Around Town

Semifinalists Interviewed by Library Director Search Committee

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Watertown Free Public LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. The semifinalists for the Watertown library director were interviewed last week and finalists will be chosen by the Preliminary Screening Committee. The job posting closed on March 18, and 15 people submitted applications, said Leanne Hammonds, chair of the Board of Library Trustees. “We reviewed the applications in an executive session and narrowed down to five candidates,” Hammonds said. “At this point in the process, the candidates are not public knowledge and our interviews this week will be in executive session.

Around Town

Watertown Recognizes National Vietnam War Veterans Day

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Charlie BreitroseA giant American Flag flies over the moving Vietnam Ware Memorial at Gore Place in 2016. Watertown held the first annual National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29. The City Council declared the day by passing a proclamation during the March 22 Council Meeting. At the meeting, Watertown Veterans Services Officer Patrick George said the day was about 50 years in the making. Servicemen and women who served in Vietnam did not get the parades or other thanks when they came home, George said.

Around Town

Boys & Girls Club’s Renee Gaudette Stepping Down, Club Searching for New Director

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Watertown Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Renee Gaudette will be leaving her position. Here, she received the Executive of the Year Award in 2015. She was nominated by Chris Chrombie, right, the club’s Project Director. The Watertown Boys & Boys Club announced Executive Director Renee Gaudette will be leaving the club leadership position after nine years. Gaudette led the Club through an unprecedented period of growth in membership, programming and funding.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Arrested After Resisting Arrest, Shoplifter Caught Wearing the Boots He Stole

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

March 17, 3:03 p.m.: Officers were at Target when they were alerted about a possible shoplifter. One of the employees saw the man take some headphones and a portable charger, and then exit the store. He rode away on a bicycle. The officer saw the same bicycle parked alone in front of Best Buy.

City Council

City Council Wants to Talk to DCR About Closing of Greenough Blvd.

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City Councilors have invited representatives from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to talk about the status of Greenough Boulevard in 2022, and whether it will once again be closed to traffic for several months. City Council President Mark Sideris said he would like the Council to have discussions with officials from the State agency that owns the roadway known as “Little Greenough,” which runs along the Charles River from Arsenal to North Beacon streets. “A year ago, this came before Council and we wrote a letter saying we want to have discussions, and DCR basically closed Little Greenough without any further talks with the City,” Sideris said. “I have spoken to (state) Sen. (Will) Brownsberger and he thought it was appropriate that we ask that they come talk to the Committee.” 

A screenshot of a Google Map showing the section of Greenough Boulevard closed by the DCR for recreation use in 2021. It stretches from North Beacon Street to Arsenal Street.

Government

Council Approves $2.5 Million for Road Projects, See Which Roads Are on the List

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Funds to repair road in 2022 were approved by the City Council this week. The $2.5 million will go toward reconstructing four roadways in Watertown. Department of Public Works Superintendent Greg St. Louis said the streets on the list for repairs this year are: Boylston Street (from Fairfield Street to Porter Street), Chester Street, Locke Street, and Chapman Street (from Main Street to Highland Avenue). The work will include fully replacing the roadway surface, installing granite curbing and replacing sidewalks.

Government

Funding to Renovate, Expand Lowell School Approved by Council

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Ai3 ArchitectsA view of what the renovation to the Lowell School, including the addition seen on the right, which has tall windows, including on the corners. The funds for Watertown’s third elementary school project got approval from the City Council Tuesday night. The Lowell Elementary School project, unlike the first two, will not be a brand new school. Instead the historic building will undergo a major renovation and will have some additions. The approval for borrowing $48.895 million for the Lowell project on Tuesday came on the same night that the Council approved borrowing $198 million to construct the new Watertown High School.