Watertown City Hall publishes a lot, but it's spread across council agendas, minutes posted days later and a meeting video on Rumble. This is the short version: what was decided, what's coming up, and what's open for local businesses. Every item links to the city's own document.
Covers: the Nov. 2 City Council meeting (minutes, agenda, video) and the city's meeting calendar through mid-December.
Coming up
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Mon., Nov. 9, 7 p.m. | City Council work session. The City Manager said vacant properties will be on it | Council Chambers, City Hall, 245 Washington St. |
| Wed., Nov. 11, 9 a.m. | Veterans Day at the VFW: coffee and donuts at 9, ceremony at 10 (announced by Mayor Pierce) | VFW |
| Mon., Nov. 16, 7 p.m. | City Council meeting | Council Chambers. Streamed on Rumble |
| Wed., Nov. 18, 7 p.m. | Zoning Board of Appeals | Council Chambers |
| Tue., Dec. 1 | Planning Commission, 5:15 p.m. Also the deadline to file property tax exemption applications | Council Chambers / Assessor's Office |
No agendas are posted yet for these meetings. Seasonal parking rules are in effect: no parking on city streets from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.
The Ives Hill rezoning: withdrawn, no vote
The request to rezone the 1.7-acre Ives Hill clubhouse and parking lot at 465 Flower Avenue West from Residential to Neighborhood Mixed Use is off the table. At the Nov. 2 public hearing, Mayor Pierce told the room the request had been withdrawn and the Council would not vote on it. No one spoke. Council Member Kimball then moved to withdraw the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Shoen. The land stays Residential. (minutes; our map of what the change would have allowed)
What the Council decided on Nov. 2
| Item | Vote | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Black River Trail Western Connection: more design money (Res. 6 and 7) | 3–2 (Osborne, Shoen no) | Adds $98,000 to the Barton & Loguidice design contract, to $431,500, after some easements were withdrawn and the trail had to be redrawn. The money moves from the project's construction phase to design. Osborne objected to paying more for a scaled-back project; Shoen said he'd vote against any more spending on it. Garrabrant voted yes because the grant would have to be paid back if the city quit now |
| Police cameras and Tasers standardized on Axon (Res. 2) | 5–0 | Lets the Police Department buy Axon body cameras, car cameras and Tasers by name instead of comparing brands each time. Chief Lyon said the department owns its current Axon gear and could still switch if something better came along |
| Food 4 Families (Res. 3) | 5–0 | $8,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money to United Way of Northern New York for the city school district's food program |
| Watertown Urban Mission food pantry (Res. 4) | 4–1 (Shoen no) | $8,000 in CDBG money for food and supplies |
| 2024 CDBG plan amended (Res. 5) | 5–0 | Two 2024 projects came in under budget; the plan now moves that money and adds a new project. Goes to HUD |
| Surplus auctions (Res. 1) | 5–0 | Renews the online auction contract with Auctions International (no cost to the city; buyers pay the fee). Kimball asked for reports on what past auctions actually brought in; the City Manager said the Comptroller can prepare one |
| Fire training grant (Res. 8) | 5–0 | Fire Department applies for up to $10,000 from the Garrett W. Loomis Firefighters Fund for a forcible-entry door simulator, instead of borrowing the Town's and County's |
| Police clerical position (Res. 9) | 5–0 | Replaces a Secretary title with Principal Account Clerk to match the job; $3,150 moved from contingency |
Council also went into a closed executive session on a personnel matter from 7:38 to 8:42 p.m. No action was reported.
Also worth knowing
- City spending reports: Garrabrant asked staff for quarterly reports on legal fees and overtime, after a Watertown Daily Times story on the city's legal costs. Osborne backed the idea.
- 518 Coffeen St.: a resident asked the city to take the vacant property and get it back on the tax rolls. The City Manager said the city won't own it unless it goes to foreclosure.
- City-owned lots: Shoen said he'd like the city to sell any lots it can.
- Council office hours: Mayor Pierce plans office hours at Flower Memorial Library, with the Police Chief. A date will come by press release.
- Black River Trail and the Route 3 wave: Cliff Olney sent six emails, including asking the Council to table the two trail resolutions and to account for money set aside for the Route 3 whitewater wave and the Black River fund.
Open for local businesses
Open now: RFP #2026-12, Legal Services (Extreme Risk Protection Orders and police codes), due Thursday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. The city lists its open bids on its Bids page. Specifications are on the city's EvoBid portal (free vendor account required).
Purchasing contact: Tina Bartlett-Bearup, (315) 785-7749, [email protected].
Sources: City of Watertown, Nov. 2, 2026 City Council minutes and meeting calendar. Votes are taken from the official minutes.