Do we need a regional control board? Yes — and for good reason.

The level of greed, deceit, and outright tomfoolery that took place during the COVID lockdown still turns my stomach. While everyday people were trying to survive, some of our so�’called representatives seemed more focused on insider deals, kickbacks, bonus checks, and personal gain.

In January 2025, the Dunkirk OBSERVER reported on the New York state audit of Sheridan and announced an upcoming town meeting. Many of us attended, hoping for answers about the questionable dealings involving Sheridan and the North County Water District.

Instead, we were met with evasions, half�’truths, and outright lies.

Every member of the Town Board — including then Supervisor Tom Wik — claimed they had not read the audit report. That was impossible. The final page of the report contained their written response to the state. How do you respond to something you supposedly never read? Those of us who printed the report from the link knew immediately we weren’t getting honesty.

Residents of the water districts agreed to municipal water under a clear understanding: the town would maintain the waterlines, and billing would be handled at the town hall. Clerks were even given extra hours to manage the workload. Are those hours still being paid? Hard to tell — the board minutes are vague at best.

What is clear is this: the North County town supervisors created a for�’profit private corporation — Chadwick Bay Intermunicipal (CBI) — to take over billing and repairs for our water districts. Then our own council members handed over our water accounts, along with vehicles, equipment, and parts purchased by Sheridan taxpayers. None of this would have come to light without the state audit.

It’s no surprise that many political leaders don’t want a regional control board. Why would they? Some of the people who benefited most from this mess were their friends, allies, and supporters. Meanwhile, they’re pushing to force Dunkirk into a control board — not for fiscal responsibility, but to create jobs for their political circle without stepping on the wrong toes.

If you want to understand what really happened during COVID, start with your own town hall. Read the minutes. Are they vague? Were your board members involved in private corporations? Misuse of funds? Were solar projects approved for insiders while others were denied? Were raises given for added duties? How many raises? Did they give themselves Covid bonuses? What about street lights?

Sheridan may finally be turning a corner. Electing Steve Roach as supervisor, along with two new board members, gives me hope. They appear committed to proper procedures, documentation, and transparency.

So, do we need a control board?

We can’t undo what happened during COVID, but we can expose it so it never happens again.

With timely state audits, integrated accounting software, fair oversight, and engaged voters, we might not need a control board — or the patronage jobs and high taxpayer costs that come with one.

But until those safeguards are in place, accountability shouldn’t be optional.

Marguerite Kaczor is a Sheridan resident.