Government

City Council to Get Raises in 2026, Councilors Approve Most of Blue Ribbon Committee’s Recommendations

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s City Hall. The City Council will receive a raise of nearly 70 percent next year after members approved three of four recommendations from a committee of residents that studied Council compensation. The Council considered the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Linda Scott, one of seven residents who served on the Blue Ribbon Committee said that the group considered two basic questions: Is it time for a City Council salary adjustment? And, if yes, what is a fair number?

Government

Council Approves FY2026 Budget, Removes Finance Position & Moves Funds to Fire Department

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The City’s Assistant City Manager for Finance position has been removed from the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, and the money has been transferred to the Fire Department to help pay to staff a second City-run ambulance. Tuesday night, the City Council approved a change to FY26 budget during the annual Budget Hearing. The Council approved the $223.66 million budget, including a transfer of the $172,555 for the Assistant Manager for Finance’s salary from the City Manager’s Account to the Fire Department Account. City Council President announced his intention to propose the change to the City’s staffing at the June 3 meeting and it was discussed on Tuesday during the public hearing. Multiple residents spoke in favor of the change, noting that the City did not have a job description for the Assistant City Manager for Finance as well as other positions.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Bank Teller Helps Prevent Scam, Shoplifter Arrested, Passport Found

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. May 31: A woman went into Target and took multiple items, including four Lego sets, and went through the self-checkout but didn’t pay. The items had a total value of $210. May 31: A passport was found in Watertown Square on the afternoon of May 31. The Watertown Police can be contacted at 617-972-6500 to claim it.

Government

City Council Will Consider Special Committee’s Recommendations to Raise Council Salaries Nearly 70%

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Watertown City Hall

The committee appointed to study City Council compensation is recommending that Councilors get a raise of more than $6,000. The compensation proposal will be considered by the Council Tuesday night at the Council Meeting. The Blue Ribbon Committee, a group of seven residents, met seven times and looked at councilor salaries in other communities, interviewed Watertown City Councilors, and came up with four recommendations including raising salaries. The last time the Council changed its compensation it used a cost of living percentage of 2.5 percent per year. In January 2023, it increased the salary of Councilors from $7,500 to $8,900, and the Council President’s Salary from $10,500 to $12,000.

Schools

Watertown High School Class of 2025 Persisted Through Challenging Conditions to Reach Graduation

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Watertown High School Class of 2025 Valedictorian Nairi Davidian speaks at graduation at Victory Field. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Members of the Class of 2025 endured a lot in their time at Watertown High School, including shifting buildings, the Pandemic, and of course academic challenges. They showed resilience, toughness, and a strong spirit on the way to collecting their degrees on Friday evening at Victory Field. Even the graduation ceremony had its own uncertainty and challenges. With rain a serious possibility, the John A. Ryan Arena was set up to serve as the backup venue, and Principal Joel Giacobozzi thanked all the amateur meteorologists for their advice and forecasts.

Real Estate

11 Watertown Homes Were Sold This Week

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Four two-families, four condos, a pair of single family homes and a townhouse were sold this week. 293 Lexington St., $1,025,000, 4 bedroom 3 bathroom 2,316 sq. ft. Single Family

16 Saint Marys St. #16, $716,000, 2 bedroom 1 bathroom 1,267 sq.

Schools

Congratulations to the Watertown High School Class of 2025 – See Photos & the Grad List

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Watertown High School seniors hug after graduating at Victory Field on Friday night. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The 190 members of the Watertown High School senior class celebrated their graduation at Victory Field on Friday evening. Congratulations to the Class of 2025! Watertown High School Class of 2025

(+ Cum Laude Society, ^ National Honor Society, * Seal of Biliteracy, % Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction, # Engineering Pathway)

Nabila Abenaou

Majd Al Hady *

Rafat Alananzeh

Amra Bibi Ali

Aleks Alvandyan

Caroline Meredith Andrade ^

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Watertown News (@watertownmanews)

Evily Ketely Silva Andrade

Melissa Augusto *

Gagik Avakian

Lori Avakian ^*

Mkrtich Badalyan +^*

Sila Basboga ^

Uendel Gabriel Batista Santana

Iris Berati %

A 2025 WHS graduate holds up his diploma. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Gabriel Goodwin Berkowitz

Emilio Raphael Berndt ^

Marwa Bibi

Safa Bibi

Sawera Bibi

Isaiah Schimith Bomfim *

John Manuel Brennan ^

Jack James Brisson

Noah Geoffrey Broadstone

Jessica Camara ^

Devyn Canfield

Ava Mary Ann Caulfield ^

A Watertown High School senior gets a high five from a teacher as the seniors enter Victory Field.

Government

Council President to Call for Eliminating Position, Use Money for Ambulance Staffing

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Watertown City Hall

The adoption of the Watertown City Budget typically is an uneventful agenda item for the City Council, but this year a significant change will be proposed by City Council President Mark Siders. At the end of the third and final Fiscal Year 2026 Budget hearing on June 3, Sideris said he plans to ask the City Council to consider removing the Assistant City Manager for Finance position from the City administration and move the funds to the Fire Department. The proposal will take place at the June 10 City Council meeting

“I’m going to be … basically removing this position — the Manager (George Proakis) and I have been discussing this five times a day for the last two weeks — and moving the money into the Fire Department budget to accelerate the operation or the beginning staffing of the second ambulance, which was a major issue for the City Council, and we all approved moving forward,” Sideris said. Sideris said he does not believe the position, currently filled by Ari Sky, has been working out.