Urgency is always an issue for municipal governments when it comes to planning at the start of the new year. Both the city of Dunkirk and village of Fredonia, however, owe it to their residents — even with new representation — to be more accountable after recent budget train wrecks that upped taxes 84% and 54%.

Since that time, both entities have talked about consolidations that would involve the fire and police departments. Unsurprisingly, this issue seems stalled.

Both departments, we must note, carry some of the highest expenses in both municipal budgets. In Dunkirk, the cost is near $6 million while in the village it’s close to $2 million.

Fredonia will be seeing a change in leadership in the coming days. Current Chief David Price announced his retirement. This is a perfect time to look at possibly having highly respected Dunkirk Chief Chris Witkowski oversee both forces.

This way, if Fredonia is short on manpower, which Price has discussed in the past, Witkowksi could consider sending some city officers closer to the village.

We know contractually this option is not likely. But already these forces respond to mutual aid calls. Being the village could be just that.

Even though Dunkirk officials may think the worst is over now with the 2026 spending plan, from all accounts it is flawed. Staying on the path of least resistance for the moment is easy.

When the next crisis comes along, New York state may not be so gracious in helping the city out of its fiscal hole. Its recent approval of $17 million in deficit bonds for debt refinancing is very questionable.

It does nothing to fix the spending problems of the past that led to the recent troubles. In other words, the city still needs a great deal of repairs that are being ignored.