Elections

LETTER: Another Councilor’s Response to the Fire Union’s Questionnaire

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Dear Mr. Mannix and Members of IAFF Local 1347:

Thank you for reaching out to the candidates in the upcoming town elections regarding their position on the outstanding Watertown Firefighters contract. I must respectfully decline to complete the enclosed questionnaire on this issue prepared by the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts (PFFM) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) given the lawsuit filed by IAFF Local 1347 on March 19, 2015 against the Town of Watertown in which I was named as a defendant. My record as a District B Councilor and life-long Democrat clearly indicates my support for the Town’s 12 unions and the collective bargaining process. During my tenure as District B Councilor, I have consistently supported policies and budgets that will provide salaries and benefits to all the Town’s union employees commensurate with those in our peer communities. I take extremely serious the Council’s role as the fiscal authority for Watertown; and in that role, I was one of 8 Councilors who voted against the non-binding arbitration decision on Dec.

Government

Selection Process for Watertown’s Next Police Chief Revealed

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Watertown’s next Police Chief will be chosen from among the ranks of the current Police Department, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said when he revealed the selection process. On Tuesday night, Driscoll told the Town Council about his plans to replace recently retired Edward Deveau. He said the town will use the Civil Service process, and the finalists will be chosen using an assessment center as the only ranking device. During an assessment center, the candidates are asked to react to real world situations in an oral exam. “I spoke with the (state) Human Resources Division and the most popular method  used was the assessment center as the sole ranking device,” Driscoll said.

Around Town

LETTER: Councilor’s Response to Fire Union’s Candidate Questionnaire

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The following letter is District A Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis’ response to a Candidate Questionnaire sent to her by Robert Mannix, President of Watertown Fire Fighters Local 1347 (see the Fire Union Letter and Questionnaire below):

Dear Mr. Mannix:

Please be advised, on 03/19/15, Thomas A. McManus, Kevin MacDonald, Stephan Ciara and Watertown Fire Fighters, International Assoc. of Fire Fighters, Local 1347, the Plaintiffs, filed Civil Action No. 15-1551 in the County of Middlesex, Trial Court of Massachusetts, Superior Court Dept. The Defendants are the City of Watertown; Town Manager Michael J. Driscoll, and nine individually named City of Watertown Council, inclusive of myself. On the advise of my legal counsel, because of the aforenoted litigation, I am precluded from replying to the 08/03/15 Candidate’s Questionnaire.

Elections

Town Council Changes Date of the Watertown Preliminary Election

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Watertown’s Preliminary Election has been moved to Thursday, Sept. 17 so that it does not conflict with the Jewish high holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Originally, the preliminary election was to be held on Sept. 15, which is also the final day of the Jewish New Year celebration. Town Manager Michael Driscoll said that the town was contacted by the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office warning town officials of the conflict.

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.