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Teddy KokorosA major snow storm is forecast to drop 15 inches or more on Watertown on Jan. 25 and 26. Above, Main Street on the westside of Watertown during the Jan. 29, 2022 blizzard. A Snow Emergency has been called in Watertown beginning on Sunday for the storm expected to dump as much as 20 inches of snow over two days.
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.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Jan. 13: Police received a report of a suspicious car idling on Melendy Avenue. Officer Francis Yannizzi responded and saw the vehicle. When he approached the vehicle drove off.
Massachusetts Poet Laureate Regie Gibson recited several of his poems at the 2026 Unity Breakfast. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Massachusetts’ Poet Laureate inspired the crowd at the 26th annual Unity Breakfast. During the event on Monday, awards were presented to a group monitoring immigration enforcement and supporting immigrants rights in Watertown, and a man who has been a big part of keeping the Unity Breakfast going through the Pandemic. The Unity Award at the 2006 Watertown Unity Breakfast went to the Rapid Response Network, while the Sue Kuder Unsung Hero Award went to Chuck Dickinson. Poet Laureate
Before the presentation of the awards, Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Regie Gibson, recited several of his pieces related to Dr. King and the struggles of today.
The Watertown Public Schools may ask the City to tap the Special Education Stabilization Fund created several years ago for a rainy day. The 2026-27 School Budget may be stormy, as the district faces a shortfall of $2.5 million as of Monday’s School Committee meeting. Other ways to make up shortfalls may include reinstating athletics and extracurricular fees. Superintendent Dede Galdston provided the budget update on Jan. 12, before the School Committee’s budget hearings officially start.
Watertown City Hall
Watertown residents were not overcharged on the CPA surcharge on their tax bills, City officials said, but bills in fiscal year 2025 looked different from other years, leading to the appearance that they were calculated differently. The issue came to the Administration’s attention when former City Councilor Angeline Kounelis sent a letter after she could not figure out why her FY2025 bill was different from previous and later years. It appeared that the CPA surcharge was applied to the entire property value, before the residential exemption was applied. It wasn’t a matter of new math, but rather new computer software, according to the explanation video produced by Watertown Community Engagement Specialist Tyler Cote. “It’s really just taking two different paths to the same end,” Cote said.
A rendering of the new Watertown High School from Ai3 Architects. After originally hoping to open Watertown’s state-of-the-art new high school after spring break, Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston said that the school will not host classes until the fall of 2026. The new school being built on the site of the old high school will be the first in the country to be net zero energy, meaning it will produce all the power needed to run the school, and meet the LEED Platinum green building standards. It will also have a new gym, auditorium, space for vocational programs such as engineering, childcare, carpentry, and potentially a culinary program. Galdston told the School Committee on Jan.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Jan. 1: A woman took $530 worth of apparel, health and beauty products and cleaning supplies from Target. Jan. 2: A man purchased two shopping carts worth of merchandise from Home Depot.