Economic Development Commission Community Outreach
(December 2011) A large poster was displayed at the annual Celebrate the Season event at Town Hall on December 11, 2011. This event was sponsored by the Southwick Cultural Council and Southwick on Stage. Information on these organizations is available at www.southwickma.org/cultural and www.southwick-on-stage.org respectively. Additional information for these organizations is available on Facebook.
(October 2011) In order to assist Southwick businesses with expanding their potential customer base the EDC was represented at the Westfield Colonial Harvest Day on September 25 with information distributed to the public listing the local golf courses, campgrounds and cultural activities as well as a restaurant list of all restaurants in town. At the Granville Harvest Fair October 8, 9, 10 the EDC again distributed the restaurant list and other information on Southwick including the Rail Trail, the Public Library and cultural activities. More than 350 copies of the restaurant list was distributed at these events.
(April 2011) During the Southwick Cultural Council'sAnnual Art Show at Town Hall more than 100 copies of the restaurant list was
distributed to the public as well as information on local golf courses,
campgrounds and other cultural activities. ___________
In August 2011 the Southwick Board of Selectmen appointed Brenda LeDuc to the EDC to fill the position left vacant with the resignation of David Recoulle. She is a licensed real estate broker www.brendaleduc.com .
(Southwick) On June 17, 201 David Recoulle of Hillside Excavating & Septic Service resigned from the EDC after a number of years of service. He was elected to the Southwick Board of Assessors in the May 2011 elections.
(April 2011) During the Annual Art Show conducted by the Southwick Cultural Council at Town Hall more than 100 copies of the restaurant list was distributed to the public as well as information on local golf courses, campgrounds and other cultural activities. Home and Business Show February 5, 2011
The EDC held a Home and Business Show featuring local businesses and free and open to the public. For more information click here. Spaces have been sold out. The EDC plans on having the Show again on March 31, 2012.from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Additional information will be available on this website in January 2012. _____________________________________________________________________________
Proposed changes in the size and quantity of parking spaces in Town - Approved at the October 4, 2011 Special Town Meeting
The Planning Board on February 15, 2011 held a public hearing regarding potential changes in the size and number of parking spaces at commercial, industrial and other business use facilities in Southwick. During the October 4, 2011 Special Town Meeting one of the warrant articles will be the changes to the parking space bylaw. The entire Special Town Meeting warrant can be viewed on the town website at www.southwickma.org ..
Proposed changes in the Town Bylaws regarding signs.
An informal workshop was held on November 18, 2010 at Roma's Restaurant on College Highway to discuss the proposed changes to the Sign Bylaws in Southwick. The Planning Board has more information on this on the Town website including a downloadable copy of the proposed Bylaw. The Town website is www.southwickma.org
Update:
The Planning Board subcommittee is currently considering the comments from the above meeting. For more information contact the Planning Board.
(September 2011) The Planning Board conducted a public hearing on the proposed rules in September 2011. These proposed changes are not on the warrant for the Special Town Meeting on October 4, 2011. ___________________________________________________________________________ The Economic Development Commission (EDC) held a special meeting on April 27, 2009 which brought together members of the business community as well as representatives from the Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Board, Economic Development Commission, Open Space Committee, Board of Assessors, Southwick Cultural Council, the Board of Selectmen, Department of Public Works (DPW), Sewer Implementation Committee as well as other Town entities.
The business community was also represented including construction, recreation, personal service and other business interests. The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was also represented. An open question period included questions about the sewer expansion and the planned reconstruction of part of College Highway (Routes 10/202). Several members of the local media were also attended. Several organizations had handout material for the public including the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, USDA, the Southwick Cultural Council, the Planning Board and the Southwick Public Library.
The meeting was open to all members of the Southwick business community as well as members of the various Boards, Commissions, etc. of the Town of Southwick. _______________________________________________________________
Members of the Economic Development Commission:
Randal Brown
Brenda LeDuc
Fred Hanks (413) 569-6394
Ken Haar (413) 569-0381
Richard Hauff
Craig Samuelson
Janice LaFrance
Michael McMahon Chairman email
The Board of Selectmen appoint members of the Commission.
The
Commission usually meets on the third Wednesday of the month in Town Hall
at 7:00 p.m. and meetings are open to the public. Meetings are held in Conference Room One which is located at the front of Town Hall. The agenda is filed with the Town Clark, on the Town website (www.southwickma.org) and posted at the rear entrance of Town Hall. the January 2012 meeting will be held on Wednesday January 18, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Plans are underway for the 2012 Home & Business Show to be held at Town Hall on Saturday March 31, 2012. Additional information is available in on this website click here for the information.
According to a report issued by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
(PVPC) there are 11,549 workers within a 15 minutes drive of Southwick.
Within 30 minutes are 80,154 workers and within 45 minutes are 329,242.
The report is called Workforce Access in the Pioneer Valley. The report can be accessed by clicking here.
A community development plan was developed by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission in 2004 funded by the State of Mass. A copy of this document is available at the Southwick Public Library. It was developed in 2004.
Southwick is within the Knowledge Corridor an area consisting of greater Springfield (MA) and Greater Hartford (CT). For more information on the Knowledge Corridorclick here.
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