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Pomfret town Supervisor Dan Pacos set the record straight when it comes to the North County Water District during a meeting last week. No matter what a Fredonia trustee wants to delusionally believe, the village system can sink -- or continue to struggle -- on its own.
Pacos was referring to recent comments made by James Lynden, without naming him. For the record, Lynden is the most vocal village trustee who favors unreliable drinking water for those he represents. In fact, he continues to advocate for the failing system -- even through tense dialogue with county Health Department officials earlier this month.
Boil-water order? It's no problem for Lynden, who fails to remember the frustrated constituents.
"I want to make it clear that the (North County Water District) is not in any way trying to force the village of Fredonia to join the county water district," Pacos said. "The village was given the chance to be a participant in the water district when it was formed years ago, and the village declined."
Lynden also has been outspoken over recent water emergencies that do not get the attention that those in his village do. That's too bad.
Other water emergencies, that require users to boil their water, occur when there is an infrastructure event, such as a pipe burst that occurred in the city of Dunkirk and village of Brocton recently. Fredonia's emergencies are based on an old water plant that is not up to standards -- or just plain careless actions such as forgetting to order important parts.
Someday, if trustees have the courage, they can start doing an inventory of the major upgrades needed for its antiquated plant. It will cost more than $10 million -- maybe even $20 million.
If village users think the rate for water is high now, wait until those upgrades get factored in. Those costs will truly be sticker shock to all involved.