I have a favorite saying about history which goes against the common perception that it repeats. “The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.”

Author J.P. Hartley is saying that we might not understand events outside of the context of their times. Today’s context in the village of Fredonia is a question of sustainability in the face of multiple actions taken by the board of trustees Trying to understand these actions in isolation as singular occurrences brings another popular saying to mind, “It’s never about what it’s about”.

Intentionally or not, the board is moving toward dissolving the village as an incorporated municipality. The evidence for what’s actually happening is revealed by the board’s actions:

— Approving a viral 60% tax increase inflamed by a bloated and dysfunctional manner of fiscal mismanagement characterized by failure to seek arbitration for expensive union contracts, infusion of generous annual raises for department heads without basis on performance, and an endemic refusal to say “No”.

— Funding the pathetic plan to abandon cost-efficient village-owned water resources and buy all water from the insolvent county district at rates four times the current charge and costing the village $52 million in the long term, which naturally enjoys the support of the village’s representatives in Mayville.

— Agreeing to the abusive Pomfret-Portland-Dunkirk sewer contract written by the county which forces Village ratepayers to subsidize 60% of the parity rate charged to county users of the Village’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, while the plant needs $9 million in upgrades. Again, with the blessings of our county representatives.

— Furtively engaging in rear guard maneuvers to dispose of village police, fire, and street departments through mergers with other municipalities and/or creation of new taxing entity districts, without any examples of alleged cost savings elsewhere in the county or New York State.

I recall a similar story from the past. The idea of dissolution was proposed in 2007 by a mayor who declared their intent to be the “last mayor of the Village of Fredonia”. The concept was tested by a proposal to merge the Village Court into the Town of Pomfret Court. It was widely recognized that two village employees would lose their jobs as a result of the proposed merger. The consolidation of the courts and both the incumbent mayor and a supporting trustee were all rejected at subsequent Village elections.

None of today’s elected village representatives have openly stated their intentions to dissolve the village. Apparently, they are taking the advice of one of their controlling local political party leaders who frequently claims “the people have spoken”. As if voting them into office without knowing their agenda provides a mandate. The Village Board and mayor are masking, but as Matthew wrote in 7:16 “By their fruits you shall know them.”.

We’ll see if Village voters respond as they did 20 years ago by rejecting today’s actions towards dissolution and the board members who promote them. I enjoy visiting the Hamlets of Forestville, Perrysburg, and Cherry Creek, but as for foreign places, the Hamlet of Fredonia is not a place I care to live.

Mark Twichell is a Fredonia resident.