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Home My Public Portal AboutFall 2020 City Manager NewsletterTown of Watertown Autumn 2020 Newsletter Issued by Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager Watertown Town Council Mark S. Sideris, President Vincent J. Piccirilli, Vice President Caroline Bays, At -Large Anthony J. Donato, At -Large John G. Gannon, At -Large Anthony Palomba, At- Large Angeline B. Kounelis, District A Lisa J. Feltner, District B Kenneth M. Woodland, District D Town of Watertown, Massachusetts 149 Main Street Watertown, Massachusetts 02472 www.watertown-ma.gov Seeking Poll Workers The Watertown Board of Election Commissioners are looking to recruit workers for the November elections and beyond. Poll workers are responsible for checking in registered voters, answering general questions, and checking out the voters after the ballot has been submitted. With the anticipated increase in absentee/vote by mail ballots this year, workers will also assist with that process. Poll workers must be over 18. Election workers are essential to ensuring that elections are a success. With each election, millions of Americans dedicate themselves to sustaining the backbone of democracy - our election process. You can fill out the election form here. For more information please contact the Town Clerk's Office at (617) 972-6486. Assessor's Office For your convenience and safety, you can now submit the following requests online 24 hours a day/7 days a week and 365 days a year: • Change of Tax Bill Mailing Address • Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Refund Form • Fiscal Year 2021 Exemption Applications* *These can be submitted online through the exemption mailbox on the Assessor's Office Homepage (see below). For all of these links, please visit the Assessor's Office Homepage: htWs://www.watertown-ma.gov/61/Assessor Town of Watertown Plastic Bag Ban As of Friday July 10, 2020, Governor Baker has lifted the freeze on the plastic bag ban ordinance, as well as the ban on reusable bags. The Watertown Single -Use Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance is now back in effect. In order to give business owners time to make the transition away from plastic bags, enforcement will not begin until October 1 st. We encourage businesses to make the transition as soon as possible. Please take notice that after October 1, 2020 no single use plastic checkout bags may be distributed at point of sale for any business. Recycled paper bags or reusable bags as defined in the ordinance may be provided for free or sold at checkout. Our hope is for an increasing number of customers to bring re -usable bags when shopping, which they regularly wash and sanitize. We strongly encourage all Watertown residents to start using re -usable bags for all of their shopping trips. Watertown Bluebikes Watertown Bluebikes has launched, with 3 of 7 stations up and running in Coolidge Square, Watertown Square, and on North Beacon Street at North Beacon Court. Bluebikes is a bike share system where users can get a bike at any station, and return it to any station. Blue Cross Blue Shield is sponsoring a "first ride free" for new riders to give it a try. Start by going to bluebikes.com, or download the app. Bluebike stations are or will be at these locations: 1. Coolidge Square, in front of Coolidge Playground, northeast corner of Arlington St. and Mt. Auburn St. (installed) 2. Nichols Ave. at the Community Path, within the parking lot at Linx (coming soon) 3. Arsenal Yards, facing Arsenal Street (coming soon) 4. Arsenal Street at Kingsbury Street, near Mosesian Center for the Arts, on the campus of Arsenal on the Charles (coming soon) Office of the Town Manager • 149 Main Street Watertown, MA 02472 • 617-972-6465 0 watertown-ma.go 5. Arsenal Street, in front of 202 Arsenal (vacant lot), between Gables and Elan (coming soon) 6. North Beacon Street at North Beacon Court (installed) 7. Watertown Square, at the Bus Delta (installed) For more information, contact Laura Wiener, Watertown Senior Transportation Planner, at lwienerkwatertown-ma.gov Only Rain in the Storm Drain The Department of Public Works would like to remind everyone this fall that only rain should go in the storm drain! After enjoying the fall foliage this season, please do not rake piles of leaves directly on the roadway or sidewalk and please do not dump them in the storm drain! Not only can blocked storm drains cause flooding, contents entering storm drains flow directly to our waterways. Please compost or mulch your leaves on your property, or bag them for curbside pick-up. You can review the trash and recycling collection calendar which also has information on how to properly prepare and place your yard waste curbside to be collected. Collection calendar can be viewed here: httn://www.watertowndDw.ore/DocumentCenterNiew/820/2020-Trash-and-Recvcle-Collection-Calendar Property Tax Work -Off Program The Town of Watertown funds this program yearly for up to 10 seniors and/or veterans to work as many as 118 hours (FY21) for a Town Department in exchange for up to a $1,500 property tax deduction. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements. Call the Senior Center at (617) 972-6490 or the Veterans Services Officer at (617) 972-6416 for details. Watertown Council on Aging/Senior Center/Food Pantry The Watertown Senior Center and the Senior Shuttle Bus remain closed, but Senior Center staff are available to connect you to their Zoom programs and to provide other assistance. Senior Parking Permits can be renewed over the phone, and new permits can be purchased by calling the Senior Center and making an appointment. The Watertown Food Pantry is open Tuesdays, 10 AM until 2 PM at 80 Mt. Auburn Street, rear. When going to the Food Pantry, please wear a mask or other face covering to protect your own self and those around you in the parking lot and at the Food Pantry. Food donations (granola bars, snack -size cookies and crackers, juice boxes, canned goods, cold cereals, peanut butter and other shelf - stable items) are accepted at the Food Pantry on Tuesdays starting at 8:00 AM until 1:30 PM. For more information about the Food Pantry or any senior issues, call the Senior Center at (617) 972-6490 or send an e-mail to SeniorCenter(a)watertown-ma.gov. Massachusetts Veteran Annuities Are Online The Massachusetts Veterans' Annuities have gone digital. If you are a Veteran with a 100% VA disability rating; or a parent/spouse of a Veteran who died from a service connected disability, you are eligible to receive an annual annuity of $2,000 (paid in $1,000 installments in August and February). This application can now be found and submitted online. Questions about eligibility should be directed to the Veterans Services Officer at (617) 972-6416 or PGeorgekwatertown-ma.gov Watertown Free Public Library The Watertown Free Public Library is open for browsing and checkouts. We offer special hours for ages 65+ and those with underlying health conditions every weekday, 9 — 10 AM. Please review our new safety policies and hours before you visit: watertownlib.org/reopening Schedule Curbside Pickup You can place holds and schedule pickup for library materials online at watertownlib.org/pickup. If you are unable to place your order online, give us a call at 617-972-6431. Discount Museum Passes Now Available The WFPL Museum Pass Program has resumed with passes available for the Discovery Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, Isabella Steward Gardner Museum, and MA Audubon. Due to each museum's COVID-19 precautions, the procedures for using museum passes have changed. Patrons are advised to carefully review the instructions before visiting museums. For more information and reserve passes visit watertownblib.org/museums The Red Leaf Cafe The Red Leaf Cafe, located in the Watertown Free Public Library, is now open for takeout on weekdays from 9 AM — 3 PM. Boards, Commissions and Committees By serving on a Town Board/Commission/Committee you'll make a valuable contribution to the community of Watertown and meet other residents who share similar interests. Even if you cannot serve on a committee all Watertown residents are welcome to attend any of the many committee meetings held. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest accompanied by a resume by email to townmgr@watertown-ma.gov or Town Manager's Office, 149 Main Street. You can view upcoming meetings and events on the Town's website. www.watertown-ma.gov. Office of the Town Manager • 149 Main Street Watertown, MA 02472 • 617-972-6465 0 watertown-ma.go