Elections

LETTER: Town Councilor Announces Resignation to Take Position With State

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Ken Woodland, District D Town Councilor, announced he will be resigning to take a position with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. After 9+ years of service on the Town Council, this morning I submitted my resignation as Watertown’s District D Town Councilor, effective immediately. I have accepted a position with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that does not permit me to simultaneously hold an elected role in local government. It has been the honor of my life to serve on the Town Council. I’ve lived my entire life in Watertown and my decision to run for office and serve the Town was inspired by the close-knit community experiences that have defined my life here.

Schools

Architects Looked at Several Options for Temporary High School Before Choosing Moxley Field

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A rendering of what a two-story modular building could look like on Moxley Field. It would be the temporary location for Watertown High School while a new school is constructed. Planners of the new Watertown High School looked at a variety of options for the school’s temporary location during construction before landing on the Moxley Field site next to Watertown Middle School, the School Building Committee heard Wednesday night. Architect James Jordan, from Ai3 Architects, said he had heard some concern that designers immediately jumped toward the two options presented at the last meeting — Moxley Field and the property where Phillips School is located — without looking at other options. Some residents complained that the decision to use Moxley Field was made without having a public meeting beforehand where all abutting residents would be alerted.

Charter Review

Charter Review Committee Votes to Keep Town Manager Form of Government

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The Watertown Charter Review Committee voted strongly, but not unanimously Tuesday night, to keep the current form of government, with a Town Manager, rather than looking to change to one with a mayor. The meeting, held remotely, included more than 130 people at its peak, and the Committee heard from dozens of residents in over close to two hours of public comment. Types of Government

There are three forms of government in Massachusetts, the council with a manager (like Watertown’s current government), mayor with a council, and towns, which have town meetings made up of residents as the legislative branch and the select board (or board of selectmen) as the executive branch. Michael Ward, the committee’s consultant from UMass Boston’s Collins Center, said that Tuesday’s meeting focused on the manager and mayor forms.

That decision was made, Ward said, “Because there has been no mention of towns by this committee, and in the history of the city form in 200 years of the Commonwealth, no city chosen to return to town form of government.” Ward compared manager and mayor forms. With a manager, the council is elected and is the legislative body and is responsible for creating ordinances (like local laws) and passing the budget.

Around Town

2021 Memorial Day Parade Cancelled, Several In-Person Events Planned

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The Watertown Provincial Guard re-enactors joined the 2019 Memorial Day Parade. For the second year in a row, Watertown’s Memorial Day Parade has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced the cancellation in his weekly Coronavirus update. Veterans Services Officer Patrick George said the move was made based on the State’s COVID-19 restrictions on the size of gatherings. “It wasn’t an easy decision — frankly, when this all started, I thought we’d be back open by LAST Memorial Day — but it’s the safest decision we could make with the current public health data available,” George said.

Basketball

Watertown Boys Basketball Player Named All-Scholastic, Girls Player Makes Honorable Mention List

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Watertown senior Gabe Spinelli scored 39 points in the Raiders’ win over Lexington in the Middlesex League Tournament. Watertown senior basketball player Gabe Spinelli made the Boston Globe’s All-Scholastic team, and junior Taylor Lambo made the paper’s honorable mention All-Scholastic list. Spinelli returned to Watertown after a year at Beaver Country Day and helped the Raiders go 13-1. As point guard, he helped the Raiders win the Middlesex League Freedom Division regular season and then emerge as champions of the first ever Middlesex League Tournament. The MIAA did not run state tournaments, so the league held its own knock-out competition.

Arrests

Police Log: Drunk Driver Crashes Into Car, Man Busted for Lighting Trash Barrels on Fire

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

March 22, 12:05 a.m.: Police received reports of three fires in concrete trash barrels, two in Watertown and one in Newton. One of those in Watertown occurred on Watertown Street on March 21 at about 6 p.m. and another on Galen Street on March 22, just past midnight. Police got access to a surveillance video of the area around one of the barrels and were able to identify a suspect. The video showed him walking on Galen Street and as he passed a barrel he lit a book or box of matches and dropped it into the barrel.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Believe Three Vehicle Thefts Linked to Town are Related

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Three stolen vehicle incidents in Watertown appear to be linked to each other, according to Watertown Police. One of the vehicles was reported stolen from Watertown, and two vehicles reported stolen from other communities were found in Town, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The first incident was reported on March 23 at 2:03 p.m. The owner of a 2007 Chevy pickup reported the vehicle stolen. It was parked at a Dexter Avenue business at noon and when the owner came back an hour later, it was missing, O’Connor said. At about 3:50 p.m., the van was found in Newton.

Government

Town Council Weighing How to Handle Airbnb & Other Short-Term Rentals

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Watertown appears to be headed toward allowing short-term rentals in town, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, but will create a set of regulations to require them to be registered with the Town and limit the occupants. The Town Council’s Rules & Ordinances Committee voted on March 29 to move a proposed change to the Zoning Ordinance to the Town Council. The amendment would have to be reviewed by the Planning Board which would make a recommendation to the Town Council, which has the final decision. The Committee also discussed regulations for short-term rentals, which are defined as a rental for fewer than 31 days. Currently, short-term rentals are not allowed as part of Watertown’s Zoning Board’s list of uses, but Councilor Anthony Donato said that hasn’t stopped people from operating them.