Government

City Hall Annex at Parker Building to Temporarily Close

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City’s Parker Building at 124 Watertown Street will be temporarily closed from May 2-12, 2026, to undergo electrical service upgrades in the building. All City Departments who work in the Parker Building will be relocated to Watertown City Hall’s Lower Hearing Room (ground floor of 149 Main Street) during the temporary closure. Members of the community needing to communicate with the departments below can continue to reach them by phone, or by visiting the Lower Hearing Room during their normal operating hours, which can be found on the City’s website. Public Health

Inspectional Services Division

Zoning & Code Enforcement

Planning & Zoning

Information Technology

Public Buildings

The Watertown Food Pantry will be closed on their regularly scheduled days of May 5 and May 12, 2026, due to the service upgrades. To account for the closed dates, the Food Pantry will run a temporary schedule at their location in the Parker Building on:

Tuesday, April 28, 10am – 2pm (regular hours)

Friday May 1, 10am – 2pm

Wednesday, May 13, 10am – 2pm

Thursday, May 14, 10am – 2pm

Tuesday, May 19, 10am – 2pm (regular hours)

The City has communicated with all private tenants in the Parker Building, who will not be able to operate in the building during this closure.

Schools

School Officials Outline Strategies to Improve Watertown’s Special Education Program

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A study of the Watertown Public Schools’ special education found a number of areas of concerns, including a lack of uniformity, a need for better communication with families, and a distrust among parents of students in the program. A group called the Special Education Strategy Development Committee, made up of 31 people from different levels in the schools, as well as parents, discussed Watertown’s special education data, reports from state on the district’s special education program, as well as the report from AthenaK12. The district committee put out a Special Education Success Strategy report. The special education committee pointed to multiple areas to focus on to improve the program for students with special needs, said Kathy Desmarais, Watertown’s Director of Student Services. One issue rose to the top in the report.

Food

Restaurants Won’t be Allowed to Automatically Include Plastic Utensils Under New Ordinance

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Restaurants in Watertown will not longer be able to automatically include packets of plastic utensils with takeout or deliver orders. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A new ordinance approved by the City Council prohibits restaurants from automatically including plastic utensils with takeout orders, however customers can request these items when they order or pick up their food. The Council considered the Skip the Stuff ordinance at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. “Watertown Skip the Stuff ordinance is designed to reduce unnecessary plastic waste in our community,” said City Councilor Nicole Gardner. “Under this simple, common sense policy, restaurants and food businesses will no longer automatically include items like plastic utensils, straws and condiment packets with takeout or delivery orders.”

Government

Council President Outlines City’s Protections for Undocumented Immigrants, Does Not Favor an Executive Order

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City Council President Mark Sideris. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

After receiving questions about and requests to protect immigrants in Watertown in recent weeks, City Council President Mark Sideris emphasized the steps being taken by the City to provide safety and security, but said he does not favor the City Council passing a resolution or executive order regarding immigrants in Watertown. Sideris spoke during the President’s Report at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. After a resident was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on April 10, people reached out to Sideris and other elected officials. He stressed that he was speaking on his own behalf, not for the entire Council.

Around Town

Watertown Eco Fest will Feature Sustainable Vendors, Demonstrations & Activities for All Ages

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The second annual Watertown Eco Fest will feature activities including electric bike test rides, vendors of sustainable products, activities for kids, and more. The event, hosted by the City of Watertown, will also include representatives from City departments and community organizations focused on sustainability. Eco Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9 at the Commander’s Mansion, 440 Talcott Ave., Watertown. Watertown Sustainability Planner Mia Kania said Eco Fest the City created Eco Fest after the City Council approved the Resilient Watertown Climate and Energy Plan. “It started last year, which was right after we had expanded the Sustainability Team, essentially doubling,” Kania said.

Business

Robotics Company Builds on Watertown’s History of Manufacturing in Former Mill Building

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Tutor Intelligence’s Data Factory 1, which has 100 AI robots performing tasks, is part of the company’s new headquarters at Riverworks in Watertown (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A building along the Charles River in Watertown where textiles were once made has a new tenant involved in manufacturing. Tutor Intelligence creates AI robots that are used by companies from coast to coast. On April 23, Tutor hosted a grand opening at its offices in Riverworks, a building on Pleasant Street that was previously home to Boston Scientific, and prior to that was known as Aetna Mills. The company spent most of its first five years on the other side of Watertown in a space on Coolidge Hill Road under Eastern Clothing. Tutor outgrew that space and looked for a larger facility, said Tutor’s CTO Alon Kosowsky, who co-founded the company with CEO Josh Gruenstein.

Schools

School Committee Update: Budget, Fees, Cell Phones in Schools, Special Ed Strategy

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By Kendra FoleyChair, Watertown School Committee

The Watertown School Committee has been busy over the last two months tackling budget decisions, discussing policy changes, and reviewing educational data that affects our school community. After three budget meetings, deliberations, and hours of work from school administrators, the Committee approved the Superintendent’s Recommended FY27 Budget at the end of March. This year was the most challenging budget process in Watertown in more than a decade, requiring us to close a $2.5 million budget shortfall. This gap was caused in large part by a significant increase in out-of-district placements and tuition costs. Administrators took a number of steps to balance the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Around Town

Lafayette Celebrated (Again) in Watertown for Contributions to American Revolution

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Watertown officials celebrated the new historical marker in honor of General Lafayette. From left, Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli, Council President Mark Sideris, Marilynne Roach of the Historical Society, City Manager George Proakis, Julien Icher of the Lafayette Trail, Joyce Kelly from the Historical Society, and City Councilor Caroline Bays. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

On a drizzly, cool morning, a small crowd of Watertown history buffs came out to celebrate a Frenchman who played an important role in winning the American Revolution. During the ceremony, Watertown’s newest historical marker was unveiled, honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, who served as a general in the American Army. On Sunday, April 19, the red sign with a blue border and white lettering was presented by Julien Icher, Founder & President of The Lafayette Trail Inc.

The marker celebrates a visit by Lafayette, said Marilynne Roach from the Historical Society of Watertown.