No municipality has been more dysfunctional in Chautauqua County than the village of Fredonia over the last 10 years. Trustees, who have been more interested in personal power struggles than bettering the entity, helped push a 400-plus employer in Carriage House away when it challenged its assessment, raised its taxes as well as their water and sewer rates in 2013.

They have stubbornly avoided the North County Water District even though it notoriously has some of the worst water quality in the region. In April, board members bragged about participating in a retreat behind closed doors to craft charter changes while blatantly disregarding the open meetings law. In addition, board members are consistently fighting — whether it be amongst themselves or with residents who have attended meetings in the past decade.

Almost unbelievably, there are nine people who have stepped forward to run for four trustee seats on this troubled board. Newcomers are wishing to right the years of wrongs while the two incumbents believe there have been strides made recently when it comes to civility in meetings.

Monday’s workshop dispute between Mayor Doug Essek and Trustee James Lynden regarding grants was far from a friendly discussion that ended in temper tantrums by both elected officials. Maybe that is considered an improvement by both current Trustees EvaDawn Bashaw and Roger Britz. To other onlookers, especially those looking from outside the community, it is an embarrassment.

Fredonia, because of a superiority complex, has failed for years to work toward regional solutions. That is a problem because most grant money today aims to reward cooperation — not single-entity efforts.

Candidates who appear most ready to take on important steps of working together that include an interest in joining the water district in the future include Jon Esperson, Greg Krauza and Michelle Twichell. All three receive our backing.

Our fourth choice, which comes with plenty of reservation, is Nicole Siracuse due to her husband working in the village Fire Department. That issue alone is a conflict of interest in some cases, but she was the most polished of the remaining four in the recent League of Women Voters debate.

No matter who wins election next week, this board need to heal — and gain the confidence of residents again. Right now, that is a monumental task.