Welcome to the unofficial website of the Southwick, MA Democratic Town Committee. Town Elections on Tuesday May 8, 2012
Annual Town Elections will be held on Tuesday May 8, 2012 at Town Hall. For a list of candidates on the Democratic ticket click here. The ballot at Town Hall will list NO Democratic candidates. You are required to write in the names of each Democratic candidate you want to vote for in the appropriate section of the ballot. Print out the attached sheet and bring it to the polls with you. Copies will NOT be available at Town Hall. Print the names clearly in order to have your vote count. Thanks. ___________________________________________________________________
Southwick Featured in Business Publication Business Westa bi-weekly publication in Springfield features an article on Southwick in the December 20, 2010 issue. The article includes several business leaders and political and governmental leaders and Southwick successes. This publication is available at the Southwick Public Library. In addition the article is available here click here. Share the link to the article with others to promote Southwick as a good place to live and to operate a business. Southwick has some of the lowest real estate taxes especially for business in the area. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ According to the recently published (August 2011) 2011-2012 Resource Guide published by BusinessWest Southwick has the lowest commercial/industrial tax rate in Hampden County of any community with a population over 2,000 residents. The Southwick rate is $ 13.44, Agawam $ 28.32 and Westfield $ 29.13. The same source reported that the residential tax rate in Southwick is lower than other communities using the same criteria. This information should be shared with others that Southwick is a less expensive community to live as far as real estate tax is concerned.
Tax Rates in Southwick still lower than some surronding communities
(April 2012) The current tax rates in Southwick for both residential property and business/industrial is $ 14.23 per thusand dollars of value. This compares with $ 16.13 residential in Westfield and $ 30.36 for commercial/industrial. In Agawam comparable numbers are $ 14.40 residentiial and $ 28.46 for commercial/industrial. If you see articles in the press about how low tax rates are in other nearby communities comsider the facts not the stories. For actual data visit the State of MA. website and obtain the data yourself.
Town is expected to announce receipt of a $ 600,000 grant for sewer expansion
At the 7:00 p.m. Board of Selectmens meeting on Monday April 23, 2012 the U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to attend the meeting and announce that Southwick will receive more than $ 600,000 in federal grants (that don't have to be paid back) and more than $ 1.4 million in long-term low interest loans to build the sewer line from Southwick to the Westfield sewer facility. This will enable the town to extend sewer lines to other parts of town not currently connected to the system. For more information attend the meeting, or ask the Selectmens Office for more information.
How is the town of Southwick checkbook? (April 2012) According to the State of MA. (Dept. of Revenue) the town ended the FY 2011 fiscal year on June 30, 2011 with $ 2,140,839 in the checking account. Some would consider this as either excesss tax collected or a prudent use by not spending the money. Again according to the State of MA. the town already had $ 2,781,503 in the "stabilization fund" (rainy day fund). Do we need $ 4.9 million dollars in the bank for future spending? This is more than 20 percent of one years annual spending for the town. Is it time to ask should some of this money be spent to reduce the existing tax rate? Prior members of the Southwick Board of Selectmen could probably answer this question or provide some input.
Southwick to Receive More $ from Boston The MA. State Legislature recently passed legislation which Gov. Patrick signed into law on October 27, 2011 that will provide Southwick with more than $ 77,000 in additional revenue that can be used to reduce the town tax rate or for any other purpose. If you have a suggestion for the use of these funds then go to a Selectmen's Meeting and state your opinion. These funds were not considered by the Selectmen or the Town Finance Committee in developing the current year's budget. In addition the town currently has more than $ 4 million in various "rainy day funds" which could be used to reduce the tax rates or to provide additional services to residents. Please share your thoughts with your local elected officials and ask questions. The $ 77,000+ is being sent to the town on October 31, 2011 according to a state website.
(Update) At the January 10, 2012 "Special Town Meeting" residents approved moving these funds to the Dept. of Public Works to fund additional road paving projects this fiscal year. Invitation to local residents to be more involved
The Southwick Democratic Town Committee at it's September 2011 meeting agreed that local democrats should be invited to consider involvement with the Town Committee to improve the town. This could include running for elective office (May 2012) as well as membership on the Town Committee.
Announcements On October 13, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. a very successful meeting was held for the local business community to discuss informally the College Highway construction project. The purpose of the meeting was information sharing on what the project will look like when it is finished in August 2012. The Southwick Dept. of Public Works (DPW) and other representatives provided information to the business community. This event was organized and facilitated by the Southwick Economic Development Commission. This was not a repeat of the October 6, 2011 meeting organized by the Southwick Police Department and the Southwick Dept. of Public Works.
(10/4/11) An information meeting for the Southwick business community will be held on Thursday October 6, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to explain upcoming detours, etc. that will occur as part of the reconstruction of College Highway in the center part of town. The meeting is open to the public. It will be held in the auditorium of Town Hall. This meeting has been initiated by the Southwick Police Department.
(September 2011) The Southwick Board of Selectmen announced that a special Town Meeting will be held on Tuesday October 4, 2011at 6:30 p.m. at the High School. There are currently four warrant articles including three related to the Regional School System. One of these relates to increasing the size of the School District from 2 communities (Southwick and Tolland) to 3 communities including Granville. Another item relates to the parking requirements for local businesses. For more information contact the Selectmen's Office at Town Hall or the Southwick-Tolland Regional School District at 86 Powder Mill Road. (July 2011) The Southwick Board of Selectmen (BOS) announced that the Town has received a grant of more than $ 493,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. These funds together with low interest government loans will be used to fund the cost of the second water tank in town.
The Southwick Economic Development Commission held a very successful Home & Business Show on Saturday February 5, 2011 at Town Hall. Attendees were asked to bring a nonperishable food item for the Southwick Food Pantry. For more information click here. If we support local business we help provide jobs, increased real estate taxes from business and prosperity for the area.
Upcoming Events: April 29, 2012
The Southwick Democratic Town Committee will be holding an event on April 29, 2012. This event will feature an appraiser(s) that will be available to appraise your items at a cost of $ 3 for one item or $ 5 for two items. the event will be held at the American Legion Post 338 on Powder Mill Road in Southwick from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For more information contact a member of the Town Committee. Past Events:
A special Town Meeting was held on Tuesday October 4, 2011 at the Southwick-Tolland Regional High School. Several items for decisions include an enlargement of the regional school district to include Granville. All issues were accepted.
The Friends of the Southwick Public Library a 501(c)(3) IRS recognized charity will hold the Annual Fall Book Sale at the Library on October 28 -29, 2011. The hours are Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and on Saturday 10 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The Southwick Public Library is located at 95 Feeding Hills Road (Route 57) in Southwick. For more information call the Library at (413) 569-1221 or visit www.southwicklibrary.info .
The September meeting was held on Thursday September 8, 2011 at Town Hall at 7:00 p.m.
The Southwick Cultural Council held the Annual Art Show in Town Hall on April 30 and May 1. For details click here.
The Friends of the Southwick Public Library a 501(c)(3) IRS recognized charity held the Annual Spring Book Sale at the Library on April 29 - 30, 2011. The event was held at the Southwick Public Library at 95 Feeding Hills Road (Route 57) in Southwick. For more details click here or visit the Library. The Friends is the major local outside funding organization for the Library.
Annual Town Elections was held on May 10 will the polls open from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
The Annual Town Meeting was held at the High School at 93 Feeding Hills Road (behind the Library) on Tuesday May 17 at 7:00 p.m. In addition a Special Town Meeting was held the same evening at 6:30 p.m. at the same location. Both of these events approved spending of town funds for the next and current fiscal years respectively. In addition other important issues will be voted on by those that attend the meeting. A complete description and town budget are available on the town website at www.southwickma.org
Links:
For information on the Mass State Democratic Party visit www.massdems.org This website contains information on the annual State Convention, caucus delegates to the National Convention and other topics.
For information on the Town of Southwick visit the Town website www.southwickma.org . This site includes election results for recent elections in Town. It also has a calendar of meetings of Town boards, commissions and the Board of Selectmen meetings. For some meetings it includes meeting agendas.
Do you want to listen to music CD's or watch movies on DVD without having to buy or rent them? Visit the Southwick Public Library. The Library is also the place to read newspapers and magazines without having to buy them. If you want to know what the Library has without leaving home or the office then check the website including the card catalog and access to hundreds of magazines and several newspapers click here. The Library also offers free workshops on various topics from knitting to digital photography as well as job search and other topics. Call the Library at 569-1221 for more information.
Access to the regional school system is also available via the Town website.
For economic, demographic and business related information on Southwick visit the Southwick Economic Development Commission (EDC) website at www.southwickma.info .This site includes census and other demographic data, information on area transportation and other information related to business in town including links to some local businesses.
Other local City or Town Democratic Committees include Agawamclick here and Westfieldclick here
Southwick is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Olver. For a link to his website click here.
Southwick is represented in the Mass. State Legislature by Sen. Michael Knapik (R-Westfield.)
For more information on web sites that may be of interest to you click here
This website does not endorse businesses, other web sites, etc. The information and links are provided only for visitor convenience. This website has not been approved or endorsed by any political party or candidate.
This website is copyright 2011 by the registered domain owner.