Southwick Master Plan Panel Cancels Two Climate Items, Reaches 20 Completions

SOUTHWICK -- April 22, 2026, Southwick's Master Plan Implementation Committee voted unanimously nine times at its April 22 meeting, canceling two climate-related action items and pushing the total count of completed master plan actions to 20. The committee accepted new completions from the Board of Health and the Council on Aging, covering pandemic preparedness, tick and mosquito control, senior civic engagement, and ride-sharing education. Chair Dave Spina led votes to cancel Open Space Item 1.10, establishing a climate change preparedness committee, and Climate Change Item 1.6, developing municipal energy storage, noting that the Local Emergency Planning Committee already performs the first function and that the town owns no solar arrays to connect to storage. Economic Development Item 2.6, implementing a business tax incentive program, was transferred from the Planning Board to the Board of Assessors, with Planning Board member Mark Sheever explaining that "tax incentives are just not a thing that we do." A Community Preservation Committee request to transfer a housing trust action item was deferred pending legal guidance from the town's Chief Administrative Officer on whether the town has authority to establish such a trust. With June 30 approaching, 13 of 20 lead action items have been formally submitted, while the Cultural Council, historical commission, and school department have not yet responded to liaison outreach.