Elections

Charles River Chamber Hosting House, Senate Candidate Debates

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The Charles River Regional Chamber will host a pair of debates with candidates running to represent Watertown in the State House. The 10th Middlesex House debate with John Lawn and Alison Leary takes place on July 21, and the Suffolk and Middlesex State Senate debate will be on Aug. 10. See more information from the Chamber, below. Join us for two virtual debates between candidates for the State House competing on Sept 1.

Government

Mt. Auburn St. Project: Sidewalk Reconstruction, Drainage and Tree Trench Installation

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During the week of June 13-17, sidewalk work will continue in the areas of Elton Street, Winsor Avenue and Langdon Avenue. Drainage work will take place between Bates Road and Spruce Street, while tree trench installation will take place from Stearns Road and Spruce Street. See more details in the announcement from the City of Watertown below. Concrete Placement

Concrete placement will take place on the following westbound sidewalk locations starting along Mount Auburn Street:

617 Mount Auburn Street to Elton Street. On Mount Auburn Street from Winsor Avenue to Langdon Avenue.

Government

City Council Moving Out of City Hall for July 14 Meeting

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The Parker Annex Building (Courtesy of City of Watertown)

The City Council will not be meeting it the usual place on July 14. The meeting will be held in the Parker Building at 7 p.m. The meeting includes a votes to set next year’s water and sewer rates, on proposed changes to the Noise Ordinance, and a presentation about the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. See more information provided by the City, below. Due to scheduled maintenance in the Watertown City Hall Council Chambers, the Watertown City Council Meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, will not be held at City Hall. The meeting will instead take place at Parker Building in the Community Meeting Room, 2E.

Elections

State Senate Candidate Endorsed by Statewide Environmental Group

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Will Brownsberger

The following announcement was provided by the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund:

The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund has endorsed Will Brownsberger for re-election as Suffolk and Middlesex District State Senator, a credit to his commitment to the environment and climate action. Issues of environmental justice, public health, transportation, and energy policy are inextricably linked. Because of this, we need leaders at every level of government who will call for ambitious action. 

“Will Brownsberger has consistently advanced policies that strengthen climate resilience and support a cleaner energy future,” said Casey Bowers, Executive Director of the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund. “His leadership on building decarbonization, grid modernization, and clean energy technologies will help Massachusetts continue making progress toward its climate goals.”

Will Brownsberger is running for the Suffolk and Middlesex District seat, a position he has held since 2012. Prior to being elected to the Senate, Brownsberger was the 24th Middlesex State Representative from 2007 until 2012. Since taking office, Brownsberger has championed affordable housing, climate resilience, criminal justice reform, and investments in mental and public health services.

Elections

See the Replay of the State Senate Forum Hosted by the Watertown Democrats

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The Watertown and Belmont Democratic Town Committees hosted a forum for the two candidates for the Suffolk and Middlesex State Senate seat: Will Brownsberger and Daniel Lander. A video of the forum is available. Watertown Cable Access TV recorded the forum, and the replay is available online at http://vodwcatv.org/internetchannel/show/5649?site=1

The two candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination for State Senate. Votes will be cast in the State Primary on Sept. 1, 2026.

Government

Police Drone to be Discussed by City Council’s Public Safety Committee

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The prospect of the Watertown Police Department using a drone will be discussed at the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety on July 9. The drone, which costs $49,396, would be dispatched to an area where a crime or incident like an auto accident is reported. It would be able to get anywhere in town in two minutes, which is faster than the typical response time for a police officer in a cruiser, Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan told the City Council in March. The drone can fly automatically to a location, and can also be overridden and controlled manually. The drone would be dispatched from the Watertown 911 Center, and would not go out to every reported incident, Hanrahan said.

Government

UPDATED: City Offices Closed for the Independence Day Holiday

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(UPDATED, July 1, 9:43 a.m.: The Library will be open on July 3)

The Fourth of July falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the holiday for most City offices and facilities will be Friday, July 3. See more details in the information from the City of Watertown, below. City Hall, the Parker Building, the Department of Public Works offices, and the Senior Center, will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2026, in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. The Watertown Free Public Library will remain open on July 3, and will be closed on July 4. Despite building closures on Friday, July 3, 2026, trash and recycling collection will remain uninterrupted.

Environment

Watertown Resident Nominated for Commonwealth Heroine Award for Environmental Work & Actvism

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Watertown’s Eileen Ryan was nominated as a Commonwealth Heroine by State Sen. Will Brownsberger. (Courtesy of Will Brownsberger’s office)

Watertown’s Eileen Ryan was one of 147 women from across Massachusetts to be nominated for the Commonwealth Heroine Award. She was nominated by State Sen. Will Brownsberger. See more information in the announcement about Ryan, and nominees from Watertown’s State Representatives in the announcements from the legislators’ offices, below. On Wednesday, June 24, 147 women from across the state gathered to be honored at the Class of 2026 Massachusetts Commonwealth Heroine Awards Ceremony.