Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/letters/)
Charlie BreitroseThe Commander’s Mansion in Watertown. Greetings Councilors:
“They don’t know what they don’t know.” How did the revival of the Commander’s Mansion come to be? What was the process that restored this beautiful edifice to its full glory? The story, behind the story, can be found in the attached September 23, 2005 Final Report of the Watertown Arsenal Development Corporation.
The City of Watertown’s Draft 2026-2030 housing plan puts grim numbers on what we all see everyday. Over the last 5 years, the number of Watertown households that qualify for income-restricted Affordable housing has increased by 23 percent. Roughly 2 out every 5 Watertown households have an income low enough to qualify for Affordable Housing in Watertown, yet there isn’t nearly enough affordable housing for those who need it.
To be sure, many factors influence the cost of construction and the potential for affordable housing. Interest rates and federal trade policy play major roles, here and across the country. But we also have tools at our disposal here in Watertown. It’s time to take a hard look at the policies we do control — particularly our current zoning.
The reality is that in most places across the city, our zoning — the rules that dictate what can be built, where, and by what process — makes it impossibly difficult and expensive for new affordable housing projects to be built. In the few places where our zoning is more permissive, like in Watertown Square, along Arsenal Street, and along Pleasant Street, our policies force non-profit affordable housing developers to compete with well-funded national developers for scarce land.
Young Nature Detective “JD” examines a bug vacuum as his mother, Jamie, looks on. By Anita Roy DobbsForests for Watertown – a working group of Trees for Watertown
“No more ants!” It was the sixth time a very large black ant had escaped its observation jar and was racing across the table of “Nature Detectives” equipment at the Watertown Arts Market (WAM) on Saturday, August 8th. How do they squeeze through those tiny air holes? The table of Trees for Watertown’s working group Forests for Watertown (FFW) was surrounded by young park visitors (and their adults) who borrowed bug vacuums, binoculars, and magnifying glasses to range the park in search of close-up nature experiences with bug biodiversity.
By Linda ScottWatertown Resident
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Perhaps you’ve heard that expression. I have some good new personal intentions … to get my blood pressure (bp) down. So I get up, breathe deeply, and take my bp. High, but lower than it was.
Dear Editor,
You have asked me to provide you an update when I have further news regarding the suit that I have filed against Paramount Global, the Parent Company of CBS News. As you know I initially contacted you after filing a civil complaint in the Suffolk County Superior Court; and you probably sensed that it was the incorrect court to file. I filed the suit Pro se (on my own behalf). I filed in the County Court because was afraid that the DOJ would summarily dismiss it if it was filed in a federal court. I hope you and your readers will indulge me and provide the opportunity to tell you what this case is all about. I decided to provide a chronology, especially since the lead attorney for Paramount Global on Monday asked my consent for pro hac vice so that he and his colleagues. The purpose of pro hac vice is for an out of the state attorney to temporary appear in court for a specific purpose.
In light of the recent tragedy in Fall River — where limited staffing hindered rescue efforts at an assisted living facility — it’s time to look critically at our own fire protection in Watertown. Watertown is dangerously understaffed, falling below national safety standards. According to NFPA 1710, fire apparatus should be staffed with a minimum of 4 firefighters. In April of this year, at a budget and fiscal oversight committee meeting, Councilor Piccirilli stated, “I’ve been a member of the NFPA for over 30 years and I really believe in this stuff and it’s a good way to run an organization” He also stated that “we should be meeting, at a minimum, the published national standards”
In Watertown:
• Engines operate with only 3, 1 officer, and 2 firefighters• Ladder trucks often run with just 2• Ladder 2, which covers the Eastside, a dense and growing part of town, regularly runs with 2 firefighters and no officer
Prior to the addition of a second ambulance, approved for fiscal year 2026, staffing has not increased since 2008:
• 2007: Minimum staffing dropped to 18• 2008: Cut again to just 17 firefighters per shift, where it remains today• From fiscal years 2023–2026, multiple staffing requests were submitted — all denied
Meanwhile, the city is growing rapidly, with more complex emergencies, more residents to protect, and an increasing call volume. High-Risk & High-Density Structures:
• Charles River Towers: 192 residential units in a high-rise• Arsenal Yards: 400,000+ sq.
Dear George,
When I wrote my first open letter to you, I hadn’t meant for it to be a habit, but circumstances being what they are, I guess it was meant to be. First of all, I stand by my last letter in Watertown News, where I complimented you and Tom Brady (Director of the Department of Public Works): https://www.watertownmanews.com/2025/07/15/letter-thanks-for-trash-collection-concerns-about-utility-work-notifications/
Let me explain why I’m writing this letter to you. It’s been a full month now since the trash strike began, and I think that you would agree that we’re handling this quite well as a community. But here’s the thing: whether residents notice this or not, between the extreme heat and the uneven and unpredictable trash pickups, it puts stress on people. It’s not the kind of stress that you experience when you’re in a car accident or lose a job.
Dear Neighbors:
I’ve never been so disappointed in our city. Last week I attended the Library Trustee’s monthly Board meeting which included an agenda item on the policy for reconsideration of a book the summer reading list. This was largely due to a letter that I and other Jewish residents sent regarding concerns with one book on the second grade summer reading list curated by the Watertown Free Public Library and Watertown School District. We shared our concerns with how it framed Israel as the oppressor and sought to teach a young reader a history of Palestine with ideological views often seen as anti-Israel propaganda. In our letter we asked for a dialogue so we could share our concerns and have a conversation. Did we expect the book to be removed from the list?
(Note: The Watertown Board of Library Trustees will meet Thursday, July 31 at 7 p.m. at Watertown Middle School. The agenda includes a statement of policy in response to feedback on the suggested summer reading list read by the Board Chair.)
Dear Kim Long (Hewitt), Library Director and Board of Trustees,
I’m writing about the pressure the library faces to remove the children’s book, “A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search for Home.” I hope the library resists this pressure and lets parents and children make their own choices of reading material and draw their own conclusions. This issue matters greatly to me for two reasons, my connections with Israel-Palestine and my connections with Watertown. I have been many times to the West Bank and Gaza and most parts of Israel.