Schools

Rising Special Education Costs Contribute to $1 Million Shortfall for FY24 Watertown School Budget

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The Watertown Public Schools face a shortfall of around $1 million for the 2023-24 school year (Fiscal Year 2024), due in part to a large increase in the cost of special education. Monday night the School Committee heard the FY24 preliminary budget presentation from School administrators, who said the Watertown Public School’s level-services budget faces a significant deficit. This budget would provide the same level of services and programs available to students during the current school year, though it might require additional staff to provide the service due to increased enrollment in a certain grade or in a particular program, said Heidi Perkins, the WPS Director of Finance and Operations. The Watertown Schools will receive a 3.5 percent increase from the City over the FY23 budget, or $2.84 million, which would make the FY24 budget $55.64 million. The amount needed to cover a level-services budget is $58.47 million, as of Jan.

Sports

WHS Sports: Hockey Team Hot, Big Comeback by Boys Hoops, Runners on Right Track

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown boys hockey seeks another trip to the Final Four and the Final at the TD Garden after finishing runner-up in 2022. The 2022-23 season has been a hot and cold one for the Watertown High School boys hockey. The Raiders appear to be heating up in the latter half of the season as they look to return to the Garden for a second straight state final. The Raiders started the season winning four of their first seven games, and tying one. Then Watertown dropped four of six, and added another tie.

Government

See How Much the City Proposes Charging New Developments to Fund Affordable Housing

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Watertown City Hall

The City of Watertown recently received approval from the state to charge linkage fees on new developments to raise money to create affordable housing. A zoning amendment has been proposed that would set the fee to be paid by new developments. The special legislation approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Charlie Baker in December allows Watertown to charge up to $18 per square foot on projects over 30,000 sq. ft. The exact amount must be set by amending the Watertown Zoning Ordinance.

Government

Watertown City Councilor Elected to Mass. Municipal Councilor’s Association Board

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Lisa Feltner seeks re-election as District B Town Councilor. District B City Councilor Lisa Feltner has been elected to serve on the board of the Massachusetts Municipal Councilor’s Association. The group provides opportunities councilors to network and share ideas, pursue educational opportunities, meet with state leaders and subject-matter experts, and participate in the advocacy work of the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA). The following announcement was provided by the MMA:

Member groups representing the state’s mayors, councillors, town managers and administrators, and select board members elected their 2023 officers at their annual business meetings held during the recent Massachusetts Municipal Association’s (MMA) Annual Meeting & Trade Show in Boston. Women Elected Municipal Officials (WEMO) also named its 2023 Steering Committee at its annual Leadership Luncheon during the MMA Annual Meeting.

Around Town

Gore Place’s New Home for Sheep Being Built With Historic Method

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Charlie BreitroseA new barn is going up at Gore Place for the estate’s herd of sheep. It is being built using a historic method. A new building going up at the farm at Gore Place will provide a new home for the flock of sheep at the historic estate, but it will also embody the architecture of the 19th Century, when the home and farm were built.

The beam and post method is being used to build the barn, where pieces are cut to fit together and are held together with wooden pegs. During construction, workers use only hand tools, besides the crane that lowered the beams into place when the frame went up in mid-December. The building is a reproduction of an English-style threshing barn which would have been used for threshing wheat, housing animals, and other purposes, said Thom Roach director of interpretation at Gore Place.

Around Town

Fewer Home Sold in Watertown in 2022, but Prices Rose & See Who Ranks as the Top Agent

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The number of home sales in Watertown in 2022 dropped from the previous year, as well as the total sales. However the average price rose. And the same agent topped the list for the second straight year. In 2022, 383 homes in Watertown sold for a combined $296.78 million. The number of sales went down from 2021, when there were 424 sales for a total of $316.63 million.

Schools

Watertown Teachers Working to Rule, Calling for Settling Contract

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Watertown teachers rallied in Watertown Square on Jan. 25 calling for settling their contract. Photo courtesy of Watertown Cable News / Maya Shwayder. Watertown teachers and Watertown School officials have been in negotiations for a new contract, but have not yet settled. In a step to express their displeasure with the process, teachers have started “working to rule” this week.