Government

State of the City: Manager’s New Goals, Charter Review & a Downtown Post Office

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The City of Watertown will have a new set of goals used to create the annual budget and make decisions about how municipal departments operate, City Manager City Manager George Proakis said during Tuesday’s State of the City presentation. During the address, he and City Council President Mark Sideris also discussed the Charter Review set to happen in 2026, and the possibility of having a Post Office in the center of town. This is the second story on the 2025 State of the City Address. See the first story, focused on the factors that could impact Watertown’s economic future, and in turn the City’s budget, by clicking here. New Goals

Proakis has been in town for three years, and has worked with the City Council to create the budget.

Elections

Catch the Replay of the Library Trustee Candidate Forum

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A screenshot from the Watertown Cable broadcast of the Library Board of Trustees Candidate Forum. The four hopefuls for the Watertown Free Public Library Board of Trustees appeared at a live forum on Monday night co-sponsored by Watertown News and Watertown Cable Access TV. You can watch the replay of the forum on WCA-TV. The candidates include incumbent Leanne Hammonds, and three challengers, Fowler Brown, Xin Peng and Pia Owens. They answered a series of questions from moderator and WCA-TV anchor Maya Shwayder about issues including: what they’d like to see added at the library, how to fund programs if the budget gets tight, their favorite programs at the library, and how they would like to see the Summer Reading List created and vetted in the future.

Government

State of the City Remains Strong Even as Dark Economic Clouds May be on the Horizon

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City Manager George Proakis, left, and City Council President Mark Sideris presented the State of the City on Sept. 30, 2025. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Despite an uncertain economic future, Watertown remains on solid ground, City Manager George Proakis said during Monday’s State of the City Address. He and City Council President Mark Sideris went into depth about the economic factors impacting the City during the annual address. Proakis concluded the presentation by saying, “Even as we face uncertainties, the State of the City remains strong.”

Schools

High School Project Featured in Boston News Channel Segment

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A screenshot from the NBC 10 Boston video. Watertown High School, the first Net Zero and LEED Platinum 4.0 high school in the nation, was showcased in a piece on a Boston news channel this week. NBC 10 Boston toured the construction site on Columbia Street for a tour, including the auditorium, gym, and other areas of the new WHS. Superintendent Galdston said Watertown officials wanted the new school to be the flagship, and a leader in climate resiliency and climate leadership. Architect Jim Jordan from Ai3 discussed the challenges of building a high school on a site of a little over 4 acres.

Government

Council to Weigh Changes to Rules for City Boards and Committees, City Departments

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Photo by Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

The City Council will be weighing in on a 39-page document that sets the rules for how Watertown’s appointed committees and municipal departments operate. Some changes proposed include changing the length of terms for some committees, who appoints members of certain committees, and how to remove members of committees. The City has been working for many months with the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston to create an Administrative Code for the City of Watertown, said City Manager George Proakis at the Sept. 23 Council meeting. He provided the Council with a draft Administrative Code, which he said is designed to “serve as a single, consolidated ordinance that outlines the structure and organization of city government that essentially covers boards and commissions and covers city departments.”

Elections

Hear from the Candidates in Watertown’s Election at Upcoming Forums

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As the Nov. 4 Watertown Municipal Election approaches, Watertown News and Watertown Cable Access TV will host a series of candidate forums for the local races, including the City Council and School Committee. The forums will be broadcast live, and two will be held in person, and all will be broadcast on WCA-TV’s Public Channel (Comcast Ch. 9, RCN Ch. 3, and online at http://vodwcatv.org/internetchannel/watch-now?site=1)

The first forum, held Sept.

Entertainment

“Macbeth” Set in the Cold War Coming to the Mosesian Center Stage in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s Latest Production

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A Cold War take on one of the Bard’s classics take the stage in Watertown in the first production in the Actors’ Shakespeare Project 2025-26 Season. See details provided by ASP. Macbeth

by William ShakespeareDirected by Christopher V. Edwards

The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts (321 Arsenal St., Watertown)October 2-26, 2025

Daggers in men’s smiles. Scorpions in king’s minds. Serpents under flowers.

Entertainment

Watertown Author’s Book Honored in Mass. Book Awards

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Watertown author Robin Bernstein’s book was honored in the 25th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards. (Contributed Photo)

Watertown author and cultural historian Robin Bernstein’s book “Freeman’s Challenge: The Murder That Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit,” was honored during the Massachusetts Book Awards. The 25th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards were announced in September, and Bernstein’s book was one of two to receive honors in the Nonfiction category. Bernstein is a cultural historian who specializes in U.S. racial formation since the 19th Century, and has published four books. “Freeman’s Challenge” tells a gripping, morally complicated story of murder, greed, race, and the true origins of prison for profit.