Government

Council Roundup: Fire Department Radios Approved, Election, DPW Openings

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The Watertown Fire Department will be replacing a key piece of equipment after the Town Council approved matching funds for a grant to pay for new portable radios. The Fire Department has 35 portable radios ranging in age from 1 year to 19, Fire Chief Bob Quinn told the Town Council on Sept. 8. Some of the radios have recurring battery failures and others lack clarity, Quinn said. “Communication is a critical part of a Department being able to operate efficiently at incidents each and every day,” Quinn said.

Government

Basketball Rims Being Removed from Park Due to Non-Mask Wearing

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The rims have been removed from the basketball courts at Watertown’s Casey Park because of repeated violations of the face covering requirement by people using the courts. Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola announced Saturday that the basketball rims will be removed from a town park after people were found playing basketball without face coverings. Centola said he has been dealing with people playing basketball at Casey Park on Watertown Street for several weeks and he warned them they need to be wearing face coverings. He has even had to call police when a group refused to wear masks and continued to play. Last week, two rims were removed (one from each of the full basketball courts) in hopes that people would shoot around on the half courts but not play games, Centola said.

Government

Watertown Receives a Gift of BlueBike Stations

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Watertown will be getting seven Bluebike stations, with the first few already installed. Watertown received more than $200,000 in gifts to establish BlueBike rental stations in town. The move was made so that the Town did not have to own the bicycles or be responsible for the upkeep. The Town of Watertown received a gift of $224,257.06 worth of items to install six BlueBike Stations with 38 bicycles to be rented. The items were donated by MetroFuture Inc., a non-profit charitable organization, said Town Manager Michael Driscoll.

Entertainment

Find Out About Weddings at Commander’s Mansion During COVID-19

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UPDATE: Please note the change of date. Couples can find out about having a wedding at Watertown’s Historic Commander’s Mansion during COVID-19 at and event called “Gossip!” The event will be held on Oct. 28 from 6-8 p.m. at the mansion, 440 Talcott St., Watertown (off Arsenal Street), which is owned by the Town of Watertown. Under the state’s COVID-19 rules numbers of people are limited, and the organizers will show attendees about what a petite event during the pandemic looks like.

Charter Review Commission

Town Charter Review, Noise Ordinance Discussions Delayed by Council

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Watertown Town Hall

On a night where the Town Council voted to approve the purchase of a new radios for the Fire Department and the BlueBike stations, the Council postponed discussions of a couple major items: the Town Charter review and proposed changes to the Noise Ordinance. The Town Charter review occurs every 10 years in years ending in zero, while the Noise Ordinance has been debated and discussed for more than a year. Town Council President Mark Siders said he has concerns about holding such important meetings under the restrictions of the state’s COVID-19 rules which limit in-person gatherings to 25 people. A subcommittee report on the Aug. 11 Noise Ordinance was read by the Council Tuesday night.

Business

Small Businesses Can Apply for COVID-19 Assistance Grants

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Watertown businesses with five or fewer employees can apply for grants of up to $10,000 to address emergency needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses can apply for the Microenterprise Grants through the Town of Watertown, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corp., which is awarding the federally funded grants that come from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The deadline to apply for the grants is Sept. 25, 2020. As of 2016, a Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) survey found that Watertown had about 900 businesses that would fit into the microenterprise category.

Around Town

See How to Apply for Watertown’s COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program

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The Town of Watertown provided the following information:

The Watertown Housing Partnership has set up an Emergency Rental Assistance Program for Watertown renters who have lost income and are having trouble paying rent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance is temporary and will provide assistance for up to three months to Watertown renters not receiving other government rental assistance and earning below 80% of Area Median Income. Assistance is for up to $750 for a 1-bedroom apartment, $950 for a 2-bedroom apartment, and $1,150 for a 3-bedroom apartment. Anyone interested in applying should contact Robyn Rufo at Metro West Collaborative directly for an application (robyn@metrowestcd.org or 617-923-3505 ext. 5). Applications are due to Metro West Collaborative by Thursday, September 24. For more details, see this flyer.

Around Town

Health Department Reminder for Labor Day About Limits on Gatherings Due to COVID-19

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The Watertown Health Department sent out the following announcement about Labor Day Gatherings and COVID-19:

As we are approaching the long weekend the Watertown Health Department would like to remind you of the guidance from the state regarding social gatherings and the importance of social distancing. For all gatherings there can only be eight people per 1,000 square feet with a maximum of 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors. Please remember to wash your hands often, wear face coverings, and maintain social distancing at all times. We are working together to stop the spread of COVID-19. Please remember that these guidelines are in place to protect each of us and our community.