Government

City Will Add New Position of Human Services Director

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City of WatertownThe Parker Annex Building is the recommended home of the City’s new Health and Human Services Department. A new position will be added to the City government, the director of Human Services, after the City Council approved implementing the recommendations of the Health and Human Services Assessment report. On Tuesday, the Council unanimously approved the recommendations, and the Human Services Director position has been posted on the City’s Employment webpage. The Council also approved transferring $38,000 from the Council Reserve to fund the new position for the rest of the fiscal year. Rob Buchanan, Principal at Health Management Associates (HMA), presented the recommendations of the assessment to the City Council’s Committee on Human Services at a meeting on Feb.

Sports

Watertown Hockey Wins Double Overtime Thriller in State Tournament

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The Watertown-Wayland hockey team celebrates a 4-3 double overtime victory over Pembroke in the MIAA Div. 3 State Tournament. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

For a moment, the Watertown-Wayland boys hockey team’s season ended Wednesday at John A. Ryan Arena, but then the sudden death tally by Pembroke was ruled “no goal” by the referees. The Raiders used their new lease on life to score the winner in the 4-3 double overtime and propel the team to the Round of 16 of the MIAA Div. 3 State Tournament.

Government

City Will Purchase the Sterritt Lumber Site in the West End

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Watertown City Hall

The downturn in the life science lab market opened an opportunity for the City of Watertown to purchase a site in West Watertown where a lab building had been permitted but never constructed. Tuesday night, the City Council voted to allow City Manager George Proakis to sign an agreement with the owners of the 2-acre site at 148 Waltham St. for $9.2 million, and approved an initial payment of $500,000. When the Sterritt Lumber site was sold neighbors strongly opposed proposed new uses for the property, which included an apartment building and later a lab, which was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals and permitted, but construction never started. City Council President Mark Sideris said that led to an opportunity for the City.

Sports

Watertown Wrester Repeats as State Champ; Raiders Also Take Third and Seventh at State Meet

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Watertown Senior Tessa Master won the MIAA Div. 3 State Tournament Saturday in Foxborough. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

FOXBOROUGH — The most decorated Watertown High School wrestler added to her list of accomplishments by repeating as champion at the MIAA Div. 3 State Wrestling Championship on Saturday. Senior Tessa Master dominated her competition, pinning both opponents in the first period.

Sports

Watertown Boys & Girls Basketball, Boys Hockey Will Host Tournament Games

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Senior Will Carty and the Raiders will host a first-round State Tournament game this week. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The MIAA released the 2025 winter State Tournament brackets, and three Watertown teams — boys basketball, girls basketball, and boys hockey — will host first round games this week. Boys Hockey

Charlie BreitroseWatertown senior Shane Desmond (left) and the Raiders will skate in the State Tournament on Wednesday at Ryan Arena. Here he and Alec Banosian play in the 2023 Tournament. First up will be boys hockey, which got the 12th seed in the MIAA Div.

Sports

Watertown Boys Basketball Has Eye on Tournament After Closing Regular Season with a Win

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Watertown junior Will Carty and the Raiders look for a tournament run after beating Excel in the final regular season game. Here he celebrates during the Raiders’ victory over Shawsheen in a 2024 State Tournament game. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

When something ends, invariably something else begins. What ended on Thursday afternoon Feb. 20th at the Victor J. Palladino Gymnasium at the Watertown Middle School was the Boys Varsity Basketball’s regular season. What begins is hopefully a long run in the MIAA Div. 3 Tournament that gets under way next week.

Around Town

City Manager Shares Thoughts on Winter Parking Ban Related to Public Safety

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Following the discussion about potentially removing Watertown’s Winter Parking Ban at a City Council meeting, Watertown City Manager George Proakis wrote the first in a series of responses to the issue. See the first piece provided by the City of Watertown, below. Part 1: Public Safety

By City Manager George Proakis

Recently, a group of Watertown residents signed a petition to seek a public hearing in front of the City Council. The topic of the petition and the hearing was our long-term ban on overnight parking that we enforce each winter. The Council hosted this hearing in January.