Southwick Assessors Decline First Refusal on Chapter 61A Agricultural Property

SOUTHWICK — April 1, 2026 — Southwick Board of Assessors declines to exercise right of first refusal on a Chapter 61A agricultural property. Meeting in Conference Room 2 on April 1, Chair John Cain and member Bill Brown, with Director of Assessing Randall Austin, voted 2-0 on each of four open-session motions — approving warrants and commitments for Southwest Cooperative and the Town of West Springfield, approving all statutory applications, and declining to pursue the town's statutory right of first refusal on 177 Clause Anderson Road. Austin told the board that Conservation and other departments had already reviewed the matter and that "everyone so far has had no interest" in acquiring the parcel. Cain said the board's role is to assess fairly: "Whatever it goes to, it will be assessed." The board then voted 2-0 to enter executive session at 5:38 p.m. to review confidential real estate abatements and exemptions under MGL Chapter 59, Section 60, with no planned return to open session.