Updates given on attorney, fire chief searches
Fredonia officials are continuing their work to fill a village attorney position that’s sat vacant for over a month.
Mayor Athanasia Landis told board members during a Monday workshop they have two candidates to consider for village attorney. She said she would like to interview them as soon as possible.
“Both of them I’m very comfortable with,” she said.
More than five candidates expressed interest in the position that opened after Todd Thomas resigned in late August to become Jamestown City Clerk. Thomas, who entered the position in May, succeeded former Village Attorney Samuel Drayo Jr., who left at the end of December 2016 after serving 48 years.
According to officials, second interviews are expected to take place Monday. The village board convenes for a work session at 6:30 p.m. and a board meeting will commence at 7:30 p.m.
It’s unknown at this point when a final decision will be made. Landis said last month she’d like someone in as soon as possible.
As for the process to get a fire chief in place, Trustee James Lynden said a meeting is set for today with volunteers and the union. Lynden and Trustee Phyllis Jones will be gathering with the members, and Lynden acknowledged it’s the first meeting.
“Hopefully, it will be the first and only,” he said. “If we’re lucky, it’ll go smooth and we’ll move forward.”
Last month, the board approved to retain the services of attorney Mark C. Butler, PLLC, of Williamsville, to assist through the process and ensure the correct resolutions get passed.
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Landis said last month that the money was budgeted for the paid fire chief position. The Fredonia Fire Department has approximately 100 volunteers and nine paid positions.
At the beginning of the workshop, Landis read a letter from the state Environmental Facilities Corporation detailing the two grants the village received for water infrastructure upgrades. The awards were announced last week, and approximately $1.1 million in state funds will go to an improvement project at the wastewater treatment plant while $931,031 will go to a drinking water project.
Together, costs for the two projects are $6.3 million. A resolution could come before the board at Monday’s board meeting to accept the grant funds.
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