Elections

Early Voting Available for First Time, Find Out How & About the Registration Deadline

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Town Clerk John E. Flynn and the Watertown Election Commission are pleased to announce that all registered voters will be able to vote before Election Day for the first time ever in Massachusetts. Early voting will begin on Oct. 24 and continue through Nov. 4, 2016. Prior to the enactment of this new law, the only way a registered voter was allowed to vote prior to Election Day was through absentee voting.

Fiscal 2018 Budget

Watertown Budget Has Increases for Town, School; Officials Must Find $1.8 Million More

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Next year’s town budget calls for a healthy increase for town departments and even larger for the schools, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said Tuesday night, but there will be some work to do to make up a shortfall of nearly $2 million before the budget is adopted in the spring. Watertown’s total operating budget for Fiscal Year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018) presented to the Town Council was $133.3 million, but the forecast revenue is $131.5 million, Driscoll said. See the budget documents here. The budget calls for a 2.5 percent increase for municipal departments, including Police and Fire, Driscoll said. The Watertown Public Schools would receive a 5 percent increase.

Elections

LETTER: Yes on 5 Committee Says CPA Won’t Harm School Funding

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The Community Preservation Act (CPA) does not compete with school funding. To the contrary, it will strengthen our schools and the education we offer Watertown’s children.  
Imagine an “outdoor classroom” of restored open space and buildings where teachers and students study how Watertown was settled, using historic maps and artifacts that bring learning alive. All of this would qualify for CPA funding and for matching state funds and grants that Watertown would otherwise be unable to get. And affordable housing programs funded by the CPA would make it possible for our teachers to live in Watertown and spend more time with students instead of long hours commuting.

Elections

LETTER: Resident Urges Watertown to Follow Other Towns and Adopt the CPA

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We all have friends in neighboring communities. Most likely these people live in towns that have already passed the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Since 2000, 161 cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have adopted the CPA. In our region, Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, Somervile, Waltham and Weston benefit from matching State funds for historic preservation, open space, including recreation, and affordable housing. The good people in Watertown deserve to benefit from the Act as well, especially as we have been paying into the trust fund with the State for all these years without receiving benefits.

Anne-Marie Gagnon

New Senior Center Director Excited to Build on Watertown’s Current Program

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The new Senior Center Director, Anne-Marie Gagnon, is excited to be able to focus on one town after many years working for collaboratives which serve several communities. Before coming to Watertown, Gagnon worked with HESCO (Health & Social Services Consortium Inc.) and Bay Path Elder Services before that. At one she worked with 12 communities, the other 8 communities, but now Gagnon has just one. “On this side, I get to look at one town. I have the luxury of working to meet the needs of people in the community,” Gagnon said

Gagnon said will use her experience working to meet the needs of seniors in town.

Government

Major Road Work Project Just off Watertown Square Will Last Nearly 2 Months

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Construction on a major drainage and paving project could cause traffic delays in Watertown Square for nearly 2 months, possibly more. 

Work begins on Tuesday, Oct. 11 on areas of the Municipal Parking Lot behind CVS, as well as a section of Spring Street, just off Main Street and the big intersection in the Square, and is expected to finish by the beginning of December 2016, according to a letter to the Watertown Department of Public Works from the contractor, D&M Civil. In the letter, the contractors said there could be “minor traffic/detour inconveniences” in the area of Spring Street at the corner of Summer Street.  There may also be dust and noise generated by the work. The project includes installation of underground drainage chambers and piping, along with excavating and repaving the asphalt in the construction area.

Gas Main

Gas Main Work Will Impact Mt. Auburn Street on Sundays

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Work on gas mains on Mt. Auburn Street will take place on Sundays for the near future, and could have some impact on traffic and bus service. National Grid will be drilling test holes on Mt. Auburn Street in preparation for a gas main replacement project. Crews have already replacing the gas mains on Norseman Avenue and Ralph Piteri Terrace, which are across from Sacred Heart Parish.