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.

Government

Tony Palomba Invites Public to His Annual Councilor Meeting

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City Councilor At-Large Tony Palomba. All City Councilors must have an annual meeting to meet with the public according to the recent changes to the City Charter. City Councilor At-Large Tony Palomba announced the date of his meeting. See info below. Please join Councilor Palomba to discuss your concerns and suggestions about the City, the City Council, and the City Administration on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 from 5-6 p.m. in the Mastrangelo Room at the Watertown Free Public Library, located at 123 Main St.

Government

City Seeks Residents to Serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

City Manager George J. Proakis is seeking Watertown residents interested in serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest accompanied by a resume or other information concerning background or experience by email to Citymgr@watertown-ma.gov or City Manager’s Office, 149 Main St., Watertown, MA 02472. Information about the Zoning Board of Appeals

Vacancy/Term: One Full Member, Five Year Term. Description: Board of Appeals grants all special permits and variances needed for certain construction and development projects. Candidates should have knowledge of M.G.L. Chapter 40A, the Zoning Act, as well as architecture, engineering, landscape design, construction, planning, law, or related field.

Government

City Manager Speaks About Climate Efforts During Governor’s Visit

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Photo by City of WatertownGov. Maura Healy spoke about the State’s ClimateTech Initiative at Via Separations, a clean tech startup in Watertown. The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Governor Maura Healey spoke in Watertown at the 64 Pleasant Street lab building on Thursday, May 2, 2024, to announce a 10-year, $1.3 billion investment proposal as part of the Mass Leads Act ClimateTech Initiative. The proposal is expected to generate $16.4 billion in economic activity in the Commonwealth and further Massachusetts’ position as a global leader in climate tech. City Manager George Proakis introduced the Governor, and he spoke about Watertown’s work in leading the way in climate mitigation and resilience in Massachusetts. The City Manager highlighted Watertown’s role in fostering climate innovation, speaking on the City’s aggressive Climate Action Plan and the early adoption of the Specialized Stretch Energy Code. 

The City Manager also spoke of the success of the life science industry and its fiscal impact on Watertown.

Government

FY25 City Budget Includes New Police Program, Funds for High School Project & to Meet Climate Goals

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Watertown’s Budget Stable Now, May Not be in Future Years

Watertown City Hall

The City of Watertown’s financial situation looks good for Fiscal Year 2025, which starts July 1, 2024, but the City may face some challenging budgets in the following years, City Manager George told the City Council on Tuesday night. The budget includes funding some ongoing efforts, such as the Watertown Square Area Plan, the Watertown High School project. It also includes funding to implement the City’s Energy and Sustainability Plan, to start the human rights commission, and add new programs, including at the Watertown Police Department. On April 30, Proakis presented his FY25 budget, which will be $203.975 million, which is a 1.96 percent increase from the revised FY24 budget (the current year). The majority of the budget comes from local property taxes, which funds 81 percent, or $165 million in FY25.

Government

NEW TIME: Councilor Feltner and City Manager Hosting Meet & Greet

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District B City Councilor Lisa Feltner. District B City Councilor Lisa Feltner will be joined by City Manager George Proakis for a Meet & Greet. The City sent out the following announcement:

Join City Councilor Lisa Feltner for a District B Meet and Greet with City Manager George Proakis on Monday, April 29, 2024 from 6:-7:30 p.m. at the Parker Annex, Suite 2E, 124 Watertown Street.

Government

Patriots Day Will Impact City Hall, Library, Senior Center and More

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by Charlie BreitroseMembers of the Watertown Colonial Guard reenactment group march in the 2018 Memorial Day Parade. Patriots Day is Monday, April 15, and the holiday will impact facilities in the City of Watertown. The City sent out the following information:

Watertown City Hall, Parker Annex, Senior Center, Department of Public Works Offices, and the Watertown Free Public Library are closed on Monday, April 15, 2024 in observance of the Patriots Day holiday. Please note that trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day. The pickup schedule next week is Tuesday, April 16 through Saturday, April 20, 2024.

Government

Council Votes Down Proposal for Short Term Rentals in Watertown

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Watertown City Hall

A proposal that would have allowed limited forms of short term rentals, such as Airbnb and VRBO, in Watertown was rejected by the City Council in a split vote. On April 9, the Council heard more than an hour of input from residents, and then discussed it for another hour or so. The proposal only allowed short term rentals in owner-occupied homes, or bedrooms of a home when the owner is home, and the most that a home could be rented as a short term rental was 3 months of a year. This was the second time that a proposal had come forward, but in 2021 the Planning Board sent it back for reworking. This year, the Planning Board endorsed the proposal, and sent it to the City Council for a final vote.