The OBSERVER editor has assured me that I can use this column to write about whatever I like. And while it may be a bit risky for some writers to pen a column criticizing their employer, I’m not all that worried about it. I do not get paid to write these articles. The OBSERVER gets to print these priceless and entertaining words of wisdom absolutely free of charge.

I realize the difficulties that must come with managing print media in this day and age of electronic communication. I understand that headlines are meant to be attention grabbing and the language used in articles is intended to entertain. But I must take exception with some of the reporting and lack thereof that I have seen or haven’t seen on the pages of this publication.

I would never consider myself to be in bad company when mentioned in the same article as former Village Attorney Sam Drayo. I do have to correct the statement made in a recent OBSERVER article that Mr. Drayo and I routinely attempt to blow through the time limit placed on public comment at Fredonia village board meetings. I would encourage the paper to go back and view on YouTube the village board meetings that he does not actually attend. The one and only instance where I spoke beyond the allotted time period was when I was being constantly interrupted by the mayor and a trustee. After several of their interruptions used up a good portion of my allowable time, both tried to say that my speaking time had expired. They have not tried that stunt since I loudly reclaimed my lost time and then some.

And while Mr. Drayo has gone over the required speaking time limit on a number of occasions, he was the only private citizen in attendance at one of these meetings and at another meeting there was just Drayo and one or two other people. Personally, I wouldn’t mind if Mr. Drayo spoke about his experience to this village board for over an hour. They do need schooling.

If Drayo can convince the trustees to correct the Pomfret Portland Dunkirk wastewater contract that this board has entered into at the detriment of the village for more than half a million dollars, it would be well worth the extra speaking time allowed. Yet there was no mention in the OBSERVER regarding the details of Drayo’s calculations and projections on the PPD wastewater contract. I don’t expect to see any time soon an OBSERVER article containing an interview with Mr. Drayo and/or the mayor and/or one of the trustees regarding this PPD wastewater contract that will end up costing Fredonians more than $500,000 in lost revenue. Surely that is news that OBSERVER subscribers would like to read about.

I have readily admitted during video recorded village board meetings that I have spoken out of turn. But that is not the same as blowing through the allotted public speaking time limit. I have been asked to leave board meetings on a couple of occasions for not following the rules of decorum at public sessions. I consider being tossed from a public forum for speaking out of turn an acceptable consequence for asking questions, speaking truth and fact checking when no form of news media is doing the job.

Former Trustee James Lynden was also asked to leave a village board meeting because he refused to comply with the mayor’s unlawful gag order restricting statements from the public about the article 78 lawsuit regarding the village’s plan to partner with the North County Water District. But once again, this is not the same as abusing the public comment portion of village board meetings. And it is certainly not justification for the mayor’s attempt to stifle public comment.

I also have to make mention of the recent headline, “Former trustees bash mayor” over public comment restrictions. While using the word “bash” may have seemed attention grabbing, by definition bash indicates harsh criticism or bigotry. As I sat and listened to former trustees Lynden and Michelle Twichell speak, I did not detect a harsh tone in their voices. And their statements were completely factual. There certainly could have been more accurate terms to use in this headline than “bash”.

The headline “Antacid buy turns Lazarony’s stomach” is certainly eye-catching. it does poke fun at Trustee Lazarony’s attempt to rein in village spending and it casts her as being a penny pincher. If past trustees had paid as much attention to spending details that Trustee Lazarony seems to be, perhaps the 54% tax increase just experienced by village residents would not have been necessary. Much more important topics were covered at that meeting. This did not need to be the headline.

I am curious as to why there was nothing mentioned in the OBSERVER’s meeting coverage about the most recent Fredonia boil water order being caused by the cold temperatures freezing up the water treatment plant’s chlorination system? This event was absolutely foreseeable and absolutely preventable. It never should have happened. Simple preventative actions should have been taken to ensure that the WTP’s chlorinator did not freeze during the recent frigid weather. Maybe turn up the thermostat in the plant? And yet no mention of the completely preventable frozen chlorinator in the OBSERVER.

At the same meeting at which I asked questions about the frozen chlorinator, I also spoke about the research and projections that former Village Administrator James Sedota presented to the mayor and the board. Sedota’s projections show that over a 30-year period the village’s project with the North County Water District is $52 million more expensive than upgrading Fredonia’s dam, reservoir and water treatment plant. Mayor Michael Ferguson did say that he had seen Sedota’s projections. I admittedly spoke out of turn when I challenged Ferguson to prove Sedota wrong. I certainly would have complied had I been told to leave the meeting. Civil disobedience has consequences that I am willing to accept. Plus BJ’s has a great wing special on Monday nights that I often miss while I sit at village board meetings. Just another price to pay for speaking truth to power.

To date, there has been no mention of Sedota’s research in the OBSERVER’s coverage of village board meetings. Even after I have provided the OBSERVER with a copy of the memo that Mr. Sedota sent to the mayor and to the trustees highlighting his calculations. Will we see a story on Sedota’s research? Or perhaps an interview with the mayor and/or one of the trustees to get their take on Sedota’s projections? I doubt it. It does seem as though the OBSERVER is tacitly in favor of Fredonia joining the North County Water District.

I would like to point out that LaBella Engineering was paid $140,000 for their engineering report regarding Fredonia’s water options. They received another $70,000 for a second report. Both reports were missing a great deal of crucial information, including the water use cost projections cited by Mr. Sedota. In the end, LaBella based their recommendations for Fredonia to go with the NCWD on “non-financial” reasons. Sedota did his work for free. He made no recommendations and let the numbers speak for themselves.

I have been reading the OBSERVER since I was a boy. I have been a subscriber for just shy of 40 years. Having a local newspaper is a vital resource for our community. I will always support the OBSERVER. I know that writing and reporting is a challenging and thankless job.

The purpose of this article is not to bash or to be overly critical. My message is meant to be encouraging. The OBSERVER can do better. Please put some thought into the words written here. Moving forward, show readers your best work in reporting and writing. I will too. And at no charge.