OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford A North County Water District meeting is pictured. The district is the supplier of water to Portland.

Rich Lewis, Craig Miller and Dave Hazelton sat together at the big table Thursday, the rest of the North County Water District Board staring at them. That hearing-style setup felt appropriate when the trio of Brocton and Portland representatives got grilled about their municipalities’ decision to quit the district’s billing arm.

The three men usually sit next to each other at the district board meetings at Dunkirk Town Hall. Previously, it seemed like they were very much part of the group — but for at least a portion of Thursday’s meeting, that was not the case. And Hazelton wound up disassociating himself from the decision.

The discussion began when Kathy Tampio, the district’s administrative business hawk, noted the NCWD will need a new contract with Brocton and Portland on water billing arrangements, after the village and town dropped Chadwick Bay Intermunicipal Water Works and decided to do it themselves. The district also needs to change its contract with CBI Water Works to remove Brocton and Portland.

Dan Pacos, board chair and town of Pomfret Supervisor, said Brocton and Portland can’t technically leave CBI Waterworks until June 30, the end of the current fiscal year. However, “I can’t see forcing them to stay a year if they can do (the billing) on their own.”

Bob Banokski, a Chautauqua County Legislator from Dunkirk, asked Lewis and Miller why Brocton and Portland are making the move. Lewis is the town of Portland supervisor, Miller is Brocton mayor.

The two said their municipalities are not getting revenue properly from CBI Water Works’ billing. Brocton and Portland have billed for water in the past and their officials think they can do it again.

“It’s been a nightmare” with billing issues, Pacos acknowledged.

Terry Niebel, Chautauqua County Legislator out of Sheridan, said he was under the impression Pacos and the board were addressing the issues. Niebel complained he never heard about Brocton and Portland’s moves from officials, instead reading about them in the OBSERVER.

“All of a sudden, we got a process server at our door,” said Pacos.

Niebel said that a Brocton or Portland official should have called or texted Pacos about the matter. He reiterated his displeasure about having to find out about it in the OBSERVER.

Lewis and Miller correctly noted they have expressed displeasure with CBI Waterworks for months, suggesting they might go another route. Other board members pointed out that they never explicitly mentioned quitting CBI Water Works.

Lewis wound up apologizing. He said it was not his intention to deceive anyone on the board. He merely wanted to keep the decision under wraps until it was official.

Hazelton, the former Brocton mayor, said little during the discussion but spoke up as it closed. He questioned whether going it alone on billing would help Brocton and Portland.

“I can see why they’d do it. I don’t think it resolves any issues,” he said.