Government

Watertown’s Inauguration Ceremony Canceled Due to Increasing COVID Cases

By |

Watertown City Hall

The Watertown inauguration ceremony has been cancelled due to increasing cases of COVID-19, but the newly-elected officials will still be sworn-in on Jan. 3. City Council President Mark Sideris announced the cancellation on Tuesday. “It is with great regret and with an abundance of caution that we will be cancelling the inauguration that was scheduled for Jan. 3rd,” Sideris said in a statement.

Schools

John Portz Says Farewell to School Committee After 16 Years, Also Served on Town Council

By |

Northeastern UniversityJohn Portz retired from the School Committee in December after 16 years. He also served eight years as a Town Councilor. School Committee Chair John Portz oversaw his final meeting earlier this month, ending not only 16 years on the School Committee but more than 25 years serving the residents of Watertown. At the Dec. 4 meeting, Portz’s colleagues paid tribute to his dedication to the students of Watertown, his steady leadership, and for focusing on working as a team.

Around Town

Watertown Inauguration Will Take Place at the Mosesian Center in January

By |

Watertown’s newly elected officials will be sworn in at an inauguration ceremony to be held at the Mosesian Center for the Arts. The inauguration includes the City Council President, eight City Councilors, three members of the School Committee and three members of the Board of Library Trustees. The ceremony is free and open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

The City of Watertown requests the honor of your presence to attend and participate in the Inauguration of the City Council, School Committee, and Library Board of Trustees, on Monday, the third of January, Two Thousand and Twenty-Two, at the Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts located at 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, Massachusetts, at Ceremony at Seven O’clock in the evening.

Around Town

See Precinct Results for 2021 Town Council, School Committee, Library Trustees Races and the Charter Questions

By |

Town of WatertownA map of Watertown’s Districts: Peach is A, Red is B, Lime Green is C, Green is D.

The results of the Watertown Election are in, and the winners have been announced, but if the election had followed certain precincts the results would have looked different. The Town Clerk’s office released the precinct-by-precinct counts from the Nov. 2, 2021, election. The turnout was bigger than recent Town Elections, with 24 percent of the 25,693 registered Watertown voters casting ballots, according to the Town Clerk’s office. In 2019, the turnout was 17.24 percent.

Election 2021

Incumbents Re-elected in Town Council & School Committee Races, Charter Changes Approved

By |

Charlie Breitrose

Incumbents fared well in the race for Town Council Tuesday night with three winning re-election as Councilors At-Large Race, and the one facing a candidate for District Councilor coming out on top. The two incumbents running for the School Committee will also return for another term. The results came out of the Town Clerk’s Office at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. The vote is not official until all the absentee and overseas votes are counted, which could take a week or longer. Incumbents Tony Palomba received the most votes for Councilors At-Large with 3,251.

Charter Changes

2021 Watertown Election Guide, See What’s on the Ballot, Where to Vote

By |

Tuesday is election day in Watertown, and Town voters will be selecting candidates for three Town boards, as well as voting on changes to the Town Charter. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (see polling locations below). Town Council, School Committee & Library Trustee Races

The 2021 election has 25 candidates running, with several contested races. Only two are uncontested — Town Council President and District C Town Councilor. Seven people are running for four Councilor At-Large spots.

Elections

LETTER: Resident Endorses School Committee Candidate

By |

To the editor:

This election day I am casting my vote for Amy Donohue for School Committee.  

Amy’s credentials as a dedicated public servant and involved parent have been well-documented over the past several years. 

Her commitment to our Public Schools goes far beyond the interests of her own children, as she cares deeply about the quality of education for all students. She has advocated fairly and passionately for students, families, teachers, and administrators during her first term. I have had the good fortune to be friends with Amy for well over 10 years, we also served as co-presidents of the Watertown Education Foundation. Having spent many years fundraising for the school-wide Educational Grant Program either at the Spelling Bee or Trivia Night or Dancing with the Stars, I have seen first-hand the time, effort, and energy Amy has dedicated to our town. I have found her to be a caring, compassionate, intelligent person, willing to listen to all sides of an issue and fully considers all options before making important decisions.  

Her tireless involvement in the community, through The Ed Foundation, teaching in our public schools, and as a local business owner, to name just a few, shows that she is a person of service and integrity, who truly wants the best for Watertown. I know she will continue to serve the school committee with the same passion she exhibits in all of her endeavors.

Charter Changes

LETTER: Resident Backs Council, School Committee Candidates, Opposes Charter Changes

By |

To the Editor:

I’m writing today, urging the Common Sense mainstream Watertown voters to participate in the upcoming non-partisan municipal election on November 2, 2021. Watertown is at a tipping point. As I mentioned, our municipal elections are nonpartisan and for good reason. Councilors and School Committee members are elected, charged, and paid to administer purely local concerns. Yet, there are those who for 2 decades now, have tried to use their municipal office to promote partisan issues, often radical, rather than focusing on the daily nuts and bolts operations of the community.