Government

Public Works Director Discusses Winter, Goals for Next Year

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The Department of Public Works had a busy Fiscal 2015 dealing with record snow fall, and officials are preparing for more snow, and the many other areas the DPW deals with. 

Public Works Superintendent Gerald Mee discussed some of the goals and areas the DPW will work on during his budget hearing on Saturday. The Fiscal 2016 DPW budget – not including waste disposal or snow/ice removal – is $5 million, up $151,000 from the prior fiscal year (which ends on June 30, 2015). The waste disposal budget is $2.96 million and $1.16 million has been allotted for snow and ice removal, said Town Manager Michael Driscoll. Winter of 2015
The DPW dealt with a record 112 inches of  snow, compared to an average of 42 inches, Mee said. They had 35 events that required plowing and/or sanding and salting, including eight major plowing events, Mee said.

Government

See How Much Your Water Bill Will Rise Next Year

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Watertown residents will pay about 13 cents more a day for water, the Town Council learned this week. Consultant Chris Woodcock of Woodcock & Associates, said the water/sewer rate will rise 3.7 percent in Fiscal 2016, which begins July 1, 2015. The average water bill will rise from $3.39 a day to $3.52 a day, Woodcock said. “That could be saved by saving 750 gallons in a quarter,” Woodcock said. Water and sewer in Watertown are enterprise funds, and must pay for itself.

Government

Recreation Director Discusses Possible Improvements, New Programs

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Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola shared some of his ideas for how to improve the Recreation facilities and programs when he appeared before the Town Council for his budget hearing. The redevelopment of the Grove Street entrance at Filippello Park is one of the bigger projects coming up. Centola said he planned to hold public meetings on the project soon. Other park improvements include:

Court resurfacing and improve batting cages at Bemis Park and O’Connell Park
Court resurfacing at Lowell School Playground and Arsenal Park

The town’s artificial turf field at Victory Field has been very popular with youth and high school sports teams. So much so, that it been difficulty getting teams on the field when they want time. Councilor Aaron Dushku said that he is part of Watertown Youth Soccer, and coaches have complained that they cannot get time on town fields in the spring time.

Government

Watertown Residents Invited to Meeting About Airplane Noise

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A group of communities will gather to discuss noise and air pollution in the area from airplanes from Logan Airport. Boston West Fair Skies (BWFS) is a regional organization of MetroWest communities (Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Malden, Medford, Somerville, Watertown). The group strongly objects to the new concentrated FAA Highways in the Sky from Logan Runway 33L and the resulting noise and air pollution, according to the announcement. Boston West Fair Skies seeks to educate people about this issue and persuade the FAA to fairly re-distribute these flight paths. For example, our monthly action for May was to write a letter to the FAA, and samples are available on our website, www.Bostonwestfairskies.org

The group will meet on Tuesday, June 9 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Robbins Library, 700 Massachusetts Ave.

Development

Watertown Man Appealing CVS Development Drops Suit

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{Updated May 29 at 11:14 a.m.}

The man who filed an appeal against the Zoning Board of Appeal’s decision to approve the CVS in Coolidge Square has dropped his suit in State Land Court after an agreement deal with the developer. David Peckar lives on Wells Avenue, across the street from the back of the proposed CVS at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets. He filed suit against the project saying that that project would negatively impact his home and neighborhood (see details here). He recently told his neighbors that he had dropped the suit.

Government

Watertown Firefighters Keep Rallying for Contact after Nearly 6 Years

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The Watertown Firefighters are quickly approaching six years without a contract and they wanted to make sure the Town Council did not forget Tuesday night. About 300 firefighters and their supporters rallied in front of Watertown Town Hall before the Town Council meeting. Some even confronted councilors as the arrived to ask why they have not approved the contract. Local 1347, the Watertown Fire union, has worked without a contract for nearly six years. The impasse appeared to be over in December 2014, when an independent arbitration board awarded a contract agreement. The Town Council, however, voted 8-1 against funding the agreement saying it would be unfair to other unions in town (read more here).

Government

Meeting Planned on Bike, Pedestrian Path from Watertown and Cambridge

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The Department of Conservation and Recreation will meet on Tuesday, June 9 to discuss the planned bicycle and pedestrian path linking Watertown and Cambridge. 

The meeting will be on Tuesday, June 9, from 6-8 p.m. at the West Cambridge Youth Center, 680 Huron Ave. in Cambridge. The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway is an effort recently launched with the joint purchase of a former B&M Railroad line, the Watertown Branch, by the City of Cambridge and the DCR to create a multi-use pathway and greenway. This purchase, which includes the former railroad right-of-way from Concord Avenue in Cambridge, through the Fresh Pond Reservation, under Huron Avenue, and into Watertown, will be developed into a pedestrian and bicycle path, helping complete the important regional connection linking the Charles River path system and the Minuteman Bikeway. At this meeting, DCR and the City of Cambridge will provide background information about the project, now at a pre-conceptual stage of design, and obtain public input.

Government

Veterans’ Services Officer Wants to Make Sure Vets are Honored Properly

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Watertown’s new Veterans’ Services Officer has plans to bring things up to date and give the town’s current and former veterans their due. The town has memorialized those who died in this country’s wars, and have acknowledged the actions of servicemen and women by naming squares in their honor. The town’s rolls of honor and the squares could use some upgrading, said Veterans’ Services Officer Mark Comeiro. “I would like to replace the Korean War Memorial with a new upgraded honor roll,” Comeiro said. “Some Korean War veterans are not on the plaque.”