Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/)
Members of the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes traveled to take part in the celebration fo the 250th anniversary of the Treaty of Watertown (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Hundreds packed a theater in Watertown on Saturday to celebrate an event that took place 250 years before. The town was the site of the signing of the United States’ first treaty with a foreign nation — the Treaty of Watertown. Descendants of the signers of the document from the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes emphasized that the agreement that was forged as a wartime alliance also created friendships and provided rights and protections for the signers that are still important in 2026.
A pole struck by a vehicle lies on top of power lines on Main Street. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
A vehicle struck a utility pole on Main Street, snapping it in half and cutting off power for several hundred customers on Monday around noon.
Watertown City and State officials appeared before a joint committee at the State House on Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss the City’s Home Rule Petition. Pictured, from left, Steve Owens, George Proakis, John Lawn, Earl Smith, and Mark Sideris.
The City of Watertown’s effort to prevent a tax hike for residential property owners, which could be as high as 18%, cleared a major hurdle when it was approved the the House of Representatives on Beacon Hill.
Watertown residents will see an increase of 4.5% in both the water and sewer rates for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2026, which is slightly higher than forecasted a year ago. However, the future increase could be significantly higher than projected due in part to an error made calculating future year revenues.
By Linda ScottWatertown Resident
And If Comparisons Were Made (A Quick Comparison of Administrator Salaries for 37 Massachusetts Cities and Towns)
This is a followup to “Answers and Questions about City Manager’s New Contract”
Daniel Lander.
The following announcement was provided by Daniel Lander for State Senate:
State Auditor Diana DiZoglio endorsed Daniel Lander’s campaign for State Senate, providing significant momentum to Daniel Lander’s campaign against the architect of the broken status quo on Beacon Hill as the campaigns head into the last six weeks.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:
On July 31 and August 1, tweens and teens ages 10 – 18 are invited to create custom cast aluminum art at the Watertown Free Public Library! This event is made possible by MassArt, Eutectic Arts, and the Massachusetts Libraries Board of Library Commissioners.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Business Coalition:
Join the Watertown Business Coalition and Live Well Watertown for an engaging Walk & Talk through Watertown Square on Thursday, July 23 at 5 p.m. Enjoy a community walk while exploring local businesses, meeting new people, and making meaningful connections in the heart of Watertown.
The candidates running for the Massachusetts 5th Congressional District seat will appear on a virtual forum sponsored by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment. See details provided by the group, below.
The following announcement was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts:
EyePoint, Inc., formerly EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (EyePoint), has agreed to pay $4,678,981 to resolve allegations that it paid kickbacks to Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) to induce the ASCs to purchase its drug, DEXYCU. This scheme, the government alleges, violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act.
A community meeting about a proposed multi-family development on Church Hill Street will be held on July 30 in City Hall.
Sidewalk Construction on Mt. Auburn Street in Coolidge Square. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Sidewalk replacement work continues along Mt. Auburn Street during the week of July 21-25. Crews will be working between Melendy to Dexter avenues, Elton and Dexter avenues, Adams and School streets, and School Street and Amherst Road. Businesses will remain open, but in some cases access will be through the rear entrances.