Government

Watertown’s Veterans Agent Named President of Statewide Group

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown Veterans Services speaks during the 2022 Memorial Day ceremony. Watertown Veterans Services Officer Patrick George will lead the statewide organization for city and town officials whose job is to serve veterans and help them get benefits that they earned by serving their country. George will serve as president of the Massachusetts Veterans’ Services Officers Association for 2022-23. The MVSOA focuses on professional development for VSOs, as well as building relationships with public and private organizations to enhance services for veterans, according to the association’s website https://mvsoa.com. George said he will be one of the public faces of the MVSOA and he said it is a key time for VSOs.

City Council

Watertown Seeking Permission to Purchase Property in Waltham

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Leo MartinWalker Pond, on the Westside of Watertown, is one of the town’s hidden wetlands. A portion sits in Waltham, and the City Council is exploring purchasing that property. The City Council voted to start the process to enable the City of Watertown to purchase a piece of land that lies just over the border in Waltham that could be part of an open space resource. City Council President Mark Sideris said Tuesday night that Watertown is considering purchasing a property that includes a portion of Walker Pond (also called Walker’s Pond), a small body of water on the western edge of Watertown. The pond is one of the few in Watertown, and has been discussed as a possible open space resource in the City.

Government

First Two Community Preservation Projects Approved; Will Rehabilitate Park, Restore Historic Paintings

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Designs for the improvements to Irving Park. The project was recommended by Community Preservation Committee for approval from the City Council, which did so on June 21. A park in Watertown will get a face lift and paintings in City Hall that are showing their age will be refurbished in the first two projects in Watertown approved to use money from the Community Preservation Act funds. On Tuesday night, the City Council unanimously approved the two projects recommended by the Community Preservation Committee. Community Preservation Committee Chair Mark Kraczkiewicz thanked the groups that brought forward the projects.

104 Main Street

City Council Votes Down Consideration of Creating Historic District on Main Street

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

An effort to create a historic district in the area of Main Street near City Hall and the Library ended Tuesday night when the City Council voted down the proposal in the citizen-submitted petition. The effort was started as a way to prevent a proposed project in the area. The Council was not convinced that the area, which also includes a block of commercial buildings across the street, has historic significance. The decision was unanimous. Had the vote been favorable, the City would have started the process to create a historic district, which could have taken up to two years, and would require a study by the Historic District Commission as well as hearings by the Planning Board and City Council.

City Council

Council Holding Special Meeting on Creating Historic District, Changing Name of Delta & Community Preservation Projects

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s City Hall. Three items will be covered during a special City Council meeting next week: a petition to create a historic district on Main Street, a petition to change the name of the delta in Watertown Square, and to consider the recommended project from the Community Preservation Committee. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chamber in Town Hall, 149 Main St. The name of the delta will discussed first, followed by the historic district proposal, and then the CPC projects. People can also participate in the meeting on Zoom.

2023 City Budget

Council Agrees on Contract for New Manager, Budget Approved & Town Auditor Retiring

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Watertown Cable Access TVCity Manager Finalist George Proakis. George Proakis, Watertown’s next City Manger, will start working in August, after an agreement on a contract was reached with the City Counil this week. The City Council unanimously voted to approve hiring George Proakis on Tuesday night. At the previous meeting, on May 24 the Council agreed to offer Proakis the job and enter contract negotiations. The Council met in executive session prior to the June 14 public session to discuss the contract and came to an agreement which includes a salary of $217,500, said Council President Mark Sideris.

104 Main Street

Developer Discusses Vision for Major Project on Main Street

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Icon ArchitectureA view of the proposed project at 104-126 Main St. from Main Street. The developers of the project proposed on Main Street in Watertown want to create a place where residents can live steps away from restaurants, stores, and public transportation available in Watertown Square. John O’Connor, senior vice president for acquisitions and development for O’Connor Capital Partners recently spoke with Watertown News about the proposal for the 104-126 Main St. The development would have 146 residential units in four stories above 5,450 sq.

Development

City Hosting Walks & Bikes with Staff to Get Input to Shape Watertown’s Future

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Residents can join City staff on walks and bike rides around Watertown to take a look at the City’s major business areas, and get input about what they should look like in the future. The information gathered will be used in the process to update Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan. The series covers a number of areas where development has and will continue to occur, including Watertown Square, Pleasant Street, Coolidge Square, and the bike path near Arsenal Street that runs through East Watertown to Fresh Pond. Assistant Director of Planning Gideon Schreiber said the tours provide another way for people to give input on the Comprehensive Plan. “I’ve been on the Live Well Watertown committee for 10 years, and we’ve done these walks and often times when I’m doing the walk with residents they have questions, they have ideas, they have thoughts, and we thought that it would be a good opportunity to mix it up and do something different,” Schreiber said.