Government

Residents Share Horror Stories of Rats, Town Looking for Solutions

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A packed room of worried and upset residents packed the Coolidge Apartments Auditorium Thursday night to share horror stories about rats in the the East End of Watertown and push town officials to solve the sudden influx of rodents. Several of the 50 plus people at the community meeting said they had seen rats themselves, and many others have neighbors who spotted the critters.  

Maplewood Street resident Vahe Kebabjian got an up close look at some rats. “Saturday morning I was mowing the lawn and boom, there was one. It jumped three feet in the air,” Kebabjian said.

Government

Meeting Planned to Discuss Increasing Rodent Problem in East Watertown

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East Watertown residents have seen a large increase in the number of rats and rodents in their area recently, and town officials will hold a public meeting to hear from residents and talk about solutions. East End Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis said she began hearing from residents about rodent problems in May, and they have gotten worse since then. In a letter to the Watertown Health Department, Kounelis said she has heard from residents who have spent hundreds of dollars trying to deal with the infestation, and some residents say they are considering whether to move because the problem is so bad. Some of the streets impacted include Arlington Street, Dewey Street, Templeton Parkway, Salisbury Road, Prentiss Street and Belmont Street. The problem may have been caused by road construction on Belmont Street.

Government

Health Department Warns of Mosquito-Borne Disease

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The Watertown Health Department warns that the danger of mosquito-borne disease has increased due to recent weather, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has raised the risk level, according to an announcement from town health officials. The Watertown Health Department announcement reads:

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has identified that the recent hot, dry weather along with historical patterns of mosquito-borne disease poses an increased risk of mosquito-borne virus. As a result, MDPH has elevated the risk level for West Nile Virus from Low to Moderate. Public health surveillance is done for mosquito borne viruses – viruses that are carried and spread by mosquitoes. These viruses include West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Mosquitoes get WNV and EEE by biting infected birds.

Election 2015

Watertown Ballot Set, One Town Councilor Will Not Run for Reelection

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The 2015 Watertown Town Election ballot has been finalized, and one name that has been on the ballot for many years will not be there this time. 

Town Council Vice President Steve Corbett decided not to seek reelection this year after serving as a Councilor at large for a decade. “I feel like it is time. It has been quite a while – five terms, 10 years,” Corbett said. Corbett said he looks forward to spending more time with his family and friends. “I have done my time,” Corbett said.

Government

Watertown Officials Discuss Plans to Battle Heroin, Opiates Crisis

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The Watertown will establishing an official drug drop box, and getting about 20 needle disposal boxes as the town works to combat scourge of drug overdoses that left eight people dead in Watertown this year. The Human Services Sub Committee met will officials from the Watertown Police and fire, the Watertown Board of Health, and local several nonprofits to discuss an outline the W.A.T.E.R.town Task Force’s action plan to combat substance abuse, Monday. Along with discussing the plan, town officials said that the drug drop box would be up and running at the Watertown Police Station in about two weeks, and that the sharps and needle disposal boxes would be placed at the police station, in town buildings, and potentially private business in the near future. In addition to the drug drop box, the Committee also passed a motion during their previous meeting to recommend that the town council recommend the town manager require patrol officers to carry the anti-overdose drug Narcan, and receive training in its use. The Town Council voted unanimously to make the recommendation to the Town Manager.

Government

Watertown Moving Toward Having an Adopt-an-Island Program

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Looking for a way to beatify more spots around town, the Public Works subcommittee has recommended creating an adopt-an-island program. The concept of having businesses and groups care for plantings in traffic islands around town has been considered in the past, and this week Councilor Ken Woodland brought the request to the Public Works subcommittee. “It will address traffic islands in town along with other identified spaces,” Woodland said. “Local businesses can team up with the town.” The subcommittee considered whether to have a contractor hired by the town do the work, whether to allow businesses to hire their own contractor and/or allowing volunteers do the planting and care for it.

Government

Heroin Epidemic on Front Burner for Council Subcommittee

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The Council’s Human Services subcommittee will continue its effort to find ways to battle the heroin and opioid epidemic that has hit Watertown this year. 

While these drugs have been a problem for years, 2015 has seen a spike of cases, with dozen of reported overdoses, several of which were fatal. Monday night, the Human Services subcommittee meets at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Town Hall to continue looking for ways to help addicts get treatment and enter recovery, as well as taking steps to prevent others from becoming addicted in the first place. Some steps have already been taken. At the July 14 Town Council meeting, councilors voted to recommend that the Town Manager take steps to have all Watertown Police officers trained to use the anti-overdose drug Narcan, and have the medication in all patrol cars. The Fire Department already carries Narcan.

Government

Town Officials Looking at Ways to Tame Watertown’s Dog Park

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When Watertown opened its first dog park about two years ago, it was a dream for local dog owners, but a nightmare for residents living near the park. The fenced in area was added to How Park, which sits near the Charles River on Pleasant Street at Bacon Street. Dogs flock there during daylight hours, which means that there is noise and people parking all over the neighborhood, sometimes on the sidewalk. Tuesday night the Town Council’s Human Services subcommittee met to hash out a set of rules and ways to enforce them. Neighbors have complained to the town, but gotten little help.