Ai3 Architects A rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street.
The City Council joined the people submitting suggested names for facilities at the new Watertown High School by submitting the name of the man who enabled the City of Watertown to build the new school without a tax increase.
On Tuesday, the City Council voted to allow City Council President Mark Sideris to send a letter on behalf of the Council suggesting that the auditorium be named after former Town and City Manager Michael Driscoll.
“I do think it is appropriate for a number of reasons,” Sideris said. “Michael Driscoll was the author of many of the things that went on in this community and the new high school, as well as the two new elementary schools, would not be going on right now if not for his guidance to this Council and the community and the School Committee on how to approach this.”
Driscoll passed away in February 2023 after working for the Town and City of Watertown for 45 years. Sideris reached out to Driscoll’s family to let them know he was interested in naming the auditorium in his memory.
Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli said the man with the nickname of Fiscal Driscoll made sure that the City supported the Watertown Public Schools, including the new schools.
“I fully support this. We all know Mr. Driscoll stayed on an extra month after he retired so he could finish a capital program that would show paying for a $200 million high school without a debt exclusion override,” Piccirilli said. “And I would point out that, depending on how you count it, it will be the first or second LEED Platinum Net Zero public high school in the country.”
Driscoll also supported the increase of the budget for the three elementary school projects from $153 million to $170 million which allowed for two brand new, Net Zero elementary schools (Cunniff and Hosmer) and a complete gut renovation and expansion of Lowell Elementary School, Piccrilli said.
Additionally, Piccrilli recalled, when other Town departments had no budget increased in the financial downturn of 2009-11, Driscoll did not cut the education budget. When the financial picture improved he increased the budget by 5 percent each year from 2015-17, allowing the School Department to add 60 new teaching positions.
The City Council’s suggestion will be one of many submitted to the School Committee for both the auditorium and the gymnasium at the new high school.
“This is just us putting a toe in the water,” Sideris said. “It doesn’t mean it is going to happen. But I think we should weigh in as a City Council.”
Suggestions can be sent to School Committee Chair Kendra Foley, at kendra.foley@watertown.k12.ma.us. The nominations should include which facility the suggestion is for and the reasons why it is appropriate. The deadline to submit suggestions is Oct. 7 at noon. A School Committee subcommittee will look at the suggestions and make recommendations to the full School Committee. The final vote will be made at the School Committee’s Oct. 21 meeting.
See more about the naming of the facilities by clicking here.