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.

Elections

State Senate Candidate Endorsed by Boston Mayor Wu

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Daniel Lander. The following announcement was provided by The Lander Committee:

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu endorsed Daniel Lander in his campaign for State Senate, pointing towards his record delivering real change for Boston residents, and his focus on taking on the broken status quo in the State Senate. With her endorsement, it is clear that Lander’s campaign is catching fire in his effort to unseat Senator Will Brownsberger, the architect of the broken status quo on Beacon Hill. “I’ve been proud to work alongside Daniel to deliver for Boston families, and I know he’ll bring that same results-driven leadership to the State Senate,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “In City Hall, Daniel worked to tackle the housing crisis, helped create Boston Family Days to make our top museums and cultural attractions free for Boston students and families, and took on national food delivery companies to make our streets safer.

Government

Unwanted Surprises Drive Up Cost of Renovation of the City’s Parker Annex Building

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The Parker Annex Building (Courtesy of City of Watertown)

City officials have learned what it’s like to renovate a 100+ year old building, and the unwanted surprises that come with it. On Tuesday night, the City Council approved a $373,000 budget transfer to cover the cost of unexpected additional repairs, as well as to insulate the Parker Annex. The former elementary school on Watertown Street opened in 1914, and was sold by the Town in 1986. In 2022, the now City of Watertown bought back the building, which has been turned into office space. Since then, the City has been planning to turn Parker in to a City Hall annex, and hired contractors to renovate the building.

Elections

State Senate Candidates Appearing at Democratic Town Committee Forum

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The candidates for the Suffolk & Middlesex State Senate seat will appear at a forum hosted by the Watertown and Belmont Democratic Town Committees. Incumbent Will Brownsberger and challenge Dan Lander will discuss their view on the issues at the forum. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at the Coolidge Apartments, 319 Arlington St. in Watertown. The Suffolk & Middlesex District includes Watertown, Belmont, and parts of Cambridge and Boston.