Election 2021

Deadline Approaching to File to Run in Watertown Election, Possible Opening on Town Council

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown residents cast their ballots at Watertown Town Hall in the 2020 Massachusetts Presidential Primary. The deadline for submitting papers to run in the Town Election is approaching and as of July 22 there are not enough At-Large Town Council candidates for the number of seats. 

While three of the four district councilor seats have contested races, only three of the four councilor at-large incumbents have taken out papers to get signatures to run for re-election. 

In District C and the Town Council President election, so far only the incumbents have taken out papers. 

The School Committee has had six people take out papers for the three spots, including two incumbents. Current member John Portz announced he will not be seeking another term. 

Five people have taken out papers to run for the three spots on the Board of Library Trustees, including two incumbents. Trustee Michael Hanlon is running for District A Town Councilor. The deadline for getting nomination papers into the Town Clerk’s office with signatures is Tuesday, July 27 at 5 p.m. The election will be held on Tuesday, Nov.

Government

Town Council to Hire Consultant to Assist Search for New Town Manager

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Watertown Town Hall

For the first time in more than a quarter century, the Town Council will be looking for a new Town Manager, and they will get some help in finding the Town’s next chief executive from a consultant. Town Council President Mark Sideris gave the first details about the Town Manager search at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting. “The manager’s search is going to be a multi-step process,” Sideris said. “This is something that no body on this council has ever dealt with. We have been fortunate to have our manager for more than 29 years, here.

Government

Water & Sewer Rates to Increase for Watertown Residents; Council to Examine Issue

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Water and sewer rates will increase in Fiscal Year 2022, but not as sharply as this year’s rate hike. Tuesday night, the Town Council approved the Water and Sewer rates, which include a 3.2 percent increase for both water rates and sewer rates. During the last water and sewer rate adjustment, rates went up by more than 8 percent. Town Auditor Tom Tracy said last year’s large increase was part of a plan to rebuild depleted reserve accounts for the Water and Sewer operations. Both of the accounts operate as enterprise funds, which are independent of the Town’s Operating budget and are self-sustaining using payments from water and sewer customers.

Government

Council Backs Rules for Short-Term Rentals (Like Airbnb), No Decision on Max Number of Renters

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The Town Council moved forward proposed rules that would apply to short-term rentals — such as those booked through Airbnb or Vrbo — in Watertown, but could not come to an agreement on what the maximum number of guests at a rental would be. On June 22, the Town Council approved proposed changes to the Town’s Zoning Ordinance to allow short-term rentals as an accessory use. The short-term rentals rule will now go to the Planning Board, which will review them and give their recommendation, and then they will come back to the Council for final approval. Under the rules, short-term rentals will be allowed in Watertown, but operators will have to register with the Town and have the units inspected. There will also be community impact fees charged each time a unit is rented, with the funds coming back to the Town.

Government

Watertown’s Town Boards Return to In-Person Meetings, Public Can Still Participate Remotely

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown government meetings returned to the Town Council Chamber this week for the first time since the COVID-19 restrictions in early 2020. (Above is a Town Council meeting in February 2020). One of the screens in the back of the room has a feed linking Zoom participants to meetings. Town government meetings have returned to Town Hall this week, with the School Committee convening there on Monday and the Town Council holding its meeting there on Tuesday night. The School Committee’s meeting was the first in person for more than a year-and-a-half, said Chair John Portz.

District D

LETTER: Candidate for District D Council Seat Serves as Library Trustee, Worked as Legislative Aide

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Emily Izzo announced her candidacy for the District D Town Council seat. It is with great enthusiasm that I announce my candidacy for District D Town Councilor. My name is Emily Izzo and I am a lifelong Watertown resident who grew up in the west end and attended Cunniff Elementary School, Watertown Middle School and Watertown High School, graduating in 2008. After graduating from Assumption College, where I majored in Political Science and History and minored in Sociology, I began my career in public service working for State Representative John Lawn. First as a legislative aide and later as Chief of Staff, my work with residents and elected officials to enact good government policies reaffirmed in me what public service is all about.

Elections

Council Seeks Applicants to Fill Westside District Seat, Must Agree Not to Run in Fall

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Watertown Town Hall

The Town Council decided to appoint someone to fill the vacancy in the District D seat, which represents the westside of Watertown. Applicants must agree not to run for the seat in the November Town Election. The seat became vacant when Ken Woodland stepped down after taking a job that does not allow him to serve on the Town Council in April. The Council debated whether or not to even fill the seat, and other details, such as whether the person would be able to run for re-election in the fall. Councilor John Gannon asked how the Town could enforce the rule that the person could not run for the seat in the Town Election.

District D

Process for Filling Empty Council Seat Delayed Due to Error in Voting Process

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The Town Council heard a proposal for how to fill the vacant District D Town Council seat, but could not make a vote due to an error during the subcommittee meeting held the previous week. One of the rules changes made by the Governor impacting remote meetings requires all votes to be made by roll call. During the May 5 meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on District D Vacancy the group made a unanimous vote to recommend a process for filling the seat that became vacant when Ken Woodland had to resign to take a job that does not allow him to serve on the Council. However, the vote was not done by roll call — with each committee member being called upon and voicing their vote. Town Attorney Mark Reich, from KP Law, said that the vote should have been made by roll call, and added that since the plan was not put on the May 11 Council Meeting’s agenda as an action item the Council might be in violation of the Open Meeting Law if the it took a vote to approve the plan.