.CitiBus provides safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation for the City of Watertown. The department is responsible for the operation and administration of the City's fixed-route bus system and complementary ADA paratransit service, including transit planning, grant administration, budgeting, fleet management, regulatory compliance, and customer service to support the mobility needs of the community.
The primary function of the department is to prepare real property tax rolls and tax bills.
The goal of our department is to accurately establish assessed values for the equitable distribution of property taxes.
The department maintains a public record of the location, building inventory, ownership and sales history for every parcel of real property in the City of Watertown.
The department is responsible for the administration of all property tax exemptions.
The City Clerk serves as the Clerk for the Council, the Local Registrar of Vital Statistics (Birth, Death and Marriage), the City Historian and the custodian of official City records and the City Seal. The City Clerk’s Office is responsible for issuing certified copies of birth, death and marriage certificates, performing wedding ceremonies and issuing permits/licenses for marriage, dog, bingo and games of chance, various business permits and handicap parking permits.
The City Comptroller is the Chief Financial Officer of the City and the custodian of all City funds. The office is responsible for accounting and financial reporting, collection of revenues, vendor payments, payroll processing, investing of City funds, issuing of debt, property tax collection enforcement, and the park violations bureau.
Office Hours:
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
The City Manager directs and supervises the activities of the City, manages municipal resources for efficient operation of public services, presents plans, reports and analysis to City Council and Mayor and maintains the financial affairs of the City in both long term and short term perspectives.
The goal of the Civil Service department is to:
Hire, train and retain those skilled and capable individuals, without bias and based on merit, who are essential to providing cost effective, quality service to the citizens of Watertown.
Provide services in an efficient and courteous manner.
Insure that the employees of our great city work in an environment where they are encouraged to strive for excellence, and recognized when they achieve it.
The Bureau of Code Enforcement deals with Local and State regulations pertaining to life safety and the general welfare of the public. The Code Enforcement staff consists of the Supervisor, two officers, two Fire Prevention Bureau personnel and one aide.
Our officers review plans and make inspections in accordance with permits issued.
The Bureau of Code Enforcement also responds to citizens' complaints regarding property within the City limits.
The City of Watertown Engineer oversees the direction, development, design, and execution of a variety of projects throughout the City each year. This position is the Department Head over the Engineers and Bureau of Code Enforcement staff, and administers regulatory functions working closely with the Planning and Community Development Department. The City Engineer approves operating and capital budget submittals for the department, and initiates engineering studies and/or program reviews in response to inquiries from City Council, City management, or when professional judgement suggests its is advisable in regards to such public safety and integrity of streets, sidewalks, bridges, traffic systems, street lighting and waterway operations and maintenance.
The Fire Department is a career department staffed with 70 full time personnel working a four platoon system. Operations are conducted from three stations located throughout the City in order to provide adequate response to emergencies. There is a minimum of fifteen personnel on duty for each platoon manning 3 engine companies, 1 aerial platform truck, and a shift commander position.
The Human Resources department provides accurate and timely support for all City Departments and employees.
The Information Technology department provides operational support to all City Departments in the acquisition, use, and maintenance of computers, data networking equipment, and software. The Department staff works closely with the other remote sites (such as Police, Fire), ensuring that all departments are able to connect and share information and access the Internet services as required.
The Flower Library was not the first library in Watertown. The Watertown Social Library was established in 1805 and the Watertown Franklin Library was disbanded in 1834 and the Young Men's Association had a library collection which was destroyed in the great fire of 1849.
Parks and Recreation strives to provide a broad range of recreation programs and facilities to enhance the quality of life for the City of Watertown. To Register for Programs using our secure CivcRec system use the link titled "Register For Programs" on the menu located on the left side of this page.
The Planning Department is responsible for guiding development and managing future growth patterns within the City. It proposes and implements programs, projects, plans and legislation that positively affect the development of the City as a community. Topics that fall under the purview of Planning include Zoning, downtown revitalization, tree planting, historic preservation, housing programs and economic development.
The principal mission of the Watertown Police Department is to preserve the rights of citizens and reduce fear in the community through prevention of crime, protection of persons, property and the maintenance of order in public places and to anticipate and respond to events that threaten public order and the protection of life and property.
The Department of Public Works is tasked with the maintenance and repair of all city owned buildings and properties, vehicles and equipment, streets, parking lots, traffic signage and signals, storm and sanitary sewer mains along with curbside collection of refuse, recycling and yard waste.
Our goal is to ensure the prudent and economical use of the public’s money for the purchase of goods and services of maximum quality at the most economical cost, and to guard against favoritism, improvidence, extravagance, fraud, and corruption, pursuant to the competitive bidding requirements of General Municipal Law, Section 103, or of any other general, special, or local law.
