Government

Council Approves FY2026 Budget, Removes Finance Position & Moves Funds to Fire Department

By |

The City’s Assistant City Manager for Finance position has been removed from the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, and the money has been transferred to the Fire Department to help pay to staff a second City-run ambulance. Tuesday night, the City Council approved a change to FY26 budget during the annual Budget Hearing. The Council approved the $223.66 million budget, including a transfer of the $172,555 for the Assistant Manager for Finance’s salary from the City Manager’s Account to the Fire Department Account. City Council President announced his intention to propose the change to the City’s staffing at the June 3 meeting and it was discussed on Tuesday during the public hearing. Multiple residents spoke in favor of the change, noting that the City did not have a job description for the Assistant City Manager for Finance as well as other positions.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Bank Teller Helps Prevent Scam, Shoplifter Arrested, Passport Found

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. May 31: A woman went into Target and took multiple items, including four Lego sets, and went through the self-checkout but didn’t pay. The items had a total value of $210. May 31: A passport was found in Watertown Square on the afternoon of May 31. The Watertown Police can be contacted at 617-972-6500 to claim it.

Government

Council President to Call for Eliminating Position, Use Money for Ambulance Staffing

By |

Watertown City Hall

The adoption of the Watertown City Budget typically is an uneventful agenda item for the City Council, but this year a significant change will be proposed by City Council President Mark Siders. At the end of the third and final Fiscal Year 2026 Budget hearing on June 3, Sideris said he plans to ask the City Council to consider removing the Assistant City Manager for Finance position from the City administration and move the funds to the Fire Department. The proposal will take place at the June 10 City Council meeting

“I’m going to be … basically removing this position — the Manager (George Proakis) and I have been discussing this five times a day for the last two weeks — and moving the money into the Fire Department budget to accelerate the operation or the beginning staffing of the second ambulance, which was a major issue for the City Council, and we all approved moving forward,” Sideris said. Sideris said he does not believe the position, currently filled by Ari Sky, has been working out.

Sports

Boston Renegades Beep Baseball Team is Like a Family, Calls Watertown Home

By |

The Boston Renegades have been practicing beep baseball for years at Watertown’s Filippello Park. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Watertown has become the home training spot for the Boston Renegades, a beep baseball team. The sport allows players with vision impairments to continue to play and be part of a team. The team marks its 25th anniversary in 2025, and for most of that time Watertown has been its home. Each Sunday, the Renegades take the field at Filippello Park to prepare for upcoming tournaments, including the NBBA Beep Baseball World Series.

Around Town

See Photos from Watertown’s 2025 Pride Parade & Event

By |

The 2025 Watertown Pride Parade. (Photo by Natalie Nigito)

Watertown showed its pride on Sunday with the fourth annual Watertown Pride celebration. The day began with a parade from the temporary Watertown High School on Moxley Field, down Main Street to Saltonstall Park. Face painting at Watertown Pride 2025. (Photo by Natalie Nigito)

Entertainment was provided by DJ Zeneida Ramos and The Femmes.

Police/Fire

Watertown Fire Department Seeking Transfers to Fill Openings for Paramedics

By |

The Watertown Fire Department has added a new strategy to fill openings for paramedics — hiring candidates who transfer from other departments. Traditionally, Watertown hires people off the Civil Service Exam list, said Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson, but recently the WFD put out a call for lateral transfers from other departments. The Fire Department has several openings after the City Council approved funding to run a second Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance. “We are looking for transfers now, because paramedics are becoming increasingly difficult to hire,” Nicholson said. “So we’re doing the standard route that we’ve used before, and calling for the list from Civil Service.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Faces Charges of Illegal Possession of Firearms

By |

Watertown Police arrested a man for illegal possession of firearms after executing a search warrant of his home. On May 27, Watertown Police executed a search warrant at an apartment on Dexter Avenue after receiving a tip of possible illegal firearm sales, according to a statement from the Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan. “As a result of the investigation, two illegal firearms were recovered, and Melvin Solis-Romero was placed under arrest,” the statement reads. The investigation was conducted by Sgt. Mike Martino, Officer Colton Bailey and Officer Andrew DiDuca.