SOUTHWICK — With the rapid pace of today’s world, it’s easy to forget some of the significant news in town.
With that in mind, The Westfield News is offering a recap of some of the town’s important news made in 2025 — it will be chronological order.
January
Town’s first cannabis retailer applies for special permit
Less than six months after getting the blessing of the Select Board, Pioneer Valley Trading Co. submits its application for a special permit to begin repurposing of the former Southwick Episcopal Church on College Highway.
Home-rule petition to have Conservation Commission members elected fails at Statehouse
The town learned in mid-January that home-rule petition, which was adopted by two separate Town Meeting votes, to have a portion of the Conservation Commission members elected didn’t make it out of a state Senate committee.
Select Board opposes request by EDC
Several months before, the Economic Development Commission unanimously approved supporting dropping the speed limit on College Highway by 10 mph. The Select Board said it wouldn’t support the proposal, despite EDC chair Greg Deily submitting signatures of 100 residents supporting it.
Two Planning Board members suddenly resign
At the conclusion of a board meeting in mid-January, members Michael Doherty and David Sullivan announced they were attending their last meeting and resigned. The Planning Board limped along with two vacancies until May Town Meeting.
Parks & Recreation Commission announced splash pad project to start in spring
Over 17 months after Town Meeting approved allocating $294,000 to build a splash pad at Whalley Park, the commission said the project would start in the spring. It broke ground in April.
Special Town Meeting shoot down dropping speed limit on College Highway
The petition submitted by the Economic Development Commission to lower the speed limits on College Highway. At the lightly attended meeting, of the 117 residents who voted, 78 were against it and 41 voted for it.
Master Plan Implementation Committee meets
The committee begins work on how the plan will be implemented and how it will work with the town’s boards and commissions to carry out the Master Plan recommendations.
February
New England Scenic Trail trailhead in Rising Corner to be renovated
A representative of the Appalachian Mountain Club appeared before the Conservation Commission to announce it was renovating the trailhead of the New England Scenic Trail where it crosses into Southwick on Rising Corner Road.
Conservation Commission endorses petition to have its members elected
After the home-rule petition to have three commission members elected failed in the state Senate, the commission endorsed sending it back to the Legislature for a second try.
Town drops trying to accept property on Berkshire Avenue
After Town Meeting in May 2024 to accept a donation of a 1.88-acre parcel at 13 Berkshire Avenue, the town stopped the process when it found the deed “was convoluted.”
Whalley Park pickleball court project approved by CPC
After the Parks & Recreation Commission approved, in a split vote, requesting $670,000 to build six pickleball courts at Whalley Park, the Community Preservation Commission approved sending the request to Town Meeting.
Water rates were increased
With a need to cover a projected budget shortfall in the Water Department for the upcoming fiscal year, the Water Commissioners voted unanimously to increase the water rate. The commissioners decided to set a three-tiered rate: 3%, 5%, and 10%, or $7.75, $8.50, and $9.65, per thousand gallons, respectively. The minimum bill rose from $117.50 to $121.25.
March
DESE releases report on racial bullying incident in regional district school
Following three separate incidents of racial bullying in 2024 at Southwick Regional School, the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently issued a report with a detailed timeline of what occurred, the district’s response, pointed out two lapses in policy, found it had violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and ordered the district to take corrective action involving its bullying policy.
Town starts preparations to open North Pond Conservation Area
The Select Board created a force six months before to find solutions to minimize and mitigate the damage created in the 61-acre propery by overuse by visitors, which included damaging the shoreline’s vegetation, littering, starting campfires, drinking alcohol, and swimming from the shore. Those activities are all prohibited by a conservation restriction on the property that only allows for what is considered passive recreation. The only recommendation that was completed in early March was reducing the size of the parking lot.
Planning Board approves special permit for cannabis retailer
The Planning Board approved the site plan and special permit for Pioneer Valley Trading Co., which was the culmination of a nearly two-year process to allow two recreational marijuana retailers to open in town. The retailer, located at 660 College Highway, began repurposing it facility days later while still waiting for final approvals from the Cannabis Control Commission.
Select Board increases transfer station sticker prices
To cover a projected $17,000 shortfall in the town’s Solid Waste Division of the DPW, the Select Board increased the price of annual transfer station stickers on regular and senior citizens by 8.8% and 10.5%, respectively. The board approved increasing the sticker fee for regular users from $170 to $185 annually and for senior citizens from $95 to $105.
April
Perron drops out of election for Select Board seat
When the deadline for returning nomination papers for the one open seat on the Select Board, which was held by Jason Perron, he, Russ Anderson and John Cain were to square off in the May municipal election. However, Perron announced he was withdrawing from the race to spend more time with his family and wind down his law enforcement career.
Select Board sends borrowing article for fiber optic network to Town Meeting
The Select Board unanimously approved of sending to Town Meeting a borrowing authorization of at least $12 million to “let the town decide” if it wants a town-owned fiber optic network. The funding would cover the entire cost of the network’s installation and pay it back using subscriber receipts during its construction, which will take as long as five years.
Proposed connector project between Sam West Road and Hudson Drive unveiled
Nearly two years after the Select Board approved accepting a state grant to pay for the design and permitting of a new road to connect Sam West Road with Hudson Drive, the plan was unveiled at a Conservation Commission meeting.
Klaus Anderson Road residents wanted answers and investigation on group home resident
The owners of two homes appeared at the Select Board asking for help to find a solution on how to protect themselves from a resident of a group home on Klaus Anderson Road who has been escaping and putting their families in fear over the prior 10 months. The home’s operator made ‘immediate alterations” in the wake of the complaints.
May
Select Board appoints full-time town planner
The Select Board appointed Alvin Allen, who had been serving as a planner in the Springfield Office of Planning and Economic Development for the last 17 years, as the town planner and economic development director. It was the first time the town had made the planning position full-time.
Anderson squeaks out win over Cain for SB seat
Select Board candidate Russ Anderson outpolled challenger John Cain by 20 votes to take the open seat in what could be called a low-key campaign during the annual municipal election. Anderson garnered 477 votes to Cain’s 457.
Town-owned fiber optic network funding article fails at Town Meeting
After several years of planning, a proposal to build a town-owned fiber optic network by borrowing up to $16 million was voted down at Town Meeting after a sometime contentious debate. Of the 557 who voted, 353 voted yes, and 204 voted no. The article fell 15 votes shy of meeting the two-third threshold.
Warrant article to create new bylaw to protect town property fails at Town Meeting, pickleball courts approved
An article that was motivated by the issues at the North Pond Conservation Area to protect, preserve and enhance public parks, beaches, recreation, and conservation areas failed during Town Meeting. It needed a two-third majority to be adopted. While 166 voters approved it, 70 voted no, which didn’t meet the two-third threshold. Funds to build six pickleball courts at Whalley Park was approved by Town Meeting by 12 votes, 121-109 – only a majority was needed.
June
Town removes itself from lawsuit involving Sunnyside Ranch Estates developers
Southwick withdrew itself from a lawsuit it filed in 2021 in Hampden Superior Court to compel the developers of Sunnyside Ranch Estates to complete the two roads in the development and is no longer involved in the yearslong legal dispute after the streets were repaired late last year.
DPW Director Randy Brown is appointed as Westfield DPW director
After 11 years as Southwick’s DPW Director Randy Brown resigned that position after accepting the position in Westfield.
Southwick native elected state commander of VFW
Southwick native Troy Henke was elected as the state commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Massachusetts, which was less than a decade after he joined the organization that is dedicated to serving veterans, the military and their communities.
July
Conservation Commission approves signs for North Pond Conservation Area
After months of meetings of the Conservation Commission, the Select Board, and a task force to finds solutions for the overuse of the North Pond Conservation Area, the commission approved purchasing 27 signs for the property to let visitors know what can and can’t be done there. Select Board member Diane Gale remarked that the process was “painfully slow.”
Haven, town’s second cannabis retailer, applies for special permit
With its provisional license in hand, Responsible and Compliant Southwick LLC, doing business as Haven, applied for a special permit to start the process of opening the town’s second recreational marijuana dispensary.
Connecticut teens injured in fiery crash
The single-car crash on Mort Vining Road left three out of the four teenage occupants seriously injured. After the car left the roadway it struck a tree and burst into flames. Three of the teenagers were pulled from the burning car by officers with the Southwick Police Department. The three officers — Sgt. Brad Fisk, Matthew Olson, and Nicholas Beauchemin — involved were recognized for bravery during a ceremony in October in Town Hall.
August
Southwick’s first cannabis dispensary opens
Less than a year after the Select Board gave the greenlight for Pioneer Valley Trading Co. to open the town’s first recreational marijuana dispensary, it opened for business on Aug. 7.
Town Hall pickleball courts open
The new multi-sport court, located in Prifti Park behind the Senior Center features two pickleball courts, and a basketball and shuffleboard court. The court was paid for using CPC funds authorized by Town Meeting.
Dredging Canal and Great brooks get closer to happening
Federal funding targeted for the design and engineering of a proposed dredging project for Great and Canal brooks, which was clawed back by the federal Department of Government Efficiency in February, have been restored. The town’s Lake Management Committee have been lobbying for years to have the brooks dredged to improve the water quality of the ponds of Congamond Lakes.
September
Town employee proposes holding Special Town Meeting to address health insurance costs
Fire Department Fire Prevention Officer Brian Schneider, speaking for the town’s employees, requested that the Select Board Monday hold a Special Town Meeting to ask residents to allow the town to increase the amount it pays for each employee’s health insurance, which is currently 50%. The meeting will be held Jan. 13.
Most North Pond task force recommendations are implemented
After the town began paying serious attention to the overuse of the North Pond Conservation Area the recommendation to protect it were largely implemented. They included decreasing the size of the property’s parking lot, installing no parking signs along South Longyard Road, installing signage throughout the property to explicitly describe the prohibited activities, cutting down the trees where ropes hung to swing into North Pond, and installing surveillance cameras.
Southwick Regional School receives national recognition from Special Olympics for inclusion program
Special Olympics Massachusetts announced that Southwick Regional School, a school with Special Olympics Unified Champion School programming, would receive a national banner in recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without intellectual disabilities.
October
Algae bloom in Middle Pond leads to advisory on water use
The Board of Health issued an advisory that an algae bloom had been discovered on the Middle Pond and that the water was unsafe for people and pets and strongly suggested that people not use the pond for swimming, operating personal watercraft or boats or eating fish caught in it. It was lifted about 10 days later.
Work on Dunkin’ drive-through done without permit approval
Planning Board chair Jessica Thornton said she was “shocked” that work at the Dunkin’ on 397 College Highway had started before the Planning Board had signed off the business’ request for a minor site plan modification. The building’s owner was eventually fined $300 by the Conservation Commission for not waiting for permit approval.
Design, engineering of Southwick Town Hall wall repairs cost less than expected
The estimate for the design and engineering of the repairs needed to the exterior brick walls of Town Hall was $17,300 which was considerably less than the $155,000 allocated by residents during the Special Town Meeting last January.
Southwick announces aggregation program to roll out in December
While it took over two years for all the pieces to come together, residents were able to lower their electricity bills after the town has announced its municipal aggregation program will come online in December with the first bills showing the lower rate in January.
November
Southwick has earmark of $500K in bond bill for Congamond dredging project
An allocation of $500,000 included in the 2024 bond bill to dredge the area directly in front of the south boat ramp on the Middle Pond of Congamond Lakes could make the project a reality, but it’s not a sure thing.
Lawsuit filed by mother of daughter who was racially harassed against STGRSD is settled
A Superior Court judge approved in early October a financial settlement of $50,000 between the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District and an attorney representing a Southwick Regional School student and her mother, who had alleged the district was negligent in its response to the Black student being racially harassed in 2023 and 2024.
December
Civil lawsuit filed against Southwick for allegedly overcharging town’s largest water user
The limited liability company that owns and operates Southwick Village filed a civil lawsuit against the town seeking to be reimbursed $333,393, alleging it was overbilled by 40 million gallons of water at its assisted living facility. The town has yet to answer the complaint.
