District D

Process for Filling Empty Council Seat Delayed Due to Error in Voting Process

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The Town Council heard a proposal for how to fill the vacant District D Town Council seat, but could not make a vote due to an error during the subcommittee meeting held the previous week. One of the rules changes made by the Governor impacting remote meetings requires all votes to be made by roll call. During the May 5 meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on District D Vacancy the group made a unanimous vote to recommend a process for filling the seat that became vacant when Ken Woodland had to resign to take a job that does not allow him to serve on the Council. However, the vote was not done by roll call — with each committee member being called upon and voicing their vote. Town Attorney Mark Reich, from KP Law, said that the vote should have been made by roll call, and added that since the plan was not put on the May 11 Council Meeting’s agenda as an action item the Council might be in violation of the Open Meeting Law if the it took a vote to approve the plan.

101 North Beacon St.

Town Council Delays Vote on Electrical Service to New Building, Wants to Avoid New Pole

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Embarc StudioThe new building at 101 North Beacon St. has 28 condos in three-stories. Developers have not been able to get electricity to the building, an await a decision from the Town Council which has said it prefers not to have a new utility pole installed as part of the project. For the second time, the Town Council voted to table the vote on a proposed petition to put in a new utility pole on Irving Street to supply power to a new residential building on North Beacon Street. The petition submitted by Eversource is asking to install a new pole about 18 feet north of another pole on Irving Street, just south of North Beacon Street.

Government

Town Council Will Hear About Department Budgets at 4 Budget Hearings

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Watertown Town Hall

The Town Council will hear about the budget for each municipal department as well as the Watertown Public Schools during the Fiscal Year 2022 budget hearings, which begin May 17. Four budget meetings are planned, and the Council will hold a public hearing and vote on the FY22 budget on June 8. Unlike most years, the department heads will not be presenting PowerPoint slideshows about their department in 2021, said Council President Mark Sideris. The Department heads will be available during the hearings to answer the Council’s questions. The Town of Watertown provided the following information:

The Fiscal Year 2022 General Fund Budget, as proposed, totals $164,430,000.

District A

Library Trustee Mike Hanlon Announces Candidacy for District A Town Councilor

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Mike Hanlon. Mike Hanlon, an elected member of the Watertown Library Board of Trustees, has announced his candidacy for East Watertown District A Town Councilor. Hanlon provided the following statement:

My wife, Joyce, and I are longtime residents and homeowners of Coolidge Avenue having lived in Watertown for over 25 years. We have appreciated living in a community that is rich in tradition and deep in so many cultures where people are so respectful and friendly. I understand the importance of the quality of life for Watertown residents and it has been a wonderful experience to have been elected to four terms (a total of 16 years) as a member of the Watertown Free Public Library Board of Trustees.

Government

OBIT: John Flynn, 63, Served as Watertown Town Clerk for 26 Years

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Long-time Watertown Town Clerk John Flynn. John “Jack” Flynn, who served as the Town Clerk of Watertown for more than a quarter century, died on Friday, May 7, 2021 after a brief illness. He was 63 years old. Born in Cambridge, he served as Deputy City Clerk and Principal Budget Analyst for the City of Cambridge before becoming Watertown’s Town Clerk in 1995. He retired in 2021.

District D

Candidate Announces Run for District D Town Council Seat Representing Westside

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Connie HenryConnie Henry, right, filed to run for the District D Town Council seat. She is with her grand daughter Eva Henry. The following announcement was provided by Connie Henry:

After thoughtful consideration, I’ve decided to run for Town Council in District D. On Monday, May 3rd, I went to Town Hall to pull nomination papers and was thrilled to be joined by my granddaughter Eva, who turned 18 on Earth Day and registered to vote! I love Watertown and appreciate being a lifelong resident of the community. As the town grows, my goal is to help ensure a vibrant, respectful, inclusive community and to support the particular needs of District D. I am dedicated to listening to our constituents and will actively advocate for their interests, including issues of development, traffic, and transportation.

Around Town

Watertown Voters Will Continue to Directly Elect Council President After Vote by Charter Review Committee

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Watertown Town Hall

Voters in Watertown will continue to elect the Town Council President directly, rather than having the position chosen by a majority of the Council. The decision was made by the Watertown Charter Review Committee on Tuesday night. The decision came on the same night that members discussed the makeup of the Town Council and the councilor compensation. Also, if the Council President should serve on the School Committee, or have a designee. The group reviewing the document that defines how the Town’s government operates looked at the Legislative section of the Charter on Tuesday.

Around Town

Resident Group’s Survey Finds What People Like, Want Improved in Watertown

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. People like the community and diversity in Watertown, but would like to see improvements in the schools and affordability, according to the preliminary results of a survey being conducted by a resident group called Watertown Forward. The group started as an effort to help people understand the Town Charter and the once-a-decade Charter Review, but the group seeks to keep people engaged, said Nicole Gardner, a member of Watertown Forward. “We want to encourage them to get engaged. (Watertown Forward is) at this moment hyper-focused on charter review.