At the September 16th Fredonia Village Board meeting, Trustee Michelle Twichell read a statement containing a number of untruths, some of which she has stated in the past but continues to report in an effort to mislead the public.

She stated that LaBella’s proposal to explore the possibility of connecting the village to the North County Water District, sharing the water tower with the town of Pomfret and conducting hydraulic studies would cost village taxpayers nearly $70,000. While it is true that this is the cost of the study, I stated at a previous meeting that the village would not pay for it. The county, through unused ARPA funds, will pay $20,000 after approval by the county Legislature this week. The remainder will be paid from available state funds in the form of a grant that county and state representatives applied for.

She also incorrectly stated that if we proceeded with the proposed study, the village would pay Labella more than $200,000 for water testing.

He knows it’s not accurate.

The initial study was conducted at a cost of $144,000. However, both the county and the North Chautauqua Community Foundation covered a total of about $30,000 of these costs.

The single-option study of rebuilding the water treatment plant and bringing the reservoir up to Department of Health and Department of Environmental Protection standards, advocated by Trustee Twichell, would have cost more than what we paid for in the study that provided multiple options. She appears to oppose the study, which costs local taxpayers nothing, which could indicate the village could save millions of dollars by merging with the North County Water District after determining the village had an emergency spending plan. Let that sink in.

She also stated that LaBella’s proposal included a timeline consistent with the city of Pomfret’s construction schedule. The truth is that the timeline has been set so that the village can apply for a round of water infrastructure grants in 2025, regardless of which option it ultimately chooses. The city’s construction schedule does not influence the village’s final decision.

Trustee Twichell also stated that the outcome of the study was a foregone conclusion. The fact is that the study will provide the village with another option for our water source, namely a connection to the water supply. The results will provide residents and trustees with further information so that we as Trustees can make a more informed decision. I’m not sure when additional information and more options became something to fight for.

It also reiterates that we must submit an environmental impact statement before carrying out the proposed study. This is blatantly untrue and she knows better. We do not vote on any actions that affect our water source. This proposal does not even require a resolution because we do not finance it.

Trustee Twitchell also continues to claim that “district,” which I assume the North County Water District means is deeply in debt. I’d like her to let us know where she got this information from.

Has she attended recent NCWD meetings? Did she check their finances? Has she discussed their financial situation with any of the members? Did she attend legislative finance meetings and ask questions? In the past, it has been unable to distinguish the district from the Chadwick Bay Intermunicipal Water Works, two clearly separate entities with completely different purposes.

She made it clear that I was not sharing information with her about the water situation, the work of the water committee, or my meetings with LaBella.

I can say that I only hear about her concerns during the designated time during public meetings, in front of the camera. In fact, I report on every water committee meeting and LaBella meeting at the first board meeting following those meetings. If she feels like she’s not kept up to date and is very concerned about it, why has she never contacted me? She admitted that she had not attempted to contact LaBella about her urgent concerns.

I suggest that the person writing the statements that Trustee Twichell reads take the time, do their homework, and check their sources before spreading lies and creating fear in the community. If you want to prove something using untruths, you really have nothing to say.

Finally, I urge Trustee Twichell i “Save the Tank” as long as they stop demonizing any individual who has a different view than theirs. The County is not our enemy, nor are the City of Pomfret, the City of Dunkirk, the State of New York, the County Department of Health, the North County Water District, LaBella, or our attorneys at Webster Szanyi.

We will need to work with all of these groups to ensure that the best decision is made regarding Fredonia’s water source.

Jon Espersen is the Village Manager of Fredonia.