Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson has recently attended more meetings about consolidation of local municipal services.

Ferguson mentioned an Aug. 22 meeting with officials about Fredonia joining the North County Water District, and separate consolidation talks in September. He spoke about his dealings during mayoral reports at Fredonia Board of Trustees meetings.

“We held separate meetings with the New York Department of State to discuss funding opportunities for various projects the village has on the table, including but not limited to possible consolidation and/or shared services opportunities with our neighbors” in the city of Dunkirk and towns of Dunkirk and Pomfret, Ferguson said.

“I met with several directors of the state as well, at a second meeting at a Department of State presentation in Lakewood that afternoon, to discuss opportunities for our village and the surrounding area” with a Department of State “revitalization specialist,” the mayor continued.

Ferguson additionally said he “continued possible consolidation initial discussions” with Pomfret Town Supervisor Dan Pacos.

Fredonia and the town of Pomfret are planning to share a new water tank, and that has been one focus of the meetings.

“There’s still a lot of little fine touches here and there as far as what they would be responsible for, what we would be responsible for, if we were sharing a tank, if we were not sharing a tank,” Ferguson said at a different meeting. “Some of that’s already in the plan, but what would be the costs involved in that, was kind of the discussion.”

The mayor made some complaints about critics of Village Hall.

“We’ve had people come into this (trustees’ meeting) room in the last month alone (saying), ‘I represent the people. I’m going to find out for the people what you’re doing with our budget, with our money.’ By the way, taxpayer, taxpayer, taxpayer, taxpayer,” pointing out village officials. “I gave them my personal phone number and mayor’s phone, (Trustee Jon) Espersen gave them a phone, we have not received a single phone call to meet with any of those people.

“So, we give people the opportunity to come and speak to us and… I won’t see them again until next week, and they’ll show up next week and speak again (at trustees meetings). The point is, we handed them our cards, we said ‘Call us, we’d be happy to talk it through with you,’ and nothing went any further from that point and it’s been two weeks.”

Ferguson’s August meeting drew the ire of Trustee Michelle Twichell, and led to her repeating complaints that she is cut out of the Village Hall information loop.

She said Ferguson has repeatedly met with water district and Chautauqua County Health Department officials without reporting on it to her.

“I’ve never heard you mention anything of a Aug. 22 meeting,” Twichell said. “This is something I am not happy with because all of a sudden, we have walkon (resolutions) that were not discussed at the workshop. The information seems to be hidden.”

Twichell added, “This whole game that you play about meeting with town of Pomfret, about sharing services — I never hear a report on that. I’m a trustee. Shouldn’t that be required to share that information with me? I just want the public to know that I don’t know everything that goes on here behind closed doors.”

“I put out an offer Jan 3 as mayor so that I can meet… for once a week for one hour,” Ferguson said. “And two of you (trustees), including you, turned it down.”

Twichell hit back, “I come into your office and hear you speak about other things, you hardly ever inform me about what’s going on.”

She later added, “Everyone should be on the same page about what’s going on here in this village government — and I’m letting everyone know that information is not privy to me sometimes.”