Government

Meet State Rep. John Hecht During His Upcoming Office Hours

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Watertown residents will have two opportunities to speak with State Rep. Jonathan Hecht in June. He will hold office hours on Monday, June 15 from 5-6 p.m. in the Raya Stern room in the Watertown Public Library and Thursday, June 18 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the small conference room on the third floor of Watertown Town Hall. Constituents are invited to meet with Rep. Hecht to discuss pending legislation or any other issue of concern to them. Anyone unable to attend these office hours can call Rep. Hecht at 617-722-2140 to schedule a meeting at another time.”

Government

Hearing Planned for Trees Scheduled to be Cut Down

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Watertown Tree Warden Christopher Hayward will hold a hearing about trees that are due to be cut down. Residents are welcome to attend and give comments about the trees. 

The hearing will be held on June 17, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. in the Watertown Administration Building (Town Hall), Lower Hearing Room

Here are the tree locations, diameter of the trunk and type of tree being discussed at the hearing:

8 Westland Road, 4”,  Oak

32 Lowell Ave., 15”, Norway maple

69 Lowell Ave., 17”, Norway maple

85 Lowell Ave., 18”, Norway maple

26/28 Fifield St., 22”, Norway maple

The hearing announcement adds:

Please note that you do not need to attend the Tree Hearing to be heard. If you cannot attend but are for or against the removal of any of the trees listed and want your thoughts to become public record, please email the Tree Warden at chayward@watertown-ma.gov. Your concerns will be read into the public record at the hearing. Your email must be received by me by 10:30 a.m. on June 17, 2015. If you have any questions, please contact Christopher Hayward at the email listed above or at 617-972-6426.

Government

Watertown Police Chief Announces He Will Retire This Summer

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Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau will retire this summer, he told the Town Council and others on Thursday. 

Deveau joined the Police Department in 1983 and has been chief since Sept. 4, 2001. His time as the top cop included the dramatic events of April 19, 2013, when Watertown Police officers engaged the Boston Marathon Bombers on the streets of East Watertown in which offices exchanged gunfire and were attacked by homemade bombs. Town Manager Michael Driscoll sent a letter to Town Councilors saying that Deveau had met with him on Wednesday to tell him he planned to retire. Deveau reached out to Councilors, too.

Food

Food Truck Safety a Priority for Council, Asks About Food Safety Grading

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Town Councilors want to make sure the food trucks coming to serve hungry residents and workers in town are up to the safety standards of all eateries in town. 

The Council made the request to Director of Public Health Deborah Rosati during the budget hearing for the Health Department. Trucks visit the Commanders Mansion in the Arsenal on the Charles each weekday and the Arsenal Project every Wednesday during the warmer months. Councilor Angeline Kounelis said she worries because people are not sure where the food comes from and where it was prepared. Food trucks can be fun, said Councilor Cecilia Lenk, but she too had concerns. “I think safety is a huge issue,” Lenk said.

Elections

LETTER: Attorney Running for Governor’s Council Seat

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Dear Friends:

I am announcing my candidacy for Governor’s Council for the Third District of Massachusetts. The district includes much of Middlesex County and parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Worcester counties. Many Massachusetts citizens are unaware of the important, indeed vital, mission that the Governor’s Council is charged by the Massachusetts Constitution. The Council plays a seminal role in our state’s justice system and consequently to the function of our democracy and the stability of our society by having the power of “advice and consent” of all judges and clerk-magistrates in Massachusetts. The Council is the last chance the people of Massachusetts have to make sure that the best candidate for the job is picked.

Government

Council Applauds School Budget for Rebuilding Programs, Fiscal Stability

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Watertown’s public schools have made some big strides toward rebuilding the district after it suffered cuts in recent years, and in creating a budget that school and town officials can trust. School officials presented their budget to the Town Council Tuesday night, in a session that had a much different feel from the previous year. “What a difference a year makes!” Town Council President Mark Sideris said. Last year, the Council Chamber was filled with parents worried about the budget, and the council had a lot of questions about school official’s budget request that asked for nearly triple the increase as was ultimately given by the town.

Government

Watertown Ice Rink May be Seeking Major Tenant if Bentley Leaves

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Watertown’s ice arena may be losing a key tenant if Bentley University builds an 0n-campus rink for its ice hockey team. The Bentley hockey team plays its home games and practices at the John A. Ryan Arena, on Paramount Place, just off Pleasant Street. The arena would not have trouble finding groups wanting to replace games Bentley plays in the evening and one weekends, Ryan Arena Director Daniel Brothers told the Town Council during his budget hearing. The challenge will be getting groups during the team’s practice time. “Two-thirds of what Bentley uses is not prime time.

Government

Despite Popularity of Watertown Library, Some Offerings Remain a Secret

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The popularity of the Watertown Free Public Library keeps growing, but Library Director Leone Cole said some programs remain largely unknown. The library has become a community hub, but Cole said the library has done surveys of patrons and found that people are not aware about all of its offerings. “We need to get more world out about what is happening in our library,” Cole said. “We do some social media promotion.” The library website also features a calendar of events (click here to see it).