OBSERVER file photo Fredonia’s most recent boil-water order was in early July and led to four rounds of distribution.

Fredonia’s water decision day is set.

The Board of Trustees agreed Wednesday to set a special meeting for 6 p.m. Sept. 10 to discuss and vote on the village’s water service future.

The board previously approved a State Environmental Quality Review of shutting down the Fredonia treatment plant and getting water from the North County Water District. Trustee Jon Espersen said the timing of the special meeting is directly related to the SEQR.

“It’ll be the end of the 30-day SEQR comment period and there are decisions we need to make before the end of that week, because grant applications are due,” he said.

Espersen said four resolutions will be needed on Sept. 10. The first will formally end the SEQR comment period. The second will commit Fredonia to an option for water service. The third will approve bonding for construction related to the chosen option, and the last resolution will authorize village engineers LaBella to apply for grants.

Trustee Nicole Siracuse said the Sept. 10 meeting should be in the evening. Espersen agreed and added there should be a comment period during the meeting. “What we’re going to be looking at is going to commit us to a long-term project,” he said.

The September meeting could be the climax of a seemingly interminable debate about whether Fredonia should stay independent with its water service or acquire water elsewhere. A previous Fredonia Board of Trustees voted 3-2 in December 2023 to shut the treatment plant and get water from Dunkirk — but a group of village residents successfully sued to get that decision tossed out.

The “Save Our Reservoir” group that backs Fredonian water independence is likely to be disappointed Sept. 10. Out of the five trustees, only Trustee Michelle Twichell appears to support the group’s stance.