Government

Watertown Property Owners Were Not Overcharged on Property Taxes, Confusion Caused by Change in Software

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Watertown City Hall

Watertown residents were not overcharged on the CPA surcharge on their tax bills, City officials said, but bills in fiscal year 2025 looked different from other years, leading to the appearance that they were calculated differently. The issue came to the Administration’s attention when former City Councilor Angeline Kounelis sent a letter after she could not figure out why her FY2025 bill was different from previous and later years. It appeared that the CPA surcharge was applied to the entire property value, before the residential exemption was applied. It wasn’t a matter of new math, but rather new computer software, according to the explanation video produced by Watertown Community Engagement Specialist Tyler Cote. “It’s really just taking two different paths to the same end,” Cote said.

Schools

New Watertown High School Opening Pushed to September

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A rendering of the new Watertown High School from Ai3 Architects. After originally hoping to open Watertown’s state-of-the-art new high school after spring break, Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston said that the school will not host classes until the fall of 2026. The new school being built on the site of the old high school will be the first in the country to be net zero energy, meaning it will produce all the power needed to run the school, and meet the LEED Platinum green building standards. It will also have a new gym, auditorium, space for vocational programs such as engineering, childcare, carpentry, and potentially a culinary program. Galdston told the School Committee on Jan.

Around Town

Watertown Police Hosting Polar Plunge to Raise Money for Special Olympics, Participants Wanted

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The Polar Plunge will return to Watertown on Feb. 7, 2026, and the Watertown Police seek to raise even more this year fro the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. Participants will take a cold dip into the mobile plunge tank that will be set up in Bond Square at Arsenal Yards, said Watertown Police Officer Michael Scafidi. “Last year we had just over 50 participants and raised over $20,000 for Special Olympics of Massachusetts,” Scafidi said. “This year we are aiming for ’26K in ’26’!”

Government

Watertown Renegotiating Contract for BlueBikes, Looks to Get More Beneficial Deal

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Arsenal YardsThe Bluebikes station outside Arsenal Yards. With Watertown’s contract with the Bluebikes bicycle share company expiring, City officials hope to sign a more favorable agreement. The contract ends in early 2026, and City Manager George Proakis told the City Council he hopes to sign a several year agreement. “This particular contract is a five year agreement with two optional two year renewals for a maximum term of nine years, which is designed to enhance service delivery, strengthen the sponsorship system, to make the system work better and support continued operations and stability in the bikeshare system here in Watertown,” Proakis said. Because the contract is longer than three years, the City Council had to vote to allow the City staff to enter into an agreement.