Around Town

City’s New Trash & Recycling Rules & Fees Start This Week

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Watertown DPWA curbside composting toter sits next to Watertown trash and recycling toters. The following information was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City of Watertown recently ratified the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan. This plan establishes the goal of a 30 percent statewide reduction in disposal tonnage between now and 2030. The Watertown Department of Public Works is implementing new programmatic changes that will allow Watertown to achieve the 30 percent reduction in our disposal tonnage based on a 2019 baseline. New programs and policies have been created to increase diversion of materials away from disposal through reduced consumption, reuse of existing items, and expansion of recycling programs. Thank you to all Watertown residents for your support and patience as we transition into these new policy changes.

Government

Watertown Election Officials: Confirm Your Voter Registration, Even if You Voted Recently

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The Watertown Board of Election Commissioners said that residents may have been removed from the voter registration list if they have not returned their City Census this year. The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election is just a couple weeks away. The return rate for the City Census was lower than previous years, and as many as one-third of voters may be removed from the list, according to an announcement from the Board of Election Commissioners. Residents can check if they are registered to vote on the Secretary of State’s website and providing their name, date of birth and zip code.

Government

City Auditor (Sort of) Retiring After Nearly 30 Years in Watertown

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Charlie BreitroseCity Manager George Proakis presented retiring City Auditor Tom Tracy with a model gazebo to represent one that will be built near City Hall in Saltonstall Park. When he joined the then-Town of Watertown staff in 1994, Tom Tracy was one of the young kids on the block. He continued to work as the Town Auditor, now City Auditor, for nearly three decades and will retire at the end of this week — mostly. While he will step down from full-time employment, Tracy agreed to come in a couple days a week to help the City until a new Auditor is hired, and to help the new person with the transition. Tracy has always been willing to lend a hand, City Council President Mark Sideris said at Tuesday’s Council meeting.

Government

City of Watertown Buying Back Former Parker School for Office Space

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City of WatertownThe City of Watertown has entered into an agreement to purchase the former Parker School building on Watertown Street. For more than 70 years, public school children were educated in the building at 124 Watertown St. Now, more than a century after it was built, the former Parker Elementary School will once again be owned by the City of Watertown. This time, instead of public school pupils, it will be house city employees. On Tuesday night, City Manager George Proakis told the City Council that the City has an agreement to purchase the former elementary school on the south side of Watertown.

Around Town

See Photos from the Watertown’s First Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration

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Charlie BreitroseA special performance of New Rep Theatre’s “Listen to Sipu” was held during the first Watertown Indigenous Peoples Day held at the First Parish Church. People filled the First Parish Church hall on Monday, Oct. 10 to celebrate Watertown’s first Indigenous Peoples Day. The audience heard from keynote speaker Elizabeth Solomon, a representative of the Massachusett Nation, about issues facing Indigenous People today and the effects of colonialism. Charlie BreitroseElizabeth Solomon, a representative of the Massachusett Nation, gave the keynote address during to the audience at the First Parish Church during Indigenous Peoples Day.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Names New Executive Director

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club new Executive Director, Gary Beatty, and his family. They live in Watertown. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors:

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors is proud to introduce Gary Beatty as its new Executive Director. The Search Committee of the Board worked with a consultant to cast a wide net for qualified candidates who had, in addition to promising resumes, two intangible qualities: an understanding of and passion for working with youth, and who were the right fit for Watertown. The selection process was lengthy, involving several rounds of interviews, both virtual and in-person, a site visit, and a written response to some Committee questions.

Around Town

Watertown Company Creating Way to Dramatically Cut the Number of Pills Patients Take

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Lyndra TherapeuticsA prototype of Lyndra’s stellate medical platform is placed in a machine to undergo stress testing. A company with headquarters in the East End of Watertown will soon start the final trials for a way of delivering drugs that would allow patients to take just one pill a week instead of seven pills or more. And the company is working on technology that could cut it to just two or even one a pill a month. Lyndra Therapeutics moved to its space on Grove Street in 2017, and employs nearly 130 people there, in Lexington, or who work remotely. The company also helps train the next generation of life scientists by working with students from colleges in the area, and has also started reaching out to classes at Watertown High School.

Schools

Group that Advocates for Special Needs Students Growing, Hosting Multiple Events for Parents

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The group that advocates for students with special needs in Watertown has had a surge of activity, and will hold a number of upcoming events for both parents of special needs students and others. Parent Heather McManus, who chairs the Watertown SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council, told the School Committee Monday about some of the activities the group is participating in, including chances for parents to learn about services for their children, and how to get involved in the group. On Oct. 17, SEPAC will host a virtual Disability Listening Session. During the event, parents, guardians and caregivers can share disability-related concerns and feedback touched on in the WPS 2022 Equity Audit.