Government

Council Approves Adding $4.3 Million to FY23 Budget, Plans to Spend Most of Funds

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Watertown City Hall

Watertown’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget increased by $4.325 million when the City Council approved the budget amendment on Nov. 9. Most of the additional funds will go to help purchase the former Parker School or will go into the High School project stabilization fund. City Manager George Proakis gave the details of the budget amendment for the fiscal year that ends on June 30, 2023. The additional fund mostly come from accounts that came in higher than when the budget was approved last spring, Proakis said.

Around Town

City Planner Shows Possible Idea for Watertown Square That Includes Roundabouts

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Jeff SpeckA concept for Watertown Square drawn up by city planner Jeff Speck, on the right, with an aerial photo of the area as it exists now. How to make Watertown Square a calmer, more efficient, and inviting place to be is a complex puzzle, which City Manager George Proakis plans to take on in his first year on the job. A well-known city planner took a stab at the problem and drew up a redesign with roundabouts on two ends of the main intersection in town. The drawing was the product of a quick analysis by Jeff Speck, in a talk about making cities more walkable, as well as places where businesses thrive. He presented it during his presentation at the Charles River Chamber of Commerce Fall Business Breakfast in Newton on Oct.

Government

City Manager Hosting Meet & Greet for West Side Residents

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The following information was provided by Councilor Emily Izzo:

City Manager George Proakis will be having a Meet & Greet for residents of District D. This will be taking place on Thursday, Nov. 3 from 6-8 p.m. in the Watertown Police Station Community Room.  

This will be a great opportunity to meet our new Manager and introduce yourself, as well as discuss any questions or concerns for the West End of Watertown! Hope to see you there!

Government

City Manager Commits to Building a New High School Without Sacrificing Education or Green Features

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the main entrance to Watertown High School from Columbia Street. Watertown has plans to build a new high school which will create enough energy to cover the amount needed to operate the building, be equipped with state of the art equipment and technology, and will educate students for decades to come. Even facing climbing construction costs, City Manager George Proakis vowed that the new school will be built.

Watertown will get a significant portion of the new high school reimbursed —  $44.2 million — by the State through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The cost of the project approved by the state was $138.6 million, but since the approval in March the cost of construction has escalated. In July, the School Building Committee approved “value engineering” steps to use less costly materials and reduce the scope of the project to keep it on budget.

Government

City Manager Seeking Applicants for Residents’ Advisory Committee

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

City Manager George J. Proakis is seeking Watertown residents interested in serving on the Residents’ Advisory Committee.  

The Committee is being formed per the City Charter – Section 3-7 Residents’ Advisory Committee:  

“The city manager shall establish a Residents’ Advisory Committee to assist with recruitment, evaluation, and selection of candidates for appointment to multiple-member bodies. In making appointments to multiple-member bodies, the city manager shall seek to appoint individuals with relevant expertise or experience. The city manager shall work with the Residents’ Advisory Committee to establish policies and practices to actively encourage a diverse pool of applicants for multiple-member bodies. The city manager and Residents’ Advisory Committee shall recognize the importance of diversity in appointments, including, but not limited to, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity.”

Applicants should submit a letter of interest accompanied by a resume or other information concerning background or experience by Friday, November 4, 2022:  by email to citymgr@watertown-ma.gov or City Manager’s Office, 149 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472.

Government

Watertown’s New City Manager Holding Pair of Meet and Greets

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Watertown City Manager George Proakis. Watertown City Manager George Proakis, who started his new position in August, will be holding a pair of meet-and-greets where he will be available to speak with residents and members of the public. Proakis will hold the first Meet and Greet with residents on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022 from 6-7 p.m. in City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 149 Main St. The event precedes that evening’s City Council Meeting (the agenda includes the FY 2024 preliminary budget overview).

City Budget

Watertown’s New City Manager Talks About Some of His Priorities as He Starts the Job

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Watertown’s new City Manager, George Proakis, officially started working for the City on Aug. 15, 2022. In his first few weeks as new City Manager, George Proakis has been meeting people and getting familiar with how things work in Watertown, but he does have a few items he knows will be on his plate during his first year on the job. Proakis sat down with Watertown News during his second week in his new job and shared some of his thoughts about projects he expects to take on early in his time in town. This is the second of two stories on the City’s new chief executive.

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New Manager Likes Watertown’s Strong Fiscal Base, Looks at Successes from Previous Community

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City of WatertownWatertown’s new City Manager, George Proakis, was sworn in by City Clerk Janet Murphy on Aug. 15, 2022. Even before his first official day as City Manager, George Proakis began to familiarize himself with the community by browsing through the booths at the Watertown Arts Market with his family. While he is new to Watertown, he knows a few things about this City’s government, and a lot about how municipal governments work. In May, the City Council chose Proakis to be Watertown’s first new manager in nearly three decades.