Elections

State Sen. Will Brownsberger Endorsed by City Councilors Past and Present

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Will Brownsberger

State Sen. Will Brownsberger has been endorsed by current and former Watertown City Councilors in his 2026 run for reelection to serve the Suffolk and Middlesex District. He has been senator since Jan. 24, 2012. See more information in the announcement from Brownsberger, below. I am grateful to accept the endorsements of all nine sitting members of the Watertown City Council and two former members. City Council President Mark Sideris

City Councilor at Large Caroline Bays

City Councilor at Large John Gannon

City Councilor at Large Theo Offei

City Councilor at Large Tony Palomba

District A City Councilor Nicole Gardner

District B City Councilor Lisa Feltner

District C City Councilor Vinnie Piccirilli

District D City Councilor Emily Izzo

Former City Councilor John Airasian

Former City Councilor Cecilia Lenk

Statements by Councilors

 I’m proud to support Senator Brownsberger for all that he’s delivered for the Commonwealth and in particular the issues that directly affect the city of Watertown.

Government

Council Roundup: Councilor Elected Head of Statewide Board, DPW Equipment Funded, Contracts Approved

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Watertown District B Councilor Lisa Feltner was elected president of the Mass. Municipal Councillors’ Association.(Photo by Krista Photography | Krista Guenin)

The City Council had a full agenda on Jan. 27, with votes to approve equipment purchases by the Department of Public Works, approval of contracts for multiple City unions, and a Watertown City Councilor was elected head of a statewide board. Also, the date for the Skip the Stuff Ordinance to be considered was announced. At the meeting, City Manager George Proakis announced that the City will be cancelling its contract with Flock Safety for license plate reading cameras.

Government

Watertown City Officials Join State Reps. on Beacon Hill to Ask for Residential Tax Relief

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Watertown City and State officials appeared before a joint committee at the State House on Jan. 27, 2026. Pictured, from left, Steve Owens, George Proakis, John Lawn, Earl Smith, and Mark Sideris. City officials from Watertown joined state representatives on Beacon Hill to request an extension to a bill that allowed Watertown to shift more of the property tax burden from residential properties to commercial properties. The shift would allow a 50/50 split, instead of the current requirements of state law to have 61 percent of the tax levy coming from residential properties.

Development

Retiring Planning Director Looks Back on His 17 Years in Watertown

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Steve Magoon

Steve Magoon has seen the transformation of large sections of Watertown, and played a major role in the creation of some of the City’s most important planning documents during his time working for the City. Magoon will retire at the end of January after more than 17 years as director of the Department of Community Development and Planning. Magoon arrived in Watertown after working for four years in Gloucester, his first job in Massachusetts. His career began in his home state of Maryland, where he rose up to become the planning director in Charles County. He still remembers his first impression of Watertown.

Government

Watertown Cancelling Contract for Flock License Plate Reading Cameras

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Watertown will cancel the contract with Flock Safety to install license plate reading cameras in the City, and City Manager George Proakis told the City Council he wants to continue to have discussions about when it is appropriate for the Watertown Police to use technology in its investigations. The City signed a contract last year with Flock with plans to install eight cameras. Proakis announced the end of the contract at the Jan. 27 City Council meeting, but said he would like the City Council to discuss use of technology by the Watertown Police Department. The cameras became a topic of discussion in recent months as more communities install them, and others have removed them due to concerns about how the data collected by the cameras is being used, and who has access to it.

Government

Schools, City Buildings Closed Monday Due to Snow Storm

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The City of Watertown and the Watertown Public Schools announced closures on Monday due to the snow storm beginning Sunday and continuing into Monday, which could drop up to 2 feet of snow on the area. See details below. Watertown Schools

The Watertown Public Schools will have a snow day for Monday, Jan. 26, according to the following announcement from the WPS website:

“With the snow expected to begin today, with 18–24 inches forecast by Monday. All Watertown Public Schools and offices will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 26, due to unsafe travel conditions.

Government

Residents Express Concerns About Using Flock License Plate Reading Cameras in Watertown

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Members of the Watertown Police Department discussed different technology used by the WPD, including a proposal to use the Flock Safety cameras. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A room full of residents expressed their concerns about the Watertown Police Department’s proposed use of Flock Safety cameras in town, with the biggest issues about how the images collected by the license plate capturing system would be used outside Watertown and who would have access. As the debate over whether cameras should be used in the City, legislation at the state level could help reduce concerns. The Flock cameras were one of several technologies available to the Watertown Police discussed during the Tech Talk at Hosmer School on Wednesday night. While body cameras, tasers, an AI-assisted police bulletin network, and other equipment interested the 30 or so in attendance, the Flock cameras garnered the most attention in the meeting that lasted nearly three hours.

Government

Residents Wanted to Serve on a City Board or Advisory Committee

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Make a Difference, Join a Board or Committee

City Manager George J. Proakis is seeking Watertown residents interested in serving on the Historical Commission, Council on Aging, Human Rights Commission, Memorialization Committee, Public Arts and Culture, Stormwater Advisory Committee, and Traffic Commission. Please visit the Boards and Commissions page to learn more. Access the Universal Application

Join the Residents’ Advisory Committee! The Residents’ Advisory Committee assists with recruitment, evaluation, and selection of candidates for appointments to the City’s volunteer Boards, Commissions, and Committees. The Resident Advisory Board works with the City Manager to establish policies and practices to actively encourage a diverse pool of applicants, recognizing the importance of diversity in appointments, including, but not limited to, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity. Applicants should submit a letter of interest accompanied by a resume or other information concerning background or experience to JoAnna Hand by email to jhand@watertown-ma.gov or City Manager’s Office, 149 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472.