OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford Fredonia Trustee Michelle Twichell proposes a resolution to find Chautauqua County in breach of a 2020 water contract.

Fredonia Trustee Michelle Twichell wants to punish Chautauqua County over the village’s latest boil water order.

Twichell proposed a resolution Wednesday to find the county in breach of contract over water connections with the village.

The resolution states the village entered into a 2020 pact with the county to provide emergency water supply in case Fredonia’s system had problems. However, “the county has failed to provide or maintain a functional emergency water supply connection to the village’s system.”

The other four Fredonia trustees had a mixed reaction to Twichell’s proposed resolution, which she read out at a Village Hall workshop Wednesday morning. Jon Espersen appeared interested, Nicole Siracuse was highly critical, Paul Wandel said nothing, and Ben Brauchler wasn’t there.

The county’s North County Water District and the village are connected in two places, at Route 20 on the west and east borders of Fredonia. “If we would have had the connections working on Route 20, we would not have had to have a week-long boil order,” Twichell said. Some of the five other separate boil orders over the last 30 months could also have been prevented, she asserted.

Espersen commented that the connection on the west side of the village didn’t work due to a pressure issue. He said county officials told Fredonia that the village needs to add pressure reduction valves.

“I’d like to look into this further,” Twichell said. “We’re missing an opportunity to have water come into the village.”

Her resolution would have Fredonia formally finding the county in breach of contract, and demanding “immediate compliance and establishment of emergency water supply capabilities.” It would authorize the village attorneys to take appropriate legal steps, including filing a notice of claim.

Siracuse called the resolution “a wild goose chase for no financial gain” that would cause the village to spend more on attorneys at a time when it is intent on saving money. Espersen responded, “We should at least entertain it.”