Fredonia Village Board members - and the mayor - approved the services of a law firm from Buffalo for its future labor negotiations with unions whose contracts are due. The cost of the services for these attorneys is $195 per hour plus expenses.
Where are those funds coming from when looking at the current budget? Here's one line to consider - the current salary of the village attorney.
For years, Sam Drayo has been a tremendous backer and supporter of the village. He knows its history, has participated in a number of major events and knows just about everything that happens behind the scenes.
He also is well compensated - at more than $60,000 annually in a part-time position.
But as village attorney, he should be able to handle labor negotiations. In the city of Dunkirk, its attorney last fall handled the city firefighters new three-year contract, which was a win-win for everyone.
Village taxpayers do not need to be billed twice for legal representation. If the current attorney cannot handle labor deals, which is apparently the case, take it out of his salary.
