Government

Council Puts Firefighters’ Contract on Hold

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After years of negotiations, mediation and finally arbitration the Firefighters appeared to have a contract ready to be voted on by the Town Council, but the board instead decided to postpone the vote. The arbitration agreement would have ended nearly six years the Firefighters Local 1347 have been without a contract, and would provide 2.5 percent increases in Fiscal 2012 and 2013, along with other other increases. In total the town would have to pay $2.74 million in back pay and other incentives as a result of the arbitration. Town Manager Michael Driscoll proposed using $2 million from the Fiscal 2015 Town Council Reserve and the $739,759 from Fiscal 2015 Town Health Insurance Fund. The biggest increases come from:

$992,000 in base pay for the past three years
$955,000 for EMT certification – a 3 percent increase beginning in 2009
$244,500 for overtime for the past five years
$220,000 for longevity payments
$144,800 for holiday pay

Fire Union President Rob Mannix said that the firefighters gave up items in the agreement too.

Police/Fire

Car Drives Into Watertown Starbucks

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A driver drove into the Starbuck’s on Mt. Auburn St. Causing some damage on Sunday morning. According to WVCB TV there were two minor injuries but no one was taken to hospital. A building inspector has been called to look at the building.

Police/Fire

Police Arrest Man Who Hit Two Men with Bottle at Party

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A man who allegedly attacked to party goers with a bottle faces assault and battery charges after Watertown Police arrested him on Nov. 23. The incident took place at a birthday party on Walnut Street on the evening of Nov. 22, between 10 and 11:30 p.m., said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. The suspect was identified as Efrain Perez Gomez, 42, of Watertown.

Police/Fire

Man Tries to Outrun Watertown Police – Unsuccessfully

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A man tried to out drive, and then outrun a Watertown Police officer, but in the end he was caught and placed under arrest. On Nov. 15 at 11:06 p.m., an officer spotted a vehicle speeding on North Beacon Street, said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. “He observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed – 60 to 70 miles per hour,” Lawn said. “He tried to catch up with the vehicle and put on his lights on Irving Street.”

Police/Fire

Man Faces Charges After Punching Officer, Restaurant Owner

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A man who was asked to leave a Watertown restaurant allegedly punched the owner and when confronted by police he allegedly punched an officer. On Oct. 4 at 9:32 p.m., Avedis Vartanian, 61, of Somerville, had been sitting at the bar at Stellina Restaurant in Watertown Square when be began going into another room and bothering other customers, said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. “The owner asked him to leave the restaurant and when he was walking him out Vartannian turned and punched the owner in the face a couple of times,” Lawn said. Police officers across the street came over to tell Vartanian to stop.