Lake panel approves minutes, demands more boat patrols
Southwick's Lake Management Committee voted 7-0 to approve amended Aug. 13 minutes and pressed the town's police chief over nighttime speeding and thin staffing on Lake Congamond.
Other Committee · Meeting of August 27, 2026
Southwick's Lake Management Committee voted 7-0 to approve amended Aug. 13 minutes and pressed the town's police chief over nighttime speeding and thin staffing on Lake Congamond. Dispatch director Nina Barszcz of the Westfield regional communications center presented data showing 31 dispatched calls and 133 patrol-initiated contacts on the town's waterways between May 1 and Aug. 21, telling members "that took me less than an hour" to compile. The chief said the department has 23 full-time officers but only 19 available for patrol after school and leave assignments, running two to four officers per shift.
Members discussed a proposed boathouse to speed patrol-boat launches and noted a $500,000 state earmark, secured through Sen. Paul Mark's office, advancing the South Cove Drain project, plus newly released funding for a regional watershed study. A member reviewing dam plans for a 159 Berkshire Ave project flagged conflicting figures showing either one foot or four feet of water behind the dam.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,933 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of August 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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