Southwick Select Board Appoints Planning Board Member, Approves $38,200 in Year-End Transfers

Select Board · Meeting of July 6, 2026

Southwick Select Board fills Planning Board vacancy, approves $38,200 in year-end transfers, and moves to address vacation liability. At the July 6 meeting, the board jointly appointed Giovanni Allsop, who had served as associate member for one year, to a full Planning Board seat until the next election, with both boards voting unanimously. In a joint session with the Finance Committee, the board approved three year-end transfers: $3,000 for a Board of Health consultant, $8,900 for an unexpectedly broken Treasurer-Collector copier, and $26,300 for an Assessors personal property appraisal contract.

The board also approved a conditional one-day liquor license for Congamond Coffee's July 25 grand opening, and accepted donations of $750 from American Legion Post 388 and $159 from Interstate Building Supply to the town's animal control gift account. A substantial discussion of vacation carryover policy revealed that some employees have accumulated weeks of unused time beyond what governing documents allow, prompting plans to distribute a transition policy to unions and non-union staff; a public attendee identified as Perrone cautioned that already-earned vacation wages cannot be forfeited under Massachusetts law. Select Board member Russ Anderson presented survey results showing 70 percent of department heads opposed reinstating paper purchase orders, and the board agreed to carry a proposal to expand Munis financial system access — which Anderson said could eliminate over $100,000 in annual processing labor — to its next meeting.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,462 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of July 6, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.