City Manager Moves to End Flock Camera Contract

City Council · Meeting of January 27, 2026

Watertown's city manager told the City Council he will end a license plate reader contract with Flock Safety after months of privacy backlash. The manager said no cameras were ever installed and the police chief is meeting an ACLU attorney this week on surveillance policy, with a council committee still to weigh future rules. Councilors also approved roughly $2 million in Department of Public Works equipment loan orders, a 20-year net metering deal with Logging Swamp Solar LLC projected to cut electricity costs "10 percent less than what our current electricity supply costs," and $421,500 and $283,500 in fund transfers covering union raises and capital projects.

Councilor Vincent J. Piccirilli pressed staff on the solar contract's 20-year, largely non-terminable term. The manager also warned debt service could reach $53 million, over 20 percent of the budget, by fiscal 2031.

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Source: the City Council meeting of January 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.