Government

Council Votes to Shorten Winter Parking Ban (This Year) & Increase Parking Fines During Snow Emergencies

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Watertown’s Winter Parking Ban will last just two months in 2026, from Jan. 1 to March 1, after the City Council approved a temporary change in the overnight parking regulations. In addition, they approved a sharp increase in fines for cars left on the road during a snow emergency. Tuesday night, City Manager George Proakis presented the changes, which were meant to be a stop-gap until the City can do a more wholesale change to the parking ban. In January, residents filled the Council Chamber for a hearing about eliminating the parking ban completely.

Government

City’s Longtime Leader of Community Development and Planning Retiring in January

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Steve Magoon

After more than 17 years leading Watertown’s economic development and planning efforts, Steve Magoon will be retiring from the City of Watertown at the end of January. First hired in 2008 as the Director of Community Development and Planning, Magoon was elevated by the late City Manager Mike Driscoll to Assistant City Manager for Community Development and Planning in the mid-2010s. He continues to serve in that role for City Manager George Proakis, who thanked him for his service at the Nov. 12 City Council Meeting. “In the coming weeks, I know we’ll have a chance to celebrate Steve and his accomplishments in Watertown,” Proakis said at the Council meeting.

Government

Winter Parking Ban Could be Shortened by City Council

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Charlie BreitroseSnow started early Tuesday and will get much heavier during the day. The overnight parking ban may be reduced by more than a month if the City Council approves a proposal for a temporary modification to the Winter Parking Ban on Tuesday night. The proposal will be discussed on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. in City Hall and on Zoom. City Council President Mark Sideris gave a preview of the changes during the Nov.

Government

Council Approves Tax Rate for FY2026, See How Much of an Increase to Expect

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Charlie BreitroseA lot of money was raised and spent on the 2015 Watertown Election. Watertown homeowners will see their property taxes rise nearly 7 percent after the City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Tax Classification on Wednesday night. The average residential tax bill is $11,328, which is up $734 or 6.9 percent, according to the presentation by Earl Smith, the chair of the Watertown Board of Assessors. The Council also adopted the residential exemption at 35 percent, which provides a savings of $3,965. The average tax bill with the residential exemption is $7,363, which is up $476 or 6.9 percent.

Around Town

John Airasian’s Family Remember His Love for His Family, His Business & His Community

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John Airasian

This week, Watertown said goodbye to a man who devoted his life to three things: family, business, and the community. Thousands lined up in the cold weather for his wake on Tuesday, and on Wednesday hundreds sat in the pews at St. Patrick’s Church for the funeral of John S. Airasian. While he served on many community organizations through the years — the Watertown-Belmont Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Watertown, the Arsenal Reuse Committee, and the Traffic Commission — many they will remember Airasian for his friendly demeanor, desire to help others, and his love of his hometown. His three sons — Pete, Bob, and John — remembered their father during Wednesday’s funeral service.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Watertown Field Hockey Runs Into A Dominant Opponent in the State Div. 3 Semifinal

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Watertown field hockey players Kaylee Master, Ava Lamacchia, and Lola Venezia defend against Uxbridge in the MIAA Div. 3 Tournament Semifinal. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

WEST BRIDGEWATER — Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure … than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.  ~  Theodore Roosevelt

The Watertown field hockey team lines up before the 2025 State Semifinal against Uxbridge. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Unless the players and coaches of Watertown Field Hockey had lived under a rock the past three months, except for when practicing and playing field hockey, they certainly knew the challenge they faced Wednesday night.

Around Town

Senior Center Teams with New Veterans Services Officer to Honor Watertown Veterans

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Watertown Veterans Services Officer Jay Terminiello introduced veteran and Council on Aging member Russ Arico, the featured speaker at the Senior Center’s Veterans Luncheon. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Senior Center hosted dozens of veterans and other guests on Monday to pay tribute to Watertown’s current and former military servicemen and women the day before Veterans Day. The featured speaker at the event was a member of the Army Corps of Engineers in the Vietnam War, Russ Arico, who is currently serves on the Watertown Council on Aging. “Watertown residents have served this country from its inception, creating this country and right up until today,” said Arico. He highlighted one Watertown family, the Ovoians, who had members who landed at Normandy in World War II, two brothers who served in Vietnam, and a member of the next generation who took part in the first Gulf War.

Around Town

Businesses Air Concerns with Mt. Auburn Street Construction; City Pledges Improved Communication

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Mt. Auburn Street has been under construction this year, and it will continue for a few more. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The past several months have been tough for businesses in Coolidge Square with the road construction and utility work on Mt. Auburn Street. While the project is expected to last another three years, heavy construction is largely done until spring and City and construction officials have committed to improving communication with business owners.