Government

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

By |

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.

Business

Mainstay Eatery in Watertown Square Closing After 27 Years

By |

Longtime dining destination, Not Your Average Joe’s, will be closing after more than a quarter century in Watertown Square. The last day for the Watertown location is Feb. 11, 2026, according to Sara Murtagh, Regional Director of Operations for Not Your Average Joe’s. “This is very sad for us as this is our oldest NYAJoe’s,” Murtagh said. “We have loved being a part of this community and have a lot of amazing memories.”

Development

Retiring Planning Director Looks Back on His 17 Years in Watertown

By |

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

By |

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.

Around Town

Snow Cleanup & Removal in Watertown Will Continue Through This Week

By |

Charlie BreitroseA truck plows a Watertown street. Watertown Public Works crews will be busy this week continuing efforts to dig the City out after the heavy snow on Sunday and Monday, said City Manager George Proakis. “This storm was significant – over 19 inches of snow in Watertown since Sunday. The DPW crews have been working for over 50 hours, but they are not done yet,” Proakis said. “They are going to be addressing a number of challenging spots over the next few days, including many of those snowbanks at the street corners.”

Schools

School Committee Adopts Resolution Supporting, Protecting Immigrant Students & Families

By |

On Monday, the School Committee adopted a resolution which states that the Watertown Public Schools have a “strong commitment to protecting the rights of immigrant students and their families.” The resolution also ensures certain protections including that the Watertown Public Schools (WPS) will not ask about immigration status, will not coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); will not allow ICE agents on to WPS property without a criminal warrant from a federal judge, and will not share student records with ICE without parent, a guardian or a court order. In addition, the resolution said, “WPS ensures that staff will only send students home with caregivers/family members or friends who have been approved by the child’s parent or guardian, and encourages parents and guardians to keep emergency contact information up-to-date by contacting their child’s school.” The School Committee unanimously approved the resolution at the Jan. 26 meeting.

Weather

See When Watertown’s Snow Emergency Will End

By |

The Snow Emergency will run through Tuesday morning, meaning on-street parking is prohibited overnight. The City also reminded residents that snow and ice must be removed from sidewalks after the end of the storm. See the announcement from the City of Watertown below:

The City of Watertown’s declared snow emergency and on-street parking ban is still in effect and will end at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. Cars must be removed from all School parking lots at 6 a.m. and all other City-provided parking lots by 7 a.m. Vehicles not removed promptly will hinder snow removal operations and are subject to towing. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.As a reminder, property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from sidewalks after storms. Please help Watertown stay safe and accessible during the winter season, and please do not shovel snow into the street.