Fredonia’s trustees turned down some equipment purchases for the village Department of Public Works this week.

Trustees voted 3-2 against the purchase of a new plow truck for $129,766. The truck was supposed to get reimbursed from state Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (aka “CHIPS”) funding.

After that vote, the trustees tabled a related purchase of a snow removal equipment package for the truck. That would have cost $144,356 and was also supposed to get paid back through CHIPS.

Trustees Ben Brauchler, Christine Cruz Keefe and Leeann Lazarony voted against the truck purchase. Trustees Jon Espersen and Paul Wandel voted in favor of it.

Lazarony requested discussion about the truck. She sought clarification that the truck and the equipment for it were separate purchases. Told that they were, she voted “nay.”

“With our current situation, with the water and the sewer pipes, I’m going to hold off on this. I’d like to see it in the budget next year,” Brauchler said.

Espersen mentioned the CHIPS reimbursement. “I would be more comfortable if it was budgeted in the next budget cycle,” replied Lazarony. “We don’t know what our roads are going to look like in the spring. We don’t know what we’re going to need out of those CHIPS funds.”

She added, “We had a major water break at Central (Avenue) and Temple (Street), we’re going to have to prepare that somehow just to get through so we can repair the pipes.”

Fredonia’s financial troubles over the last year are a factor in recent votes. Within the last month, village Fire Chief Josh Myers talked about the inability to purchase supplies due to the current money crunch that led to a 54% property tax increase last July.