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Date: 8/3/2021
SOUTHWICK – Work to improve a bridge in Westfield is placing a strain on detour routes in Southwick, town officials shared.
At a July 26 meeting, Selectmen Russell Fox and Chief Administrative Officer Karl J. Stinehart recounted the details of a meeting they had with state Sen. John C. Velis, state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga, and representatives of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The subject of the July 19 meeting was Cowles Bridge in Westfield, which has been under active construction and imposed with a weight limit.
Cowles Bridge carries routes 10 and 202 over the Little River, south of downtown Westfield. Because of the imposed weight limits for the bridge, larger vehicles have to be rerouted through smaller side streets, which Stinehart said causes more damage to the roadways that each municipality has to pay for.
“We talked about the impact the detour was having on Sunnyside Road, Tannery Road, North Longyard,” said Fox, “We talked about the fact that our fire department is now taking care of Ward 5 in Westfield, because Westfield’s Fire Department cannot go over that bridge.”
Fox said the meeting was productive, but that the state is making no commitments to help mitigate the costs incurred by Southwick because of the bridge construction.
Stinehart said the state should require projects like these to assess the costs they will impose on neighboring municipalities.
Fox pointed out that the Cowles Bridge project is not expected to be completed until at least 2025.
“They've run into a few snags already with some contaminated soil,” said Fox.
Also at the July 26 meeting, the Select Board and Southwick members of the Southwick-Tolland-Granville School Committee chose Patrick Jubb to fill the seat left vacant by Maria Seddon, who resigned from the board and participated in her last meeting June 15.
Jubb was chosen over candidates Anna Katherine Johnson and Chelsea Berry. Berry had previously been on the School Committee, and was seeking a second term.
Jubb said in his interview with the joint board that he wants the school district to support a student-centered educational structure.
“I feel that it is important that the administration supports a high quality student-centered structure,” said Jubb.
He has 30 years of experience working for Verizon, and has been active in different Southwick youth sports leagues.
Selectmen also voted to impound Theo, a German shepherd accused of attacking other dogs and people, after learning his owners, Sean and Jennifer Langan, had not complied with orders to build a fence around their property and to train Theo properly.
Selectman Douglas Moglin said he had received a letter from the family informing him that they would be moving out of Southwick soon, which would render the impoundment order unenforceable.