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The OBSERVER’s View

STATE Regents need more urgent regional plan

Taxpayers should want to see the state Board of Regents’ latest push for collaboration succeed. But we fear the Regents aren’t seeing the big picture with the push announced by the Regents in September. A proposed amendment creates a new section of state Education Commissioner’s recommendations regarding BOCES and a separate subsection for regionalization plans. Each school district that is part of a BOCES district will work with the BOCES superintendent to develop and implement a regionalization plan at least every 10 years. Plans have to include initiatives to increase ...

DUNKIRK Assessor ignores major property

There is one major option the city of Dunkirk assessor needs to consider before making a push for a reassessment of properties in the municipality. It involves an almost abandoned parcel that once paid the highest taxes in Chautauqua County. For the record, a Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement with the county Industrial Development Agency expired in 2023 that involves that prime plot near the waterfront and is owned by NRG Energy Inc. that includes a mothballed power plant. Payment last year to the city by NRG, according to those documents, was only $134,000. That’s a drop in the ...

NORTH COUNTY Giving group is quietly aiding needy

A north-county organization continues to do a lot of good for those in need in the Dunkirk-Fredonia communities. A gathering on Saturday is an attempt to further goodwill while sending a message. Partners in Kind is inviting residents to a Dip ‘n Sip Potluck with the organization Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Fredonia Presbyterian Church on Central Avenue. Attendees are encouraged to bring a favorite fall-inspired dip or non-alcoholic beverage and get to know the members behind Partners in Kind, learn about our mission and upcoming projects right here in Chautauqua County. The ...

FREDONIA A vote for safety on Election Day

Fredonia Central Schools earlier this month declared it will be a day off for students on Election Day, Nov. 5. While the decision was not fully about voter awareness, it does involve polling decisions. Years ago, Chautauqua County designated Wheelock School as a site for a portion of village voters. District leaders were hoping to change that this year. It did not happen. With all the safety issues that surround schools, including the procedures that allow residents to enter while classes are in session, Fredonia had no choice. “We did our best to try to get that adjusted ...

Pomfret Building proves cooperative spirit

Pomfret Town Board highway members deserve a round of applause. During a meeting last week, the department’s Superintendent Jude Gardner hailed the completion of a new salt barn. Gardner said at a town board meeting held at the Lily Dale Fire Hall that he and his seven employees built the barn themselves. The towns of Ellery, Charlotte, Sheridan and Stockton all supplied equipment for the construction. Chautauqua County’s highway department offered and operated a paver to do the floor inside. The county also assisted with a grant to help pay for the project, Gardner added. “We ...

Schools: Enrollment hikes an area anomaly

Schools in the north county are touting the fact their enrollment is up when compared to the previous year. Within the last month, Fredonia, Westfield and Ripley have noted the increase in students. That is a refreshing change, but it does not fix years of overinvestment in buildings and complexes that have occurred during a decade of downsizing when it comes to the numbers. Fredonia, for instance, will likely be moving forward with a $51 million capital plan that includes repairs, additions to the music department and a new facility for athletics. Voters will have to make the ...