Election 2015

See the Voter Guide for the Nov. 3, 2015 Watertown Election

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Watertown’s hottest election in years is Tuesday, and Watertown News has plenty of information to help you choose your candidates and find out where to vote. 

Polls open on Nov. 3 at 7 a.m. and stay open until 8 p.m. Results generally start coming in around 9 p.m., and follow Watertown News on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates – and go to the main site for the results Tuesday evening. All but one race on the ballot has a contested race this year. Candidates have been out knocking on doors, holding signs, attending candidate forums and answering questions from media outlets and others. Town Council
Watertown voters will elect the entire Town Council, including the President, four Councilors At-Large (who represent the whole town) and four District Councilors (who represent a quarter of the town, each).

Elections

LETTERS: Town Council Candidate Statements and an Endorsement

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Dear District A Voter,

As someone who was born and raised as a third generation resident in Watertown‘s east end, I am extremely proud and honored to run for the office of District A Town Councilor. My experience as a department manager for the Town of Watertown for 15 years gives me a unique perspective in the functioning of town government, having produced yearly budgets and collaborated with all of the departments. As a Boston College Business School graduate and technology professional, I am positioned to address any and all technology concerns both now and the future. My priorities:

Development – responsible development, good fit for the neighborhood, support the hiring of a Transportation Management Professional
Education – funded properly, increase STEAM and coding classes at earlier levels
Senior Citizens – support additional assistance programs to improve quality of life
Housing – affordable, available
Open Government – responsive to citizen’s concerns, insure that an annual report published every year as required by the Watertown Home Rule Charter (one has not been published for 2014 as of now and perhaps earlier years have also not been published)

As a veteran, I served my country. As the Watertown Veterans’ Service Officer I served my home town.

Elections

LETTERS: School Committee Candidates State Their Case

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To the Editor,

Four busy years have passed in what seems like the blink of an eye. Looking back, we have accomplished a lot in the school system and started other initiatives that will continue for many years. Now as we approach Election Day I would like to focus on some of the accomplishments I have been involved with over the past four years. As Chair of the Buildings and Grounds sub-committee, we accomplished a lot and laid the foundation for future improvements in our schools. Here are some of the things I was directly involved in:

Learning gardens were installed at every elementary school and made a part of the curriculum for all grades.

Elections

LETTER: New Resident Struggles to Find Out Who’s Running

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To the Editor:

I moved to Watertown early this year, and am interested in participating in the election. Where does a new resident turn for information about candidates? Naturally, the Town website should have some information … right? I have moved around a lot since graduating college, but it has never been so difficult to simply find out who the candidates are for my neighborhood.

CWRA

Watertown Road Chosen to be Part of Green Street Pilot Project

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Watertown’s Edenfield Avenue will be the site of a “Green Street” pilot project by the Charles River Watershed Association (CWRA) which will target pollution, stormwater runoff and erosion. 

The CWRA sent out the following announcement:

CRWA has received a grant of $194,648 from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to implement a “Green Street” pilot project in Watertown as part of roadway improvements in the town. This project is one of nine projects targeting water pollution from storm water runoff and erosion that the Baker Administration has recommended for more than $1.29 million in grants utilizing funds from the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency (EPA). Charles River Watershed Association, a research, design, and advocacy environmental non-profit, will manage the pilot project to design and install green infrastructure on a residential street in Watertown. Project partners include Watertown’s Department of Public Works which will manage engineering and construction, and Watertown’s Stormwater Advisory Committee (SAC), which will help with public outreach and education. Watertown’s Superintendent of Public Works, Gerald S Mee Jr. said “This grant provides an exciting opportunity for Watertown to install green infrastructure practices in coordination with a future roadway reconstruction project.

District A

District A Council Candidates Respond to East End Neighbors Issues

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The East End Neighbors group submitted the following responses from the candidates for District A Town Councilor. District A has two candidates running for District Councilor in Tuesday’s Nov 3 Election. Angie Kounelis, Current District A Councilor and Bob Erickson, former town Veteran’s Agent. We asked East Enders for questions they would like to pose to the candidates and consolidated these into 5 questions. Candidates answers are on the following pages.

Elections

LETTER: Parent Supports Two Candidates for School Committee

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(Watertown News will accept Town Election related letters until Oct. 31)

Editor,

I have two kids in elementary school. We have had great experiences with teachers, our own school and the Watertown school system in general. I support Watertown teachers and schools absolutely. However I see something like the not so great results received by Watertown schools in the MCAS science tests this year and I am concerned.

Development

Developer Taking Town to Court Over ZBA’s Denial of Hotel Project

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The developer of the hotel project rejected by the Watertown Zoning Board of Appeals has taken the town to state Land Court to appeal the decision. Cherag Patel, the head of Elm Hospitality LLC, filed the appeal in Land Court on Oct. 28, and named as defendants the members of the ZBA: Melissa SantucciRozzi, Christopher Heep, David Ferris, Neeraj Chander and Kelly Donato. Patel is being represented by attorney Curtis Dooling of Pierce & Mandell of Boston. The appeal claims the ZBA wrongfully denied the special permit for the 104 room hotel project at 80 Elm Street when it made its ruling on Sept.