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.

Around Town

City Council Hosting Meeting to Re-Consider Fields Agreement With BB&N

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s Town Hall. The City Council will host a special meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. to take another look at the agreement about use of fields made by City with Buckingham Browne & Nichols. In November 2020, the Council voted approve an agreement between Watertown and the school to share fields. BB&N would have access to nearby fields at Filippello Park in the hours right after school, and Watertown residents could use BB&N’s fields in the evenings and on weekends.

Government

Council Upset That Property Taxes Will Rise Despite Big Increases in Commercial & Industrial Tax Revenue

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Watertown Assessor Earl Smith had some good news for the City Council Tuesday night that new development has brought in several million in new tax dollars. However, what stood out most was the bad news that he had for homeowners — a property tax increase for Fiscal Year 2022. The new life science developments in Watertown will bring in millions of dollars of new tax revenue for the City but due to the restrictions of the state law regarding shifting the tax burden away from residential properties, the average residential tax bill will rise by $287 or 4.3 percent, Smith said. The total tax levy for the City of Watertown in Fiscal Year 2022 will be $134.4 million, Smith said. The increase would have been more if the Council did not approve an increase in the amount of the Residential Exemption, given to owner-occupied properties.

Government

Council to Decide on Watertown Property Tax Rates at Meeting Tuesday

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Charlie Breitrose

Tuesday night, the City Council will hear the tax rate presentation from the Town Assessor, and recommendations for tax breaks for residential properties and owner-occupied homes. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber in City Hall, 149 Main St. It will also be broadcast on Watertown Cable Access’s Government Channel (Comcast Channel 9, RCN Channel 13, and on wcatv.org). On Tuesday, Chair of the Board of Assessors Earl Smith will present the Fiscal Year 2022 Tax Classification Hearing to the Council. The members of the Council will then decide on the rate, and on ways to ease the burden on residential property owners.

Government

New Councilor Sworn In, Will Serve the Remainder of the Term Representing District D Before Serving Full Term

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Charlie BreitroseEmily Izzo was sworn in as District D Councilor on Thursday night. She will fill the remainder of the term for the vacant seat representing the westside of Watertown before starting her first full term. Westsiders have a Councilor again with newly elected District D Councilor Emily Izzo’s swearing in on Thursday evening. Unlike the other new City Councilors, Izzo will start serving before the start of the new term in January because she is filling a vacant seat. Her predecessor, Ken Woodland, stepped down from the Council in April to take a position with the state that prohibits him from serving on the council.