Government

Watertown Square Meeting Thursday Night, Kids Activities Available

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The City of Watertown provided the following information:

The Watertown Square Area Plan will be discussed at the upcoming Joint City Council and Planning Board Hearing on June 13 at 6 PM in the Watertown Middle School Auditorium. The Hearing will include a presentation from the Project Team, followed by an opportunity for public comment. You can access the full agenda for the Joint Hearing here. 

You can access the plan document on the project’s website or in the above agenda packet to learn about the Draft Plan. This Hearing is a hybrid meeting and you can give public comment either in-person or virtually. To join virtually, you can access the Hearing on June 13 by using this Zoom link, which can also be found on the project’s website and in the agenda above. The City of Watertown’s Recreation Department will also be hosting a “kids-space” during the Hearing for kids ages 5-12 in the Middle School Cafeteria to accommodate those attending! 

Printed copies of the Plan Document can be found at the Watertown Library and Senior Center. You can learn more about the project at the Watertown Square Area Plan website, where you can also reach out with any questions about the Joint Hearing.

Government

City Manager’s Zoning Presentation TONIGHT! See How to Tune-in and Participate

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Ahead of the June 13 Watertown Square Area Plan meeting, City Manager George Proakis will be speaking about what zoning can and cannot do in Massachusetts during a live broadcast with a Q&A time on Monday at 6 p.m.

The City provided the following information about the event:

Watch City Manager George Proakis present about zoning live at 6 p.m. on June 3, 2024, on Watertown Cable Access! City Manager Proakis will present about how zoning works, how it can benefit and shape the community, its limitations, and much more! Following the presentation, he will sit down to answer questions with the WCATV team before answering questions submitted directly by the Watertown residents! You can watch the presentation live online. You can submit any questions you have about zoning.

Government

Watertown Square Plan Documents Released Along with Agenda for Public Meeting

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The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

The Joint Hearing of the City Council and Planning Board to be held on June 13, 2024 at 6:00 PM at Watertown Middle School Auditorium, 68 Waverley Avenue. The Watertown Square Area Plan Document has been posted and you can access the document here (PDF). You can also access an appendix document of the updated MBTA Communities Zoning Summary (PDF). The Plan Document will be discussed at the City Council and Planning Board Joint Hearing on June 13, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Watertown Middle School Auditorium at 68 Waverley Avenue in Watertown. Printed copies of the Plan Document will be made available at the Watertown Free Public Library and at the Watertown Senior Center starting next week.

Government

Edible Watertown Program Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant

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The artwork from Edible Plants 2022, Clockwise from top left: Daylily by Patti Murphy, Bee Balm by Niloufar Keyhani, Elderberry by Marija Draskic
Brancazio, Wintergreen by Kate Martens, Mayapple by Carol Leonesio, Mountain Mint by Cat Bennett, Huckleberry
by Donna Calleja, Red Bud by Debajyoti Biswas, Bearberry by Connie Henry, and Garlic Chives by Jaclyn Kain. The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The Public Arts & Culture Committee is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $20,000. This grant will support the Edible Watertown: Expert Pairings project. In total, the NEA will award 1,135 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling more than $37 million as part of its second round of fiscal year 2024 grants. “Projects like Edible Watertown exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities—all through the arts,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD.

Government

Hours of Watertown City Hall, Senior Center & More Changing After Council Vote

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Hours will be changing for Watertown City departments in City Hall, the Parker Annex, along with the Senior Center, after a City Council vote on Tuesday. These facilities will be open later on Tuesdays and close earlier on Fridays throughout the year. City Manager George Proakis said at a previous meeting that the change in hours would help the city recruit employees, and that many surrounding communities have early closings on Fridays. One area of concern was resident’s ability to pay bills at the Treasurer’s office on Fridays. “There have been discussions about how it affects particular employees, and how it impacts the public as a whole,” Proakis said.

Government

Date and Venue for Next Watertown Square Area Plan Meeting Announced

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The City of Watertown provided the following announcement:

The Watertown Square Area Plan will be discussed at the Joint Hearing on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Watertown Middle School Auditorium at 68 Waverley Avenue in Watertown. Please note the updated date and location. The Joint Hearing will be to discuss the plan document submitted to the City Council and Planning Board prior to the Hearing. This plan document will also be shared on the Project Website, on the City of Watertown’s website and social media prior to the Hearing on June 13, 2024. The online participation information will be released closer to the event, along with the Public Hearing’s agenda and the plan document.

Government

Memorial Day Weekend Hours for the City of Watertown

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The City of Watertown announced the hours for the Memorial Day weekend. City Hall, the Parker Annex, Department of Public Works Offices and the Senior Center are closing at 2 PM on Friday, May 24, 2024, and Watertown City Hall, Parker Annex, Senior Center, Department of Public Works Offices, and the Watertown Free Public Library are closed on Monday, May 27, 2024, in observance of Memorial Day. Please note that trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day. The pickup schedule next week is Tuesday, May 28 through Saturday, June 1, 2024. A holiday postpones Trash and Recycling collection by one day.

Government

Watertown Budget Hearings Begin This Week, See When Departments Will Speak to Council

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The City Council will hold the first of three hearings on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget on May 21. The dates of the meetings, and the departments which will be on the agenda are listed in the information provided by the City of Watertown, below. The annual City Budget is the single most important policy decision made each year by the City Council. All citizens of the City are invited and encouraged to participate in these meetings to express the opinions of this budget and the priorities it establishes. A copy of the proposed budget is available for examination at the City Clerk’s Office and available on the City’s website: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/Browse.aspx?id=44491&repo=r-5ece5628.