So Pomfret town Supervisor and North County Water District chairman Dan Pacos has had it with the Save Our Reservoir group. Has it ever occurred to Mr. Pacos that the members and the more than 300 petition signers in favor of upgrading the Village’s water treatment plant, dam and reservoir have had it with Pacos, the North County Water District and a deaf to the public Village Board? How many more petition signers does this board need in order to listen to the will of the people?

Pacos claims that his plan to link the village’s water system to the NCWD’s Phase 3 Water Project “will save tens of millions of dollars in the long run.” All we have to do is take his word for it. How many tens of millions are we talking about Mr. Pacos? If this is such a cost saving measure for the Village, why was it not considered in the LaBella report that the village paid over $100,000 for?

Show us your facts and figures Mr. Pacos.

What municipality will save all this money? Will it be the village of Fredonia or the town of Pomfret or the NCWD? How about a public forum where Mr. Pacos and the rest of the NCWD presents to village residents and shows Fredonians why his plan is better for the village than making upgrades to our water treatment plant, reservoir and dam? If Mr. Pacos and the NCWD can make such a presentation, perhaps their group could gain some support and members of SOR might stand down.

Meanwhile a do nothing village board has sat and pouted ever since a judge determined that the Village Board’s actions with regard to their plan to draw down the reservoir and buy water from Dunkirk was made improperly. It’s easier to blame the reservoir group than to accept a judge’s decision. Does this Village Board not not trust the judicial system?

After sulking for months now, two members of the village’s water committee along with the mayor are quietly talking to Pacos about another plan to give up Fredonia’s water independence. The mayor and trustees should be asking Pacos and the NCWD to prove their claims of tens of millions of dollars in savings before jumping on board with this plan. Meanwhile the mayor complains that the same people from SOR show up at Village Board meetings to voice their disagreement with his plans. SOR members are armed with facts, figures and the courage of their convictions. Where are the mayor’s supporters? Do they not care enough to attend Village Board meetings? Does the mayor have a petition signed by supporters of his plans?

Once again I ask Mr. Pacos, the NCWD, Mayor Michael Ferguson and the Village Board. When can Fredonians expect a public forum to show that having the Village join the NCWD Phase 3 Project is the best course of action for Fredonia’s water?

Andrew Ludwig is a Fredonia resident.