Government

Noise Ordinance Voted Down by Council, Request Made for New Effort

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Watertown Town Hall

The Town Council voted down the proposed Noise Ordinance with those opposed saying they thought the proposal was too complicated and difficult to enforce, but the issue will likely be taken up by the Council again. The Council held a special meeting Tuesday night to discuss the proposal and to hear from residents. Some residents gave examples of noises that they said impact their quality of life, including noise from amplified music at parks, loud activities at churches not having to do with religious services, and leaf blowers and other landscaping equipment. Others talked about activities on construction sites starting before 7 a.m. when it is allowed. People who opposed the ordinance worried about their ability to do yard work if they cannot finish by 5 p.m., the end of the allowable period.

Business

Zoning Board Approves Marijuana Dispensary’s New Home; Questions Parking at Proposed Biotech Building

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An illustration of the renovation of the former Monro Muffler at 390 Arsenal St. into the new home of Ethos Cannabis. The Zoning Board of Appeals approved the new location for Watertown’s first marijuana dispensary, and also that meeting a decision on a proposed project on Elm Street was not settled because of questions about whether it has enough parking for the biotech labs it would house. Natural Selections, which operates Ethos Cannabis, needs to find a new home because the current site — 23 Elm St. — has been sold and would be replaced by the biotech building that also came in front of the Zoning Board on March 26.

Around Town

Slight Increase in Watertown COVID Cases, Free Testing, Vaccine Info

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The number of COVID-19 cases in Watertown increased for the first time since January. The Town’s cases over the previous 14 days was 73 according to the Mass. Department of Public Health report of March 25, which is 14 higher than the previous week. The last time Watertown had more cases than the previous week was in the Jan. 21 report, when there were 295 cases (the highest number of cases in one week for Watertown).

Arrests

Police Log: Man Arrested After Crashing Moped, Electric Scooters Stolen

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

March 21, 6:51 p.m.: Police got a call reporting a blue moped being ridden erratically on Main Street near Church Street. When officers arrived they found the moped on the sidewalk in front of Santander Bank, and the rider was in back of the bank. Police found gouges in the sidewalk and minor damage to the moped. They determined the driver hit the fire hydrant and the rider fell off the moped.

Around Town

Police, Fire & DPW Put on Parade for Young Watertown Cancer Survivor

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Young cancer survivor Noah McManus thanks the Watertown Police, Fire Department and Department of Public Works for putting on a parade outside his home on Friday. A 3-year-old Watertown boy had some special visitors Friday to help him celebrate the news that he has a clean bill of health after more than a year of cancer treatments. Noah McManus waved to the police cruisers, fire trucks and Public Works vehicles that drove by his home Friday afternoon. He watched dozen of vehicles roll past with his parents and older brother Lucas and baby sister Lilah. “This is more than we expected,” said Noah’s mother, Jessica.

Around Town

Watertown Resident Named Vice Chair of EPA Board, Fellow of Scientific Association

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Dr. Barbara Beck. Watertown resident Barbara Beck, a longtime member of the Board of Health, received two recent honors involving her work in toxicology. Recently she was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and was also appointed to serve as vice chair of the Science Advisory Board of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Becoming an AAAS fellow was a recognition by Beck’s peers. “It is really an honor. It doesn’t involve any activities,” Beck said.

Government

Watertown’s Capital Budget Includes School Projects, Park Improvements & Mt. Auburn St. Funds

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Watertown Town Hall

Town Council approved $22.2 million in projects and equipment purchases as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 capital spending plan, including funds for the elementary and high school building projects, improvements to Town parks and the Mt. Auburn Street reconstruction. The plan has 33 items on it. The Town Council’s budget policy is to spend between 7.5 and 8 percent of the total Town budget on capital spending. Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli, who is chair of the Budget & Fiscal Oversight Committee, said the figure would represent 14.02 percent of the projected Town expenditures, or 7.11 percent without the $10.9 million earmarked for the school building projects.

Schools

Watertown Schools Requiring COVID Pool Testing for Students Attending In-Person

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Watertown students who attend school in-person will be required to be part of the district’s COVID-19 pool testing when they return to five-days-a-week classes. The School Committee approved the requirement on Monday night. Superintendent Dede Galdston said that the move will help keep students and staff safe. “We have all the strategies in place to prevent infections, but it is a highly infectious disease and our students are not vaccinated yet,” Galdston said. “Let’s do what we can across the board to keep our students and our community safe.”