Around Town

Residents Wanted to Serve on Board of Assessors, Council on Aging & Solid Waste and Recycling Committee

By |

The City of Watertown seeks applicants interested in serving on the Board of Assessors, Council on Aging, and Solid Waste & Recycling Committee. See details in the following announcement provided by the City. City Manager George J. Proakis is seeking residents to serve on the Board of Assessors, Council on Aging, and Solid Waste & Recycling Committee. Interested applicants should complete and submit a Universal Application. The Board of Assessors is responsible for the fair and equitable valuation of all real and personal property.

Government

City Manager’s Thoughts on Winter Parkin Ban, Part 3: Long-Range Planning

By |

In the third piece on the question of lifting the Winter Parking Ban permanently, Watertown City Manager George Proakis focused on how it would impact the City’s long-range planning. By George Proakis

Recently a group of Watertown residents signed a petition to seek a public hearing in front of the City Council. The topic of the petition and the hearing was our long-term ban on overnight parking that we enforce each winter. The Council hosted this hearing in January. 

Our winter parking ban requires individuals who have a car and a driveway to ensure their car is in their driveway or garage each night. Most residents meet the requirements of the ban by relying on their own driveway, garage or apartment building parking lot.

Government

Get a Look at the Inner Workings of City Government at the New Watertown Civics Academy

By |

Watertown residents can get an in depth look into how the City’s government works, and even get a chance to see how they would deal with some real-world situations during a new program offered by the City. The City of Watertown recently announced the first Watertown Civics Academy, and residents can apply now through March 21. “Civics Academy is a 6-week program, meeting on Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. from May 8 to June 12, 2025. Each session will cover a different theme and topic within Watertown’s government, from the City Council, to our Public Works Department, to the way the City approaches Climate resiliency, and much more – all directly from the Watertown City Staff!,” the City’s announcement said. The idea for the Civics Academy came from Watertown City Manager George Proakis, according to Tyler Cote, the City’s Community Engagement Specialist, who is helping to plan the sessions.

Government

City Council Update: Police Removed from Civil Service, Memorialization Committee Approved, Arshile Gorky Honored

By |

The City Council took a number of actions at the Feb. 25 meeting, including purchasing the former Sterritt Lumber site, removing the Watertown Police supervisors from Civil Service, honoring an Armenian artist and immigrant, and approving a Memorialization Committee. See more details in the City Council Newsletter provided by the City of Watertown. City Council Newsletter 

Please see below for the city council’s newsletter for its meeting on February 25, 2025. You can view the video recording of the meeting here. 

Purchase of 148 Waltham Street

The council voted unanimously to approve a purchase & sale agreement of $9.2 million for the property located at 148 Waltham Street.

Government

City Will Add New Position of Human Services Director

By |

City of WatertownThe Parker Annex Building is the recommended home of the City’s new Health and Human Services Department. A new position will be added to the City government, the director of Human Services, after the City Council approved implementing the recommendations of the Health and Human Services Assessment report. On Tuesday, the Council unanimously approved the recommendations, and the Human Services Director position has been posted on the City’s Employment webpage. The Council also approved transferring $38,000 from the Council Reserve to fund the new position for the rest of the fiscal year. Rob Buchanan, Principal at Health Management Associates (HMA), presented the recommendations of the assessment to the City Council’s Committee on Human Services at a meeting on Feb.

Government

State Rep. Steve Owens Holding Pair of Office Hours in Watertown

By |

State Rep. Steve Owens. Residents have the opportunity to meet with one of Watertown’s representatives on Beacon Hill this month when Steve Owens holds his office hours. See the announcement provided by Owens’ office below. State Rep. Steve Owens, a Democrat in the 29th Middlesex District made up of parts of West Cambridge, North Cambridge, and Watertown, has office hours in Cambridge and Watertown. Office hours will take place on Friday, March 7 from 9-10:30 a.m. at Kendall Kitchen at the Quad (10 Wilson Road, Cambridge), and Monday, March 17 from 3-4 p.m. at the Watertown Senior Center (31 Marshall St., Watertown).

Government

City Will Purchase the Sterritt Lumber Site in the West End

By |

Watertown City Hall

The downturn in the life science lab market opened an opportunity for the City of Watertown to purchase a site in West Watertown where a lab building had been permitted but never constructed. Tuesday night, the City Council voted to allow City Manager George Proakis to sign an agreement with the owners of the 2-acre site at 148 Waltham St. for $9.2 million, and approved an initial payment of $500,000. When the Sterritt Lumber site was sold neighbors strongly opposed proposed new uses for the property, which included an apartment building and later a lab, which was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals and permitted, but construction never started. City Council President Mark Sideris said that led to an opportunity for the City.