At the Sept. 16 Fredonia Village Board meeting, Trustee Michelle Twichell read a statement containing a number of untruths, some of which she has stated in the past but continues to report in an ongoing effort to mislead the public.

She stated the proposal by LaBella to explore an option for the village to connect with the North County Water District, share a water tower with the town of Pomfret and conduct a hydraulic study would cost the village taxpayers almost $70,000. While it is true that is the cost of the study, I stated at a previous meeting that the village would not be paying for it. The county, through unused ARPA funds, will be paying $20,000 after approval by the County Legislature this week. The remainder will be paid through available state funds via a grant that county and state representatives have applied for.

She also incorrectly stated if we go forward with this proposed study, the village would have paid over $200,000 to Labella for water studies.

She knows this is not accurate.

The initial study was performed at a cost of $144,000. However, both the county and the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation combined to pay approximately $30,000 of that cost.

The single option study, to rebuild the water treatment plant and bring the reservoir up to Department of Health and Department of Environmental Conservation standards, that Trustee Twichell favored, would have cost more than what we paid for in a study that provided numerous options. It seems she is opposed to a study costing the taxpayers of the village nothing, that may indicate the village could save millions of dollars by connecting with the North County Water District, after acknowledging that the village is in an emergency spending plan. Let that sink in.

She also stated that LaBella’s proposal included a timeline that coincided with the Town of Pomfret’s construction timeline. The truth is the timeline was set to ensure that the village will be in position to apply for the 2025 round of water infrastructure grants, no matter which option the village ultimately decides on. The town’s construction timeline has no impact on the village’s ultimate decision.

Trustee Twichell also stated the result of the study is a foregone conclusion. The fact is the study will provide the village with another option for our water source, a connection with the water district. The results will give residents and trustees further information so we, as Trustees, can make a more informed decision. I’m not sure when additional information and more options became something to fight against.

She also repeats that we need to file an environmental impact statement before this proposed study is done. That is blatantly untrue and she knows better. We are not voting on any action concerning our water source. This proposal doesn’t even require a resolution because we are not funding it.

Trustee Twitchell also continues to state that the “district,” by which I assume she means the North County Water District, is in deep debt. I’d like her to inform us where she got that information.

Has she attended any recent NCWD meetings? Has she looked at their finances? Has she discussed their financial situation with any of their members? Has she attended Legislative financial meetings and asked questions? In the past she has been unable to differentiate the district from Chadwick Bay Intermunicipal Water Works, two distinctly separate entities with vastly different purposes.

She insinuated that I don’t share with her information regarding the water situation, work of the water committee, or meetings with LaBella.

I can tell you the only time I hear of her concerns is during her allotted time during public meetings, in front of a camera. In truth, I report on every water committee meeting and LaBella meeting at the first board meeting following these meetings. If she feels she is not in the loop and is very concerned about this, why has she never contacted me? She admitted she has not tried to contact LaBella regarding her pressing concerns.

I would suggest that whoever is authoring the statements that Trustee Twichell reads take some time, do some actual homework, check sources before spreading lies and creating fear in the community. If you are making a point by using untruths, then you truly have no valid point to make.

Lastly, I urge Trustee Twichell and the “Save the Reservoir” contingent to stop demonizing every entity that holds a different view than theirs. The county is not our enemy and neither is the town of Pomfret, the city of Dunkirk, the state of New York, the county Health Department, the North County Water District, LaBella, or our attorneys at Webster Szanyi.

We are going to have to work with all of these groups to ensure that the best decision for Fredonia’s water source is made.

Jon Espersen is trustee in the village of Fredonia.