Around Town

Watertown Schools Close a $495K Gap for FY26, Superintendent Will Present Budget March 24

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Watertown school officials closed a budget gap of nearly half a million dollars without cutting staff. On Monday night, Superintendent Dede Galdston will present the Fiscal Year 2026 Watertown Public Schools budget at a public hearing. The budget hearing will take place during the March 24 School Committee meeting, which will be at Lowell School beginning at 7 p.m. While the FY26 Budget of $61.9 million, which will cover the 2025-26 School Year, was a challenge, Galdston said, Watertown is in a better position than many other communities. “In the relative scheme of things, it was a more challenging budget for Watertown, not quite as challenging as Brookline or Newton or Lexington or some of the people who have experienced pretty dramatic decreases in their budgets,” Galdston said. Coming into the budget making process, Watertown knew it would be facing a $1.1 million increase in special education tuition for out-of-district placements, but the district also saved about $227,000 in staff turnover savings that occurs when a veteran staff member retires and someone with a lower salary replaces the person.

Government

Watertown Must Decide What Kinds of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Should Be Allowed

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Watertown has a decision to make about what kinds of accessory dwelling units the City will allow to exist. A discussion about ADUs (also known as in-law units or granny units) will be held on Monday, March 24, where residents can learn more about what they are and give input about what kinds they would like to see. The State’s Affordable Homes Act, passed into law in 2024, requires cities and towns to allow certain kinds of ADUs, said Cliff Cook, a member of the Watertown Affordable Housing Trust, when he appeared on the Watertown Cable show “Inside Watertown.” For the past few years, the subject of ADUs has been brought up by City Councilors and others in Watertown. “They are a way of giving the property owner, the homeowner, some additional flexibility in how to use their property,” Cook said.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Suspect Arrested After Taking Items from 2 Stores, Man Refused to Leave Nursing Facility

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. March 8: Police responded to Best Buy for a shoplifter. They got the man’s description and located the suspect near Hampton Inn & Suites. The man admitted to shoplifting from Best Buy and had two speakers in a bag. When he took the speaker he removed the “spider” anti-theft devices.

Around Town

Watertown Cable Show Focuses on Accessory Dwelling Units & Upcoming Community Dialogue

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Cliff Cook (far right) from the Watertown Affordable Housing Trust, and Allison Eck, of Watertown Community Converstations, talked about the upcoming ADU Community Dialogue with Inside Watertown hosts Bob Airasian (left) and Charlie Breitrose. (Screenshot from Watertown Cable)

The latest episode of Inside Watertown focused on the discussion over accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which are sometimes called in-law units or granny units. The guests on the Watertown Cable show talked about the upcoming community dialogue

Cliff Cook, a member of the Watertown Affordable Housing Trust, explained what ADUs are, and how Watertown has complied with the State’s recently added zoning requirement to allow the units. However, the input from the dialogue will help City officials decide if Watertown wants to go farther and allow ADUs in more situations. The Community Dialogue on Monday, March 24 will be led by Watertown Community Conversations (WCC), explained Allison Eck, a facilitator with WCC.

Police/Fire

Fallen Watertown Firefighter Remembered Eight Years After Dying in House Fire

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Watertown Fire DepartmentFirefighter Joseph Toscano, a 21-year veteran of the Watertown Fire Department, died on March 17, 2017 after collapsing during a fire. St. Patrick’s Day is a somber one for the Watertown Fire Department. Each year since 2017 Watertown Firefighters pay tribute to Joe Toscano, who lost his life fighting a fire on Merrifield Avenue. On Monday, current and former members of the Watertown Fire Department lined up on Bigelow Avenue, near the home where Toscano collapsed and died during a house fire.

Around Town

FY26-30 Five Year Capital Plan Includes Funds for Middle School Project, Roads, and Renovating Victory Field

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Watertown’s five-year capital plan for Fiscal Years 2026-30 by the has 51 items, including replacing Watertown Middle School, road repair, and renovating parts of the Victory Field complex. The City Council voted to recommend the budget be included in City Manager George Proakis’ Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget. For FY26 the total proposed capital spending is $38.49 million, which includes $23.2 million in school building projects. The cost is covered by tax revenue, state dollars, grants, and borrowing. Based on the revised FY26 revenue projection, the total proposed FY26 capital spending would be 17.9 percent of the $215 million operating budget, or 7.1 percent without the school building projects, known as “Building for the Future.”

Around Town

Council Vice President Appears on Eye on Watertown Podcast

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Vincent Piccirilli, District C City Councilor and Council Vice President

Watertown Council Vice President and District C Councilor Vincent Piccirilli spoke with former Council President Clyde Younger, host of the Eye on Watertown Podcast. Topics covered included housing and the MBTA Communities Law, the City logo, and Piccirilli’s possible political future. Younger was joined by guest co-host Charlie Breitrose, editor of Watertown News. The podcast was recorded at the Watertown Cable Access studio. See the podcast by clicking here.