SOUTHWICK – Several people attended the personal watercraft informational session at the town hall on Tuesday night. With the Select Board, police, and town counsel all present, the purpose of the meeting was to give people clarification on what the Select Board is intending to do with this issue.
The issue is that there has been no ruling from any state agency on whether or not personal watercraft is allowed on the North Pond section of Congamond Lake. On May 18, 2017, Southwick Police Chief David Ricardi released a statement indicating that personal watercraft would be allowed on North Pond.
Town officials were present for the meeting to have a dialogue with the community. (Photo courtesy of Greg Fitzpatrick)
When receiving clarification from the Environmental Police, Ricardi was informed that a specific part of a lake has to be a minimum of 75 acres to allow jet skis on that body of water. Even though North Pond is 50 acres, since Congamond Lake was determined as a “great pond” consisting of three basins connected by channels, jet skis would be allowed on North Pond. The confusion to the actual ruling existed when the Lake Management Committee was told by Mass DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) that you have to treat each of the three bodies of water on the lake separately.
In August 2017, then Select Board Chair Doug Moglin proposed to form a town bylaw. This week at the public meeting, Moglin told the crowd that a town bylaw would allow the town to rule on this issue. The bylaw could either ask residents to vote against or in favor of jet skis on North Pond or just having jet ski’s on North Pond at headway speed, which is six miles per hour. This would allow personal watercraft users to travel through North Pond at a slow speed so they can reach Middle or South Pond, bodies of water that are much larger and more common for jet ski activity.
“The local bylaw will give certainty to local law enforcement,” said Moglin. “The local bylaw would give clarity to this issue.”
Moglin also added that he doesn’t feel strongly one way or the other, he just wants a clear-cut bylaw that will give the police a definite set of regulations.
“To me, it’s irrelevant which way we go on this bylaw,” said Moglin.
Before residents voiced their thoughts, Ricardi gave his opinion on what the bylaw should entail.
“I think the best way to do this is to limit the headway speed,” said Ricardi.
Paul Murphy, who lives on Congamond Lake and spearheaded a petition of over 50 signatures to not allow jet skis on North Pond, was concerned how things would be controlled if jet skis decided to go well beyond six miles per hour on North Pond.
“My problem is with the amount of enforcement,” said Murphy.
Andrea Scully, who lives on North Pond, has seen the evolution of jet ski’s over time.
A number of Southwick residents attended the public informational session on Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy of Greg Fitzpatrick)
“The normal jet ski I used to ride on didn’t have the power,” said Scully. “I still want them to jet ski, but the other ponds are bigger.”
Another resident living on North Pond, Jim Jones credited the police with their efforts over the years and was in favor of including headway speed on the bylaw.
“If you limit to headway speed, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue,” said Jones.
There were also people that weren’t satisfied with how the potential bylaw would be worded with headway speed. Neilda Henke has lived on the lake for years and is concerned that the bylaw would still allow personal watercraft users to operate on North Pond at a higher speed.
“The vagueness of this bylaw is irresponsible,” said Henke.
With the assistance of Town Counsel Ben Coyle, the town of Southwick did draft up a warrant article that will be set forth at the annual town meeting on May 16 for the registered voters to decide on. The vote will require a majority vote.
