The village of Fredonia has ratified a new contract to serve Chautauqua County’s Portland Pomfret Dunkirk (PPD) Sewer District.

The Fredonia Board of Trustees voted, 4-1, to ratify the contract during a meeting this month called initially to vote on water issues. The board also used a similar last-minute “walk-on” for the hiring of a firefighter. Walk-on resolutions do not normally appear on the meeting agenda released to the public.

The contract is retroactive to Jan 1. and runs through the end of 2029. The village’s wastewater treatment plant will handle PPD’s outflow. PPD is responsible for its own lines and equipment and will charge half the village rate.” All parties agree to satisfaction of past due invoices by PPD to the village,” according to the resolution ratifying the contract.

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Trustee Michelle Twichell was the lone “no” vote and read a statement explaining her vote. Noting that the 50% discount to PPD users has been in place for the last five years, she said it “is unsubstantiated by the very wording of the present contract.”

Twichell explained, “The contract states that the taxpayers of the village are allowed to charge an adequate rate to cover operations and maintenance at the wastewater plant. New York State municipal law encourages municipalities to set their own utility rates as they see fit to maintain their facilities. The PPD sewer rate must be at a premium to reflect the village’s sole responsibility for the waste water plant.”

Twichell advocated a new PPD rate “at a minimum of 50% greater than the rate paid by village users. A 100% premium, or double the village rate, would be aligned with historic rates and account for the village’s need to create revenue in a time of fiscal emergency.”

She concluded, “The present contract contains a clause in which disputes over rate structure may allow the county to withhold payment for a period not to exceed three months. The three months is up, the county’s payment in arrears are nearly $50,000 right now, and I say they must be paid now and I vote ‘nay’!”

The crowd attending the meeting cheered Twichell. They were mostly members of the “Save Our Reservoir” group, and Twichell is their only supporter on the village board.

Trustee Jon Espersen said, “I want to point out that the current contract which was negotiated by (former Village Treasurer James) Sedota, approved by the village board, and signed by (former) Mayor (Athanasia) Landis has the same terms as the contract that we have just approved right now. So we are not reinventing the wheel, we have taken the same terms that have existed the last five years.”

Twichell replied, “And do you know the reason for that? There were two trustees that were threatened by the county that they would be sued if they did not agree to this.”

“And we wonder what’s wrong with our country,” a woman called from the crowd.

“And you’re taking her word for that? OK,” snapped Espersen.

“I know for a fact,” said Twichell.

With some more hollering from the crowd in the background, Mayor Michael Ferguson then moved the meeting on to the next item.