Government

2023 Watertown Election Features Races for Council President & School Committee

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The candidates running for City office in 2023 have been set, and Watertown voters will have to choose from the current and a former City Council President, and will elect at least one new School Committee member. The deadline to file to run in the Nov. 7 Watertown City Election was Monday at 5 p.m.

Council President

Mark Sideris, the Council President since 2010, will face the man he defeated to become President in 2009. Clyde Younger filed to run on Monday. He served as Council President from 1997-2004, and 2006-2009, and also has been elected to the Council, School Committee, and Town Meeting, before Watertown went to the Council-Manager style of government.

Government

Council Rejects 2 Resident Petitions, Ideas Remain Alive in Zoning Discussions

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Watertown City Hall

The City Council did not pass two citizen petitions seeking to change Watertown’s zoning rules, but Councilors said they heard the frustration expressed by the supporters and signers and said they support many of the ideas contained in the petitions. The first petition called for reducing the floor area ratio (FAR) allowed for new buildings in the Watertown Square area, while the second called for more protections for residential neighborhoods located next to areas where large commercial or residential projects could be built.

While the Council rejected the petitions — the first not going to a vote after receiving no second, and the second unanimously voted against — City Council President Mark Sideris said he has heard the signers of the petitions concerns. “I want to take a moment to thank the 600 people who signed the petitions because I think there is some frustration — and we noticed that this evening — with the process. I think we can always do a better job with process, and I think the Manager’s FY24 budget had proposed additional ways that we can communicate with the citizens and we approved that, ” Sideris said. “There is clearly a sense of frustration and I am not sure that any actions that we are going to take are going to satisfy those frustrations until, as somebody pointed out, that we come together and talk about things comprehensively.” 

Petition 1: Watertown Square Building Size

The Council heard from people supporting and opposing the petitions.

Government

City Releases Draft of the Watertown Comprehensive Plan

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The City has been working on updating Watertown’s primary planning document, the Comprehensive Plan, for months. This week, the City released the draft of the plan to be considered by the City Council. See the plans and more details about the process on the Comprehensive Plan website,  www.watertown-ma.gov/comp-plan. “This draft is updated based on input from the spring Open House and Online Survey. The formal approval process with the City Council and Planning Board is the next step,” the City’s announcement said.

Government

This Week: Main Street Project, Traffic Commission Discusses Changes for High School at Moxley Field

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A view of the project proposed for 104-126 Main St. viewed from Main Street. (Illustration by Icon Architecture)

The fate of the proposed six-story mixed use project on Main Street may be decided by the Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday, and the same night the Traffic Commission will discuss the plans to accommodate the temporary high school at Moxley Field. The City Council and School Committee will also meet this week. The Zoning Board of Appeals will continue its public hearing on the project proposed for 104-126 Main St., the six-story mixed use project on Main, Pleasant and Cross streets.

Government

This Week: Planning Board Hears Citizens Petitions, Council Voting on Budget

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Watertown City Hall

The Planning Board will discuss two citizens petitions to change Watertown’s zoning on Wednesday night, and the City Council will vote on the City budget on Tuesday night. Also, a City Council committee will discuss the role of the Election Commission, and the Library Trustees will meet about the screening committee for the Library Director search. A pair of citizens petitions will be discussed by the Planning Board. One calls for reducing the maximum Floor Area Ratio (the square footage allowed in relation to the size of the property) in the Central Business District. This area includes part of Watertown Square and an area along Main Street.

Government

This Week: ZBA Hears Main Street Project, Budget Hearings, Library Director Search

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A view of the project proposed for 104-126 Main St. viewed from Main Street. (Illustration by Icon Architecture)

The six-story retail and commercial project on Main Street will be heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals, the City Council will hold two budget hearings, and the Library Board of Trustees will continue discussing the process for hiring a new Library Director. The Zoning Board of Appeals will hear the mixed use project at 104-126 Main St. that was discussed by the Planning Board in April and May.

Government

Council to Meet With City Departments at 3 Budget Hearings

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Watertown City Hall

The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

In accordance with the Watertown City Charter and the Council Rules, the Honorable City Council will meet, as the Committee of the Whole, for the purpose of holding public hearings on the City Manager’s Proposed Budget for the Fiscal Year 2024. The public hearings on the City Manager’s Proposed Budget for the Fiscal Year 2024 will be held as follows:

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 – 6 PM

City CouncilCity ManagerCity AuditorProcurementCity AssessorTreasurer / CollectorCity Attorney

Thursday, May 25, 2023 – 6 PM

Human ResourcesInformation TechnologyCity Clerk / ElectionsCommunity Development & PlanningConstituent ServicesParking Lots & MetersPublic BuildingsLibraryRecreation Departments         Non-Department Appropriations, (Debt, Capital Projects, Etc.)

Tuesday, June 6, 2023 – 6 PM

Health and Human Services DepartmentsSchool DepartmentPublic Safety DepartmentsDepartment of Public Works         Water & Sewer Enterprise Budgets

Department Heads will be available for questions at the above scheduled hearings. Under this schedule, it is anticipated that the Honorable City Council will take formal action on the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget at its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. The hearing will begin at approximately 8 PM. The Fiscal Year 2024 General Fund Budget, as proposed, totals $190,325,000.

Around Town

City Will Distribute $10.5M in ARPA Funds, Several Groups Have Ideas for How to Spend It

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The kitchen at the Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church — the site of the Watertown Food Pantry, needs upgrading. The church is applying for some of the City of Watertown’s ARPA funds, with which Pastor Gary Richards hopes to create a space open to the community. Photo by Maya Shwayder. Watertown has $10.5 million to spend, and the clock is ticking! The City Council will be the ones divvying up the dollars, but Councilors will have to choose from a long (and growing) list of proposals:

The Department of Public Works needs around $5 million to replace Watertown’s crumbling water and sewer infrastructure.