Government

Applicants Wanted to Serve on Watertown Cable Access Board

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Acting City Manager Thomas J. Tracy is seeking Watertown residents interested in serving on the Cable Access Corporation – Board of Directors. The non-profit corporation will work cooperatively with the Watertown School Department to manage a state-of-the-art studio located at Watertown High School. The Board of Directors will be charged with hiring an Executive Director and staff that will be responsible for day to day management of cable access programming. 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 Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472.

Government

New Water Rate Tiers Will Reduce Increases for Most Residents

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The bad news is that water and sewer rates will be rising for Watertown residents, the good news is that the rate hike will not be as big as it could have been due to a new rate system approved by the City Council Tuesday night. The new water and sewer rate structure has four tiers, instead of three used by the City in past years. The new system keeps most residents in the lowest tier, while creating a tier in between the second tier and the highest one. The new tiers moves the cost of the water and sewer enterprise funds from smaller consumers of water, about 75 percent of residents — to bigger users, including large businesses, which results in lower increases for most residents, said Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli said. “By creating a fourth tier we will be able to get about 70 percent of people to be in the low area, where their rates only going to go up 2.6 percent.

Government

Watertown’s Veterans Agent Named President of Statewide Group

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown Veterans Services speaks during the 2022 Memorial Day ceremony. Watertown Veterans Services Officer Patrick George will lead the statewide organization for city and town officials whose job is to serve veterans and help them get benefits that they earned by serving their country. George will serve as president of the Massachusetts Veterans’ Services Officers Association for 2022-23. The MVSOA focuses on professional development for VSOs, as well as building relationships with public and private organizations to enhance services for veterans, according to the association’s website https://mvsoa.com. George said he will be one of the public faces of the MVSOA and he said it is a key time for VSOs.

City Council

Watertown Seeking Permission to Purchase Property in Waltham

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Leo MartinWalker Pond, on the Westside of Watertown, is one of the town’s hidden wetlands. A portion sits in Waltham, and the City Council is exploring purchasing that property. The City Council voted to start the process to enable the City of Watertown to purchase a piece of land that lies just over the border in Waltham that could be part of an open space resource. City Council President Mark Sideris said Tuesday night that Watertown is considering purchasing a property that includes a portion of Walker Pond (also called Walker’s Pond), a small body of water on the western edge of Watertown. The pond is one of the few in Watertown, and has been discussed as a possible open space resource in the City.

Government

First Two Community Preservation Projects Approved; Will Rehabilitate Park, Restore Historic Paintings

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Designs for the improvements to Irving Park. The project was recommended by Community Preservation Committee for approval from the City Council, which did so on June 21. A park in Watertown will get a face lift and paintings in City Hall that are showing their age will be refurbished in the first two projects in Watertown approved to use money from the Community Preservation Act funds. On Tuesday night, the City Council unanimously approved the two projects recommended by the Community Preservation Committee. Community Preservation Committee Chair Mark Kraczkiewicz thanked the groups that brought forward the projects.

104 Main Street

City Council Votes Down Consideration of Creating Historic District on Main Street

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

An effort to create a historic district in the area of Main Street near City Hall and the Library ended Tuesday night when the City Council voted down the proposal in the citizen-submitted petition. The effort was started as a way to prevent a proposed project in the area. The Council was not convinced that the area, which also includes a block of commercial buildings across the street, has historic significance. The decision was unanimous. Had the vote been favorable, the City would have started the process to create a historic district, which could have taken up to two years, and would require a study by the Historic District Commission as well as hearings by the Planning Board and City Council.

City Council

Council Holding Special Meeting on Creating Historic District, Changing Name of Delta & Community Preservation Projects

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s City Hall. Three items will be covered during a special City Council meeting next week: a petition to create a historic district on Main Street, a petition to change the name of the delta in Watertown Square, and to consider the recommended project from the Community Preservation Committee. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chamber in Town Hall, 149 Main St. The name of the delta will discussed first, followed by the historic district proposal, and then the CPC projects. People can also participate in the meeting on Zoom.

2023 City Budget

Council Agrees on Contract for New Manager, Budget Approved & Town Auditor Retiring

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Watertown Cable Access TVCity Manager Finalist George Proakis. George Proakis, Watertown’s next City Manger, will start working in August, after an agreement on a contract was reached with the City Counil this week. The City Council unanimously voted to approve hiring George Proakis on Tuesday night. At the previous meeting, on May 24 the Council agreed to offer Proakis the job and enter contract negotiations. The Council met in executive session prior to the June 14 public session to discuss the contract and came to an agreement which includes a salary of $217,500, said Council President Mark Sideris.