The week ahead: City Council to discuss ‘proactive city-wide’ rat management strategies

Update (Dec. 15): The article has been updated to reflect that the Conservation Commission meeting previously scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 18 has been cancelled. The commission will meet next on Jan. 8.

The City Council’s Economic and Community Development Committee will discuss strategies to address the city’s rat problem at its meeting tonight.

A resolution introduced last week by Ward 7 Councilor Paul S. Katz and supported by Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris and Ward 9 Councilor Robert G. Logan prompted the committee’s planned discussion.

The resolution says that current measures, such as bait boxes placed throughout the city, are “not reducing rodent activity in a meaningful and consistent way” and calls for the city to take other measures to prevent rat activity. 

It also requests an update from the Board of Health about what measures it is currently taking against rats and calls for a comprehensive rat-abatement plan with measures including infrastructure updates, public education, different anti-rat measures and improvements to trash hauling standards.

City Council committees

In other scheduled business before the City Council committees, the Ordinances and Rules Committee will continue discussions about three mixed-use commercial and residential overlay districts for the west area of Waltham.

The Committee of the Whole will hear from members of the Waltham Cultural Council, about its work. The Waltham Cultural Council is the local chapter of a state-run body for cultural and arts program funding, and it is working through this year’s project grants cycle.

The Licenses and Franchises Committee will discuss a used car sales license renewal.

The Finance Committee will discuss two donations to the city: a $5,000 donation from the Bird Precision Charitable Foundation to the Council on Aging and a $250 donation from local law firm Connors & Connors to maintain holiday lights on Waltham Common. 

Committees will meet at City Hall starting at 7 p.m. tonight, Monday, Dec. 15.

Retirement Board

The Waltham Retirement Board will meet this week to discuss its budget, its activity in 2025’s third quarter, and new hires and retirements in city government.

The board will meet Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 4:45 p.m. in the Hoover Meeting Room at City Hall and will stream the meeting via Zoom.

Zoning Board of Appeals

The ZBA is a five-person board charged with reviewing new and existing buildings that might violate the city’s zoning code. 

The board has the power to grant project-specific variances to the code, overrule judgments made by the building inspector and grant specific types of special permits.

This week it will hear two cases about additions to private homes: a single-story addition at 74 Mokema Ave. and an exercise room above an existing garage at 80 Clark Lane. 

It will also consider extending the decision date for a December 2024 case about a two-story garage and living space addition to a private home on Cedarwood Avenue. 

The board will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Arthur Clark Government Center.

Board of Health

The Board of Health works to address potential public health problems in the city, including communicable diseases, foodborne illnesses, and housing and environmental safety issues.

This week board members will discuss regulation on body work in Framingham and Watertown, both of which have enshrined independent regulation for body work locations. They will also discuss the body work shop Rose Aromatherapy.

The board will meet at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, in the auditorium of the Clark Government Center.

License Commission

The License Commission grants and reviews permits for serving food and alcohol for entertainment and for some types of gaming machines across the city.

It will meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the public meeting room of the Clark Government Center at 119 School St. Its agenda will be posted Monday on the Licensing Department page of the city’s website.

School Committee

The Waltham School Committee, an elected six-member committee chaired by Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, makes policy and oversight decisions for the Waltham Public Schools.

This week the committee will discuss Superintendent Marisa Mendonsa’s employment contract as well as contracts for an interim assistant superintendent for special education and student services and an early childhood coordinator position.

It will also hear an update from the statewide Graduation Council. 

Additionally, it will revisit a policy on service dogs that had received preliminary approval and continue discussions about next school year’s staffing needs and Waltham High School’s career and technical education program

The committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the James J. Cannon Lecture Hall of the school building at 617 Lexington St.

Traffic Commission

The Traffic Commission meets monthly to discuss matters before the Traffic Engineering Department about improving the streets and infrastructure of the city.

This week the commission is scheduled to hear a request for a 15-minute parking space on Warren Street and a permit modification request from JMC Driving School about cone placement. It will also discuss the WEBF Strides For Education Road Race scheduled for May.

It plans to return to three previous studies requested by city councilors: a parking study on Elson Road, a speed study on Lakeview Avenue, and a study about a no engine breaking sign on Trapelo Road.

The commission will meet Thursday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Library Building Committee

The Board of Library Trustees is a five-person board appointed by the mayor and charged with establishing policies for the Waltham Public Library. 

The committee will meet at 1 p.m. this Thursday to discuss timeline and design updates for proposed library renovations. The committee will meet in the Trustees Room of the Waltham Public Library. Members of the public can also attend the meeting over Zoom, and connection details can be found in the committee’s agenda.