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The OBSERVER’s View

FREDONIA: No cash request seems convenient

We could be about to find out just how cash-strapped Fredonia really is. During a Village Board meeting last week, a pair of pickleball players asked the trustees for $910 to repair cracks in the courts at Russell Joy Park. In the past, the request would have likely been passed with few questions. Reality at the moment, however, is much different. With a possible tax hike looming of more than 50% even $910 is a lot of money for an $11 million government entity that is taking out a loan for up to $825,000 to make ends meet. “We supply our own equipment, we provide our own ...

RENEWABLES Solar challenge has implications

Dunkirk’s Town Board decided against solar panel on a parcel of land on Williams Street. Now, it faces a legal challenge. Last week, Solar Liberty Energy Systems and John Dach filed suit in state Supreme Court this week. The filing calls the board’s denial of a solar farm project permit “arbitrary, capricious, irrational, without any rational basis, and affected by error of law because the record … clearly established that petitioners were entitled to approval of a special use permit.” The parcels are in a residential district and the town of Dunkirk’s zoning board ...

STATE: Continue delay of income limits

A judge’s decision this month approving the state Legislature’s decision to limit lawmakers’ outside income struck perhaps the most odious part of the law. Judge Alison Napolitano of state Supreme Court in Suffolk County ruled the state can’t strip legislators of their voting rights if they exceed outside income limits. Legislators’ base pay increased from $110,000 to $142,000 a year while outside income limits are capped to $35,000 a year. It’s a win for voters who faced the very real possibility that they could be left without a voice in the legislature if their elected ...

SCHOOLS: Tiny districts can share superintendent

The Panama Central School Board of Education has been meeting over the past week to discuss candidates to serve as the district’s interim superintendent after Aaron Wolfe resigned to take a position in Wellsville. Wolfe had been in Panama since 2022 after the retirement of former Panama superintendent Bert Lictus. Once an interim superintendent is hired, we hope the district continues down a path it started with Lictus and looks to share the position with a neighboring school district. Paama and Clymer were ahead of the curve when it came to sharing positions, including sharing ...

DUNKIRK: Probe of office is no fix for future

Commotion at the City Hall treasurer’s office this week led by the office of the New York state comptroller, law enforcement and the county district attorney has been a compelling distraction. But no matter what is discovered, it is doing nothing to fix the serious cash crunch facing Dunkirk. “This action was set in motion (due) to the discovery of questionable accounting practices, which were brought to light through new policies, procedures, and enhanced oversight measures implemented by me to safeguard public funds,” Mayor Kate Wdowiaz announced during the Common Council ...

District Passing on hike in water costs

Dunkirk’s fiscal troubles are, as we expected, trickling to other entities and residents. Most recently, the city announced water rates will be going up. This will be impacting those who get their supply from the North County Water District. During this month’s meeting, Dunkirk’s water system chief Randy Woodbury noted the hike will be “because of rising costs over three years but (the size of the hike) will be held down by economy of scale as use is growing.” He was conveying information from SUNY Fredonia professor Peter Reinelt, who is calculating the rate with his ...