Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/government/page/251/)
The campaign to re-elect Susan Falkoff to Town Council at Large is hosting a campaign kickoff. Please join Susan and supporters for a fun and enlightening party to kick the campaign into high gear! Everyone is welcome. The event is on Sunday, Sept. 20, 3-5 p.m. at the home of Mark and Erneseta Kraczkiewicz, 77 Riverside St., Watertown.
The League of Women Voters of Watertown recognizes that everyone is still enjoying the end of summer and perhaps worrying about the start of the new academic year. However, the town election season is also coming up. In particular, the citizens who live in District B have a chance to make their choices in the Preliminary Election on September 17, 2015. Please take note of the date because it is a Thursday rather than the usual Tuesday. We encourage all the voters in District B to exercise their privilege to vote in this election.
Raya Stern, President
League of Women Voters of Watertown
(Note, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday).
Residents heard from the District B Council candidates at a recent Candidates Forum, but there were some left over questions. Here are the answers from the four candidates. The Preliminary Election for District B is on Thursday, Sept. 17. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Only voters in precincts 4, 5 and 6 (who vote at the Philips School and Hibernian Hall) can participate.
The selection process for choosing Watertown’s next police chief has started, and residents will be able to voice their opinions to members of the Town Council. Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced last month that the police chief will be selected after finalists are ranked using an assessment center. During that ranking process, the candidates will be asked to respond to a series of real world situations and scenarios. Watertown residents will have an opportunity to tell the council what are important qualities in the next chief. That input will be take into account by the Town Council’s Public Safety Subcommittee when coming up with questions to be used in the assessment center, said Town Council President Mark Sideris at Wednesday’s Council meeting.
Candidates for District B filed their campaign finance papers, and challenger Lisa Feltner lead the way with more than $2,000 raised. A candidate in another race, however, had the most donations. The campaign finance reports were due eight days before the preliminary election. Three of the candidates filed by the deadline – Tuesday, Sept. 8.
My name is Kendra Medville Foley and I am a candidate for the Watertown School Committee. I am running for School Committee because I am passionate about the importance of education – for my three young children, for the children and families in Watertown and for the health and vibrancy of our town. I know that an excellent school system not only helps every child and family, but also makes an enormous contribution to a community being safer, stronger, and more vibrant. Two years ago, when my oldest child entered kindergarten, I got involved with the schools through the Hosmer PTO and Watertown Strong Schools. The process of advocating for greater investment in our schools by attending School Committee meetings, attending budget and finance subcommittee meetings, and talking to parents, teachers and administrators convinced me to run for School Committee.
The Town will hire an organization that has experience creating and running local public transportation systems to create a Transportation Management Association for Watertown.
Watertown will hire the 128 Business Council to help get the local public transportation system off the ground and likely lend a hand running it. The system of shuttles will have a number of routes and destinations in and around Watertown and will be funded by both businesses in town and likely the town itself. Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon who unveiled the plan Wednesday said he envisions the TMA having routes connecting Watertown Square to Waltham Center, running down both Pleasant and Arsenal streets, connecting to MBTA service in Cambridge and to the new commuter rail station in Brighton near the New Balance headquarters. More routes could be added as interest rises and more businesses contribute to the TMA. Several businesses have pledged to be part of the TMA as part of recently approved projects, Magoon said. Other existing businesses have said they are interested in taking part in the group.
Watertown’s firefighters approved the contract proposal Wednesday night, and after more than six years the contract is one step from being approved. Members of Local 1347 voted on the memorandum of understanding reached by the negotiating teams from the fire union and the town last week. Fire Union President Rob Mannix said it “passed comfortably,” but did not give any further details. The contract must now be approved by the Town Council before it will be officially approved. Firefighters have been at this point before.