Government

Big Name Democrats to Join State Rep. Lawn for End of the Year Fundraiser

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State Rep. John Lawn

Some of Massachusetts’ Democrat VIPs will be on hand at an end of the year fundraiser hosted by State Rep. John Lawn of Watertown. Special guests for the Holiday Fundraising Reception will be Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Attorney General Maura Healey, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Majority Leader Claire Cronin. The reception will be held at Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co., 411 Waverley Oaks Road in Waltham, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 14. Lawn represents the 10th Middlesex, which includes the Westside of Watertown, and parts of Waltham and Newton.

Government

LETTER: With Baker’s Retirement, Next Governor Should Build for the Future

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In case you haven’t already seen, the news that’s currently rocking the Massachusetts political field is that popular Governor Charlie Baker has declined to seek another term in the corner office. Speculation is bubbling over whether Attorney General Maura Healey will run for the office. If she doesn’t, it’s a wide open field with multiple candidates having declared their intent to seek the office but no other obvious breakout choice. On the Republican side, with Lt. Governor Karyn Polito also declining to run, it’s anyone’s guess whether the GOP will nominate Trump devotee and party chair Geoff Diehl, or nominate another moderate in the Baker mold. Regardless of who our next Governor is, I hope we end up with someone who has a vision for the state and a plan to get us there.

Government

State Rep. Owens Hosting Zoom Office Hours Friday

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State Rep. Steve Owens. Representative Steve Owens announced he will be hosting virtual office hours Friday, December 3 at 1 p.m.

For those looking to join, they can register for the meeting with this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81819705696?pwd=K2xRNUM2NFVGcWRtbUdqMm8xNUJmUT09.

Artificial Turf

Residents Air Concerns Over Artificial Turf & Field Sharing with BB&N, Council Maintains Agreement

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BB&NThe plan of the athletic complex on Grove Street, on the right, presented in November 2020 when the City of Watertown and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (BB&N) agreed to a field sharing plan that includes the City’s fields at Filippello Park. Residents for and against the field sharing agreement between the City of Watertown and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School spoke for nearly two hours Wednesday night during a special City Council meeting. In the end, the Council took no action, which means the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and the school remains in effect. Opponents of the agreement focused mostly on health and safety concerns due to the two fields being covered with artificial turf. Others said they were concerned that the Council entered the agreement without knowing artificial turf would be installed, and that the agreement calls for “green open space,” which they said means grass.

Government

Watertown Group Seeks to Rename the Delta in Watertown Square, Remove Columbus’ Name

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The following announcement was provided by the Pigsgusset Initiative:

On Thursday, Dec. 2nd at 3:30 P.M., members of the Pigsgusset Initiative, a working group of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment, will deliver petitions to the City Council requesting a name change for the area now called “Columbus Delta.” 

The delivery will be made by Mishy Lesser, Learning Director of Upstander Project and co-founder of the Pigsgusset Initiative, along with other Pigsgusset members and local youth, to the office of the Clerk of the City Council who is responsible for accepting the signatures. The petitioners are requesting that the City Council begin a process of reconsidering the name of the delta in Watertown Square, whose official name is the Columbus Delta. The goal is to initiate a process that will generate a new name that is more inclusive of all members of our community and the history of the place we all call home. Eighty years ago, the Selectmen of Watertown voted to name the delta, which today is the public meeting place where hundreds of diverse neighbors often gather for a variety of reasons.

Around Town

LETTER: Setting Record Straight on Info Given to Council on BB&N Field Agreement

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It is disheartening when I hear inaccurate and contradicting statements that collectively refer to sitting Town Councilors; inclusive of myself. 

I fully dispute the allegation that follows:

“…..Some Council members have indicated privately that they were not aware of BB&N’s switch from natural grass to synthetic turf.”….. ​Please note the following email, and attachment, that were sent to the Town Councilors on 11/10/2020 at 12:59 P.M., as Executive Session material for the evening’s meeting at 6:00 P.M. A full two weeks prior to the vote for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 11/24/2020. At this time; there is nothing privileged within this communication that I share. One of the submissions stated:

“most updated rendering”, at that point in time, dated 11/04/2020. Clearly printed on the document is the statement: “PROPOSED MULTI-PURPOSE SYNTHETIC FIELD”. The email, and accompanying materials, were sent to all nine Town Councilors, confirming synthetic turf.

Government

Council Approves Creation of Watertown Affordable Housing Trust

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

The City of Watertown will have a trust dedicated to the creation and preservation of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households with the Council’s approval of the ordinance creating the trust. Along with approving the ordinance, the Council’s vote on Nov. 23 also dissolved the Watertown Housing Partnership, which led Watertown’s efforts to create affordable housing for many years. The Housing Trust will have powers and abilities beyond what has been possible through the City’s efforts to create affordable housing or the Housing Partnership’s efforts, said Watertown Senior Planner Larry Field. “The Housing Partnership has been a great asset to the city for many years,” Field said.

Government

City Council Sets its Budget Policy Guidelines for Next Year’s Budget

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The Council’s priorities for next year’s budget have been approved, including supporting the school building projects, improving streets and sidewalks, and a study of Watertown’s Personnel Department. The Budget Priority Guidelines for the Fiscal Year 2023 were approved unanimously at the Nov. 23 Council meeting. The Council’s Budget & Fiscal Oversight Committee reviewed the proposed guidelines submitted by Councilors and voted on which to add to the list of guidelines. Other items were considered were not approved.