Government

LETTER: Councilor Discusses Upcoming Meetings Look at Police Services in Watertown

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The following statement was first read by Councilor Lisa Feltner at the March 9 Town Council meeting:

Watertown is very proud of its police department. The men and women who have served here, have served with distinction, and we appreciate overall their dedication to keeping us safe. They put their lives on the line for us every day. There are members of our community that have some concerns, which is understandable given all that has happened over the past year and in light of the pandemic, which has prompted questions about municipal and societal priorities across the country. The Town Council unanimously recommended the Public Safety Committee hold meetings to discuss current services and operations of our police department.

Letters

LETTER: Group of Parents Calls for Reopening Schools When Safe for Student & Staff

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The following letter was signed by 60 residents, and is being sent to the Superintendent of Schools and the School Committee:

Dear Dr. Galdston,

Before addressing anything else, we want to thank you for your stewardship of Watertown Public Schools during the pandemic over the past 12 months. As we approach the anniversary of our community’s move to remote learning, we recognize your work, leadership and sacrifices,and are cognizant that the personal tolls of our circumstances not only affect our families, but yours as well. In addition, we recognize the tremendous pressure you are under to immediately, and fully reopen our schools. While we empathize with the hardships of our fellow families and community members, we unequivocally cannot support this plan. Though a vocal group of ourpeers are demanding a full return to in-person learning, there are just as many families who want to keep their children remote or hybrid for the remainder of the school year due to safety concerns.

Letters

LETTER: Group Seeks Racial Equity in Policing in Watertown

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The following piece was provided by the Watertown Joint Police Reform Group:

Given the national dialogue about the disparate impact policing has had on people of color throughout our history, it should come as no surprise that Watertown is also impacted by systemic racism. For example, in 2018-19 Black residents were arrested at a rate 5-6 times their percentage of the Watertown population. Watertown Joint Police Reform Group (WJPRG) is a coalition of four grassroots citizen groups that has been working on police reform proposals since last summer. The coalition comprises Uplift Watertown, Watertown Citizens for Black Lives (WCBL), the Kingian Response Team Working Group on Non-Violence Training, and the Kingian Response Team Working Group on a Watertown Police Department (WPD) Community Advisory Board. The group hopes to raise awareness among town residents of the practical ways that the WPD could address the disparate impacts of policing on people of color.

Charity

LETTER: Wayside Thanks Supporters During a Challenging 2020

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The holiday season is upon us and it’s the most wonderful time of the year for many. But for some, it can be challenging and filled with worry. Not all families can provide gifts for their loved ones. Typically, the Watertown Social Services Resource Specialist (SSRS) Program, a Wayside Youth & Family Support Network program at the Multi-Service Center, works with local churches and businesses to provide holiday gifts for families in need. As you can imagine, this year proved to bevery challenging due to COVID-19 and the many restrictions we have in place.

Letters

LETTER: Councilor Concerned About Impact of Proposed Closing of Little Greenough Blvd.

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NOTE: The original letter by Councilor Angeline Kounelis was sent to State Sen. Will Brownsberger when a petition was circulated in August calling for the closing of Greenough Boulevard between North Beacon and Arsenal streets. The Town Council is considering whether to ask the Department of Conservation and Recreation do a pilot program closing “Little Greenough” on weekends this spring, summer and fall. Will,

Many thanks for taking the time to share the petition, addressed to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), that is being circulated to permanently close “Little Greenough Blvd.” to vehicular traffic. I was not aware of the petition. 

Open green space and recreation are the ideals that all communities strive to encourage and implement.

Around Town

LETTER: Are More Artificial Turf Fields a Win for Watertown and the Planet?

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The following letter is in response to the Town Council’s recent approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Watertown and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School to share share fields — the new artificial turf fields planned by the school on Grove Street and the fields at Filippello Park. Dear Watertown,

For more than a decade, the artificial turf industry’s campaign to convincemunicipalities, private schools, colleges and universities to build new artificial turf playing fields and to replace existing grass playing fields with artificial turf has grown steadily and has been highly successful. What has also grown is public opposition to this high powered, highly profitable, and often dishonest campaign. The industry’s claim that artificial turf has been proven to be safe for student athletes and for the general public is untrue. When public input is kept out of the decision-making process, the industry almost always wins.

Environment

LETTER: Watertown High Group’s Climate Demands

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The following information was provided by members of the Watertown High School student group, Watertown Sunrise, which advocates to stop Climate Change. The demands were presented during a march and rally on the evening of Oct. 23, 2020. WATERTOWN SUNRISE DEMANDS

We demand that the Watertown town council declare a climate emergency. We’re also asking our town government, to help call on other town leaders and to sign onto the Green New Deal pledge to fight for our futures.

Around Town

LETTER: COVID Mixed Messaging — Schools Running Hybrid, District Offers In-Person Childcare

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Editor,

Watertown Schools are now offering in-person child care for remote learning, for a fee. I thought the purpose of remote learning was to keep people at home to control the pandemic? I am on board with that. And this service is surely a valuable one for families that need it. But I find the fact that they are offering it for a fee a little outrageous.