Government

OP-ED: State Budget Includes Money for High School Project, Special Education & Roads

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, whose district includes Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston. Monday, the House and Senate finalized the Fiscal 2024 Budget. I’m including some highlights of the items that were important advocacy priorities for me. I’m also sharing the Senate President’s Press Release on the agreement for a broader overview. Overall, I am very pleased with this year’s budget and I feel that it reflects many of my stated priorities.

Government

Council Committees to Interview Nominees for Multiple Boards

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Photo by Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

A pair of City Council Committees will interview nominees for appointment or reappointment to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Health, and the Affordable Housing Trust. The Committee on Economic Development and Planning will consider the appointment of Samuel Odamah to the Zoning Board in a term expiring in February 2025. They will also consider reappointing Christopher Heep to the Zoning Board for a term running until February 2028, and the reappointment of Payson Whitney III to the Planning Board for a term ending in February 2026. The remote meeting will be held Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 5 p.m. See the agenda and how to tune in by clicking here.

Government

2023 Watertown Election Features Races for Council President & School Committee

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The candidates running for City office in 2023 have been set, and Watertown voters will have to choose from the current and a former City Council President, and will elect at least one new School Committee member. The deadline to file to run in the Nov. 7 Watertown City Election was Monday at 5 p.m.

Council President

Mark Sideris, the Council President since 2010, will face the man he defeated to become President in 2009. Clyde Younger filed to run on Monday. He served as Council President from 1997-2004, and 2006-2009, and also has been elected to the Council, School Committee, and Town Meeting, before Watertown went to the Council-Manager style of government.

Government

Trustees Impressed by New Watertown Library Director’s Experience and Vision

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Kim Hewitt was chosen to be the next director of the Watertown Free Public Library. (Courtesy photo)

The new director of the Watertown Library impressed the Board of Trustees with her knowledge of libraries, her experience dealing with difficult situations, and her vision for the library. Thursday night, the Board of Library Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Kim Hewitt as the next Director of the Watertown Free Public Library. The vote came two days after the board interviewed Hewitt, who is currently the director of the Needham Free Public Library, and the other finalist, Dan  Brower, Library Director of the Cass County Public Library in Missouri. All the trustees said the two candidates were very well qualified, but Hewitt stood out with her experience dealing with a range of challenges that face public libraries these days.

Government

City Manager Hears from Residents at Forum on Hiring Watertown’s Next Police Chief

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Residents had a long list of requests for the qualities and qualifications they would like Watertown’s next Police Chief to have, and new initiatives they would like the new head of the WPD to take on. Monday night, City Manager George Proakis held a community forum to discuss the hiring of the new Watertown Police Chief. He was joined by two members of the consultancy firm who will run the process of evaluating the candidates. Attendees brought up a variety of areas they would like to see the next chief take on, including changes in the department. Several wanted to see the Watertown Police be more transparent, and provide more data to the public, including arrests, traffic violations, and other incidents broken down by race, ethnicity and gender.

Government

State Senate Offering Paid Fellowship Program

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Wikimedia Commons / ChensiyuanMassachusetts State House. The following announcement was provided by State Sen. Brownsberger’s office:

The Massachusetts state Senate is accepting applications for a fellowship program offering paid, part-time positions for eight weeks in Senate offices from September through November 2023. Our office is participating. The program has been designed to expose traditionally underserved populations to public service, representative democracy, and lawmaking. This is an opportunity to learn firsthand about the roles and responsibilities of state legislators and their staff.

Government

Election 2023: Potential Race for Council President, Library Trustees May Have Open Spot

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Charlie Breitrose

The deadline to file to run in the 2023 Watertown City Election is less than a week away, and there could be a contested race for City Council President, while the Library Board of Trustees has only two candidates for the three openings. Former Council President Clyde Younger took out papers to run against incumbent Mark Sideris. The deadline for candidates to file papers with the City Clerk’s office is Monday, July 31, at 5 p.m.

Younger has served on Town Meeting before Watertown changed to a Council form of government, as well as School Committee, Town Council and served as Council President from 1997-2004, and 2006-2009. Sideris was a Councilor from 1995 to 2009, and has served as Council President since he defeated Younger in 2009. Since then, Younger has run against Sideris multiple times, the last time in 2015.

Government

Developers of 104 Main Street Project Ask for Delay for Zoning Board Hearing

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A view of the revised plans for the 104-126 Main Street project. The sixth floor has been scaled back and would not be seen from Main Street. (Illustration by Icon Architecture)

The developers of the proposed six-story project on Main Street requested that the hearing on the case be moved to the August Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. In June, they presented changes to the ZBA, which still had concerns about aspects of the project, including the number of stories and public amenities. The case was due to be back before the board on July 26, but developers requested the case to be continued another month.