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Three Fredonia trustees devoted their board meeting reports this week to the water system saga.
Most notably, Trustee Tim Mulholland said the village is eyeing a bond anticipation note to help fund its North County Water District connection project.
Mulholland described a meeting about financing options for the project. Financial consultant Rick Ganci, Trustee LeeAnn Lazarony, and Treasurer Erlyssa LeBsau joined him in the meeting.
The Fredonia officials gave Ganci a "financial snapshot of our village. One of the immediate priorities is reimbursing our village’s water fund for approximately $500,000 in engineering and related project expenses already incurred before our recent pause."
Mulholland continued, "We discussed whether it would make more sense to pursue financing for the entire project, or focus initially on reimbursing the water fund. Given that the project’s ultimate financing needs are still being determined, that we anticipate potential grant funding, and we aren't ready to move forward with this project during this pause, the appropriate approach appears to be to pay back our water fund as an appropriate first step, and Ganci agreed."
LeBeau consulted with Ganci to confirm that a September resolution provides sufficient authorization to do a bond anticipation note, Mulholland said. "This short term borrowing mechanism will allow us to reimburse the water fund for those expenses already paid," he said.
Ganci wants to have the note ready by December, and "also offered to have his team review the project’s finances, and other potential funding opportunities and grants that may be available to us," Mulholland added.
"While municipalities our size have limited options, it is worth exploring opportunities to strengthen our finances without unnecessarily burdening our taxpayers. That's very important to all of us, and myself, especially," he concluded.
Trustee LeeAnn Lazarony mentioned a letter that she wants sent out to commercial customers with old meters.
"Their water meters are beyond their life expectancy and need to be changed," she said. The letter cites village code in stating that Fredonia has the right to replace or repair any commercial meters, and the owner of the premises is liable for the cost. The letter states the meter must be changed within six months, and the village will procure the meter, but cost of installation will be the owner's responsibility.
Lazarony also advocated installation of an orthophosphate pump at the Vineyard Drive pump station. That's where Fredonia gets water from the city of Dunkirk during emergency purchases, including an approximately 900,000 gallon buy during the recent conservation order. However, Fredonia wants to add orthophosphate in to protect its antiquated pipes, and Dunkirk does not have that in its water.
Officials have stated that Dunkirk can provide about one-third of Fredonia's daily water needs through the Vineyard Drive station. Lazarony said, "We need to use that one-third of water to be able to do any kind of real maintenance at the water treatment plant. We can't change filter beds unless we have another source of water to continue to provide water to the village residents."
She said of the orthophosphate pump, "I think that we need to do this and do this rather quickly, get it done and operational for when we need it."
Trustee Paul Wandel started his report by noting he sat in on Oct. 28 interviews for a permanent Department of Public Works supervisor. Three candidates were interviewed. The person hired will be on a six-month probationary period and work alongside interim DPW supervisor Jenness Merrell for a time.
Wandel went on to describe a Nov. 3 meeting over the village's boil and conservation orders and a Nov. 4 inspection of the water system. The inspection included the water plant, reservoir, dam, spillway, the Webster Road storage tank, and the Vineyard Drive pump station. Wandel said the results will be reported and shared at the next village workshop.
It will cost $160,000 to replace all filter beds, he said. "The current challenge is balancing the current backwash water ... with customer demand."
Wandel also asserted, "There were no operator error events here" in relation to the recent boil and conservation orders.
"Why weren't the filters replaced?" Andrew Ludwig called out from the crowd. Wandel replied they were replaced about six years ago.
Ludwig declared county water specialist Natalie Whiteman said replacing filter beds would stop the village from having boil orders. Mayor Michael Ferguson asked him to let Wandel continue, and Ludwig did so with no further interruption.
Wandel said the village is updating its standard operating procedure for the Vineyard Drive station, as the current one is not user-friendly. He said Fredonia is getting assistance from Randy Woodbury, Dunkirk's DPW chief, in that endeavor.
Wandel added he has begun the process of finding a provider for the orthophosphate pump, and agreed with Lazarony that it is a big priority.