OBSERVER File Photo Fredonia police respond to a disturbance on May 4 in the village during Not Fred Fest.

Local officials have held the first meeting of the “Not Fred Fest” committee.

Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson announced it at Tuesday’s village Board of Trustees meeting. He advocated for the committee after another wild first weekend in May last year as SUNY Fredonia students held their unofficial spring party.

Ferguson said the meeting was held earlier Tuesday. It brought together officials from the Fredonia police and fire departments, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department, the Dunkirk fire and police departments, and the New York State Police.

“A couple of our trustees were there today as well, and members of Fredonia State representing student activities, and the (University) Senate,” along with representatives from SUNY Fredonia’s police force, Ferguson said.

The mayor mentioned that “there are plans underway with the college to have an alternative event, right now it’s scheduled the week before (the first weekend of May) which has traditionally been, unfortunately, Not Fred Fest.”

Ferguson felt “we made a lot of progress today” at the meeting. He concluded, “Just want the public to know, we’re following through with what we talked about…we will continue with these meetings. This is only three months away, so we’re working on it.”

Trustees Ben Brauchler and Jon Espersen said they were the trustees who attended the Not Fred Fest meeting.

Brauchler said he found it very interesting and liked the law enforcement response to the call for the committee. “I think that possibly, with their help, we’ll be able to keep a little bit more of a lid on what’s going on in the village. We absolutely have to do so,” he said.

“The takeaway that hasn’t been mentioned yet is that the state police indicated that they’d be willing to dedicate however much manpower we would request from them,” Espersen said. “(Fredonia Police) Chief (David) Price is going to work with them to kind of make that determination.”