Around Town

Watertown Preparing to Form a Human Rights Commission, Working on Details of Group’s Role

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

Watertown is on the verge of a milestone as it moves closer to establishing its first-ever Human Rights Commission. After a vote in the Subcommittee on Rules & Ordinances on June 5th, a final draft of the Human Rights Commission ordinance passed out of the committee and will move to a final vote in the Council. No one, it seems, expects it to meet much blow-back. “This is incredibly exciting and overdue,” said Bevin Croft, who was a member of the informal residents’ committee and a former member of Cambridge’s Human Rights Commission. “It’s exciting to see something that was so controversial before get another push and be met with almost no resistance.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Pair Arrested After Fight Involving Knife, Man & Woman Caught Doing Fentanyl

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

June 19, 7:16 a.m.: A man parked his car on Mt. Auburn Street in front of Dunkin’ near Watertown Square but he was not fully in the spot. A passing car honked its horn to have him move his car. The man, identified as Yesner Espinal, gave the driver an obscene gesture and yelled at him.

Around Town

See How the Fourth of July Will Impact City Facilities & Trash Pickup

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Multiple City-run facilities will be closed for the Fourth of July holiday, and many residents will see their trash and recycling collection pushed back a day. The City of Watertown announced that Watertown City Hall, Library, and Senior Center will closed on Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4, 2023. City officials added that trash and recycling pickup schedule is Monday, July 3, and then a one-day delay for trash and recycling pickup on July 4th, which moves both pickups to Wednesday, July 5 – Saturday, July 8, 2023. The Recycling Center will be closed on Tuesday, July 4.

Around Town

Water & Sewer Rates Rising, City Could Use ARPA Funds to Lessen the Impact

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Watertown water and sewer bills will be going up more than 5 percent this year, but the City could soften the blow by using federal COVID relief funds to pay for infrastructure projects. On Tuesday, the City Council approved the water and sewer rates for Fiscal Year 2024, which includes a 5.5 percent increase for water, and a 6 percent jump for sewer. For an average residential customer who uses 1,800 cubic feet of water a quarter the combined water and sewer bill would go up $16.88 from the current year to $306.76 ($107.56 for water, $199.20 for sewer). City Manager George Proakis said that a study by the City’s water and sewer consultant, The Abrahams Group, found that if the City uses the ARPA funds to pay for the $1.25 million in water and sewer projects from Fiscal Year 2025 to 2028, the rate increase would drop. The City Council has received 32 proposals for how to use the $10.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from City departments as well as outside organizations.

Government

City Releases Draft of the Watertown Comprehensive Plan

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The City has been working on updating Watertown’s primary planning document, the Comprehensive Plan, for months. This week, the City released the draft of the plan to be considered by the City Council. See the plans and more details about the process on the Comprehensive Plan website,  www.watertown-ma.gov/comp-plan. “This draft is updated based on input from the spring Open House and Online Survey. The formal approval process with the City Council and Planning Board is the next step,” the City’s announcement said.

Government

Zoning Board Wants More Changes to Main Street Project

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A view of the revised plans for the 104-126 Main Street project. The sixth floor has been scaled back and would not be seen from Main Street. (Illustration by Icon Architecture)

Developers of the six-story mixed-use project on Main Street reduced the number of apartments slightly and increased the landscaping along the public walkway along the building, but that did not satisfy some members of the Zoning Board of the Appeals. The hearing for the project at 104-126 Main Street, which stretches to Pleasant Street and Cross Street, was continued for a second time after some Zoning Board members said on Wednesday night that they did not think the project met the requirement to provide public amenities. Meeting that requirement is necessary to get the additional height to allow the sixth story.

Schools

Former Students, Educators Get Final Look Around Watertown High School

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Photo by Charlie BreitrosePeople lined up to get one last look at Watertown High School before it is torn down. The hallways of Watertown High School buzzed with activity one last time last week, as former students, teachers, even principals took a look around the old school and shared memories. The school, parts of which date back to the 1920s, will be torn down in the fall to make way for a brand new, state-of-the-art building. While many looked back on their memories at WHS fondly, most agreed it was time to say goodbye on June 22. Photo by Charlie BreitroseFormer students and staff milled around the hallways at Watertown High School one last time.

Sports

Watertown Girls Basketball Coach Leaving for Div. 1 Boys Position

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Watertown Girls Basketball Coach Patrick Ferdinand announced he will be leaving to take a job in Framingham. Here he is pictured working with a player in 2018. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Leaving a community that has grown to be like family will be difficult, said Watertown Girls Basketball Coach Patrick Ferdinand, but he is taking a job as boys coach closer to his home which will allow him to spend more time with his wife and daughter. After more than a dozen years leading the Raiders girls team, Ferdinand announced this week that he will be taking the job as coach of the Framingham High School boys basketball team. “It’s a major change, from Division 3 to Division 1 and girls to boys,” Ferdinand said.