A Fredonia water department employee is no longer at their job after the latest boil order.

Mayor Michael Ferguson told WKBW-TV of Buffalo on Thursday that the unnamed worker was fired. Ferguson didn’t immediately return an OBSERVER call Friday morning seeking comment on the situation.

However, Trustee Jon Espersen did immediately return an email. Asked if an employee was fired, he responded, “Or resigned. Waiting on specifics.”

Espersen, later Friday afternoon, said the employee had resigned.

The boil water order issued Monday by the Chautauqua County Health Department pinned “a treatment technique violation at the water treatment plant” as the cause. The violation “resulted in high turbidity such that water entering the distribution system was not adequately treated.”

The village has offered free bottled and canned water at the Fredonia Fire Department on West Main Street. Village Emergency Manager Joshua Myers reported Friday that 2,200 cases of water were sent out during three rounds of distribution.

“With turbidity levels in the water system steadily improving and access to additional bottled water supplies currently limited, there will be no further water distributions today or over the weekend,” Myers stated.

He added that if the boil order cannot be lifted by Monday, “we will immediately take action to secure additional bottled water supplies and prepare for another public distribution session on Monday.”

The boil order cannot get lifted until the village water system tests at acceptable contaminant levels for 48 hours.

The latest personnel move comes to a village water department that has seen significant workforce changes in recent years.

Chris Surma resigned as chief treatment plant operator in December 2021 after nine years at the helm. He commented in his resignation letter, “I have respected the challenges of operating and maintaining the aged system and traversing the many personalities involved, from employees to politicians to (Department of Health) sanitarians.

“It has taken its toll on my patience, and it’s time to retire.”

Surma’s resignation was announced at the previous trustees meeting, and when then-Mayor Douglas Essek asked if he had anything to say, Surma responded, “Nope. It’s just, I’ve served my time, you know.” The comment drew laughter from village officials.

Alison Wahl was named the new chief operator, provisional upon completion of a civil service test, in December 2021. However, Wahl was out of the position after only about a year, with no public explanation offered by village officials.

Luis Fred took over as chief operator in 2023 — and the village almost immediately hired back Surma as a temporary consultant to help him learn the ropes at the plant.

Ferguson this week did not identify who was responsible and no longer working for the village. Fred, on the village website, was still listed as chief operator.