adjustments of $111,908 in Minuteman tuitions and charging two instruction aides to to the Pre-K revolving account. The schools will also use $85,788 in Special Education Circuit Breaker money to support the Fiscal 2017 budget

The town will also provide $375,000 for one-time curriculum initiatives – spending that will not be an on-going part of the school operating budget in future years, Driscoll said.

Entertainment

‘Patriots Day’ to Film in Watertown, Studio Donating to Town to Hire a Cop

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The film about the Boston Marathon Bombings, and the events that followed in Watertown, will film a portion of the film at the old Police Station and a donation from the filmmakers will allow the town to hire an additional police officer. 

Watertown Town Manager Michael Driscoll revealed the news during his presentation of the Fiscal 2017 budget to the Town Council, Tuesday night. “The submitted Fiscal Year 2017 budget includes funding of one additional police officer above Fiscal Year 2016 level as a result of CBS Films providing $60,000 to the Town, primarily related to the filming of scenes of the ‘Patriots Day’ movie at the former Police Station,” Driscoll said. The police officer will bring the total uniformed officers in town up to 67, Driscoll said, including 49 patrol officers. The department also has nine dispatchers, four civilian employees and crossing guards at spots around town. In future years, the additional officer town officials will have to find room in the town’s operating budget to pay for the officer added through CBS Films’ donation, Driscoll said.