Around Town

Big Recycling Event: Styrofoam, Clothing, Mattresses, Dehumidifiers and More

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The City of Watertown will host a recycling event, along with paper shredding and a compost give away on March 25 in the parking lot of the Jewish Day School on Stanley Street. The Watertown Department of Public Works provided the following announcement:

Watertown Recycling Event

March 25th , 2023 10:00 AM-2:00 PM

Event will be held at 57 Stanley St. in the parking lot of the Jewish Day School. Please bring a Watertown ID or proof of residency. Mattress Recycling

HandUp, a mattress recycler, will be offering a discount on mattress and box spring recycling.

Sports

WHS Sports: Heartbreaking End for Girls Track, Girls Hoops Looking for Home Tourney Game

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Charlie BreitroseSophomore Elsa Ryan raced in the 600 meters and was part of the 4 x 800 relay. BOSTON — Celebration turned to consternation for Watertown High School’s girls track team on Thursday night. The 4 x 800 relay team crossed the line in second place at the MIAA Div. 5 Indoor Track Championships, but minutes later the Raiders were informed they had been disqualified. Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown girls 4 x 800 relay team celebrates after finishing second at the MIAA Div.

Around Town

Comprehensive Plan Update Includes Focus on Improving Watertown Square

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Watertown Square

When Watertown Business Coalition Co-President Bob Airasian mentioned that a city square or town center usually being “a place where people like to go,” it was greeted with a chuckle by many at a gathering this week. “It shouldn’t be a place that you are trying to avoid,” Airasian continued, “and when you are running a business in a place like that, I’m not an economist but, that can’t be good for business.” City officials want to change that, and will soon kick off a process to plan for the future of the area, and the entire City. During the WBC’s coffee connect, Watertown Planner Larry Field talked about the updating of Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan. New City Manager George Proakis said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting that he has made no secret that he wants to make adopting the new document a priority of his first few months on the job.

Around Town

LETTER: Former Councilor Shares Memories of Town Manager Michael Driscoll

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Greetings:

Today, we say farewell to a friend and colleague, Michael J. Driscoll. In happiness and sorrow; Michael offered his favorite traditional Irish blessing, from an ancient Celtic prayer. “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

Government

City Manager Gives Outlook on Watertown’s Budget, Philosophy on Contract Negotiations

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Watertown City Manager George Proakis. This week, School officials announced an agreement on the Watertown teachers’ contract, but even when that is signed Watertown has six unions on the municipal side yet to be settled. This week, the City Manager revealed his philosophy when approaching these negotiations and how the City budget could impact the talks. He released a memo to the City Council outlining the contracts and the Watertown budget at Tuesday’s Council meeting. While making the budget, Proakis said he and his team are following the Council’s budget priorities, which include creating walkable neighborhoods and small business programs, improving infrastructure, using green vehicles, and upgrading parks and playgrounds.

Schools

Teachers, Watertown Schools Reach Agreement on Contract

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Watertown teachers will soon have a new contract. The Watertown Educators Association and the School Committee announced Tuesday that a settlement had been reached, and it must now be ratified by the union and then approved by the School Committee. Details about the contract have not been released. At the most recent School Committee meeting union representatives spoke about some of the areas they sought more from the district, including salaries in line with neighboring districts and guaranteed parental leave for both parents of a newborn. Teachers went to work to rule in late January to show their displeasure with the fact they were working without a contract and wanted a contract that would put them on par with other districts in the area.

Around Town

Replacing Victory Field Turf with New Artificial Surface Supported by School Committee

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Charlie BreitroseVictory Field is home to Watertown High School’s football team, along with the field hockey, girls and boys soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, and baseball teams.

On Feb. 6, the School Committee supported the recommendation to replace the artificial turf surface at the field most used by Watertown High School’s athletic teams, however some did so with strong reservations because it would be a different type of artificial turf. The artificial turf field at Victory Field is nearing the end of its recommended life. The City plans to replace it with another artificial turf, but with an organic material between the plastic blades of grass. The final decision on whether to approve the project will come from the City Council, and the funding would come from the City’s budget, not the Schools.