Southwick Select Board Approves Liquor License Hearing, $10,000 Police AI Contract

Select Board · Meeting of March 2, 2026

Southwick Select Board approves $10,000 police AI contract and advances lakeside restaurant liquor license. The board voted unanimously March 2 to approve a one-year contract with Blue Voice, an AI platform consolidating law reference, policy management, and document redaction tools for the Southwick Police Department, fitting within the department's existing budget allocation for policy revisions. The board also voted to approve a new all-alcohol on-premise license application for Ken's Lakeside Plaza, LLC at 141 Congamond Road, with applicant Ken Eggleston telling the board two qualified restaurant candidates are waiting on the license.

Pioneer Valley Trading Company representative Michael Albert presented a plan for a cannabis cultivation facility at 34 Granville Road, featuring three greenhouses and 1.5 acres of outdoor production, with a host community agreement vote set for the following week. Town Administrator Nicole Harper cautioned against holding department-head budget sessions before revenue projections are complete, calling extended Saturday budget marathons over a $15 million budget "excessive," as the board targeted a joint Finance Committee session for March 21. Winter storm costs reached $312,469.80 through February 7, already far outpacing last season's total snowfall.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of March 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.