Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/tag/town-council/page/19/)
The following statement was read, in part, to the Town Council on Dec. 11, 2018, by Watertown Resident Jocelyn Tager. The requirement to have solar power systems on new developments over a certain size was passed by the Town Council on Nov. 27, 2018, making the town the first in the state to adopt such a requirement. Here is the full version:
My name is Jocelyn Tager.
The Town Council’s Public Works Subcommittee will delve into the proposal to install cell phone antennae in Watertown at a meeting in January. In November, the Council heard a proposal from ExteNet Systems to install small antennae on utility poles in two locations in Watertown — one at 171 Palfey Street and one at 550 Arsenal Street. Several residents opposed the installation of the antennae, and expressed about potential health hazards from them. https://www.watertownmanews.com/2018/11/19/residents-fired-up-over-proposed-cell-phone-antennae-in-watertown/
The requested for the antennae is being made to upgrade the cellular network in town to 5G. New rules adopted by the FCC make the approval process for cell antennae shorter, and with fewer restrictions.
Residents came out to express their concerns to the Town Council about proposed cell phone antennae in two locations in Watertown. The concern is not just about possible health concerns from having a cell antenna near homes, but also about the new regulations that make it more difficult for communities to deny new cell phone antenna locations. Keenan Brinn, representing ExteNet — which is petitioning for the antennae — said the company seeks to put up one antenna on a utility pole at 141 Palfrey Street and one on a pole at 550 Arsenal Street. The company also seeks to put one near the main intersection of Watertown Square, in the vicinity of Charles River Road, but that falls under the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s jurisdiction. “ExteNet is interested in building out the fifth generation cellular network, otherwise know as 5G,” Brinn said.
The Town Council Committee on Human Services will hold its sixth meeting on the topic of affordable housing on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:15 p.m.
The theme of this meeting is “Solutions/Case Examples.” The meeting will take place in the Lower Hearing Room on the ground floor of Town Hall. The guests presenting at the meeting include:
Kelly Donato, Assistant Housing Director, at the City of Somerville; Cliff Cook, member of the Watertown Housing Partnership; State Senator Will Brownsberger; and Rachel Heller, Executive Director of the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association. For questions or more information contact call 781-644-3525 or email
councilorpalomba@gmail.com
The rave reviews for the 2018 Faire on the Square continued at Tuesday night’s Town Council Meeting.
Town officials tried to change things up from previous years to breathe new life into the annual event, which drew thousands on Saturday. “This was a really fun, successful, revitalized event,” Sideris said. He thanked several people for organizing the event, including Dan McCarthy, who took over as chairman of the Faire on the Square Committee. Watertown resident James Mello said the event brought back memories of Town events from many years ago. “It reminded me of when we were kids on the Fourth of July when they brought out rides and set them up behind Town Hall,” Mello said.
Watertown Town Manager Michael Driscoll received a raise of more than $20,000 Tuesday night after the Town Council approved giving him raises in two previous years. Changes to the Town Manager’s salary must be made by an ordinance approved by the Town Council. The Council unanimously approved the ordinance Tuesday night that increased his annual salary by $23,000. The ordinance passed on Tuesday listed some of Driscoll’s accomplishments during his time as manager, including raising the town’s bond rating to AAA by Standard & Poor’s, paying off the town’s unfunded retirement system by July 1, 2019 (years before other communities), saving money for the town by entering town employees into the Government Insurance Commission’s group health insurance, and high marks from the state’s Division of Local Services after a full financial management review. Driscoll’s previous salary was $172,500, and the ordinance passed Tuesday included a raise to $184,000 in Fiscal Year 2017 and to $195,500 in Fiscal Year 2018, the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018.
The Town Council split on whether to prohibit self storage facilities from operating in Watertown on Tuesday, ultimately noting not to ban the use.
The proposed amendment to the town’s Zoning Ordinance came about after the Town Council approved a change to the parking requirements for self storage facilities in January. Some Councilors and residents opposed the parking change — which reduced the parking requirement to one spot for every three storage units to two spots per every 10,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area — in part because the amendment came from the owners of the property at 80 Elm St., a potential spot for self storage. The question of banning self-storage as a use in Watertown went to the Planning Board in April.
Recently re-elected Town Councilor Michael Dattoli announced Tuesday night that he will be stepping down because he and his family will be moving out of Watertown. Dattoli, a Councilor-At-Large, will be resigning effective April 30, 2018. He won reelection last November. “This a surprise to many of you, but my wife Megan and I and my family – after very careful consideration – have a very exciting opportunity,” Dattoli said during he meeting. “The timing is very unexpected but for personal reasons, and there are many of them – and they are difficult, we are relocating out of Watertown.”