Council adopts $226.2 million Watertown budget

City Council · Meeting of May 26, 2026

WATERTOWN — The Watertown City Council finalized a $226.2 million fiscal 2027 budget, defeating a procedural reconsideration motion 0-8 to lock it in. Council President Mark S. Sideris flagged a planned police department drone purchase for referral to the Public Safety Committee before any buy, and the city manager pledged the department "will not make the purchase and the implementation" until that review finishes.

The council also approved a $1,887,000 debt-reduction transfer and a conflict-of-interest exemption for a Project Literacy summer hire in the library department, both 8-0. State Representatives John Lund and Steve Owens told the council Watertown's Chapter 90 road funding will rise to about $950,000, up from $730,000 last year, and that a pending home-rule tax levy shift bill is due out of the Revenue Committee by June 26. Resident Russell Rico presented a 51-signature petition opposing a proposed Watertown Square parking garage, saying "you will commit hypocrisy" by approving it after pushing residents toward walking and transit.

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Source: the City Council meeting of May 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.