Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson waves a copy of an OBSERVER article that summarized SUNY Fredonia student newspaper pieces critical of the village government over Fred Fest and the water situation.

Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson criticized SUNY Fredonia student newspaper pieces on Fred Fest and the village water situation, summarized in a recent OBSERVER article.

Ferguson said he took “great umbrage” with comments in The Leader about Fred Fest, also called “Not Fred Fest” since the official campus event was cancelled in 2015. The mayor’s response came during his report time at a Board of Trustees meeting Monday, his first meeting back after a couple weeks on the disabled list due to surgery.

“I want to assure the public that the relationship between Fredonia State University and this community or government has never been stronger, thanks to the cooperation of Fredonia’s government and college leadership, it has strengthened and flourished this year alone. Four meetings have been held, each one more positive than the last… with a plan to quell the limited, yet serious, violence of Not Fred Fest weekend.”

The mayor continued, “You may not hear about the plan until its fruition — that’s the idea of executing a plan — but plans are already underway to continue discussions for future (on campus Fred Fest) events.”

Ferguson went on to add that “college student leadership, event coordinators, and others have met with us to provide activities, and suggestions, to diffuse negativity off campus. (Fredonia Police) Chief Dave Price stated he has been here 30 years and not seen a meeting nor collaboration between the two entities like this in the past.”

After thanking local law enforcement agencies for their help on Fred Fest plans, Fredonia’s mayor attacked the Leader’s journalism. He was specifically irked by an editorial from Dan Quagliana slamming the village over its recent boil water orders.

“It’s easy to write a poison pen article weeks before your senior graduation and leaving our community in your wake,” Ferguson said. “The individuals have never addressed us with any positive suggestions on how to remedy this situation. One student said, if he knew about our turbulence in these meetings and on this water issue, he would have never come here. You don’t come to college for water, which we know you need. You go to college for an education. I’m pretty sure you got a good one while you were here.”

The mayor later added, “I will say that the water issue is not a reason nor license to invite drug dealers and ne’er-do-wells in our community. The few ruin it for the many. It’s not all college students… 95% of (students at the school) are standup citizens who have done great things in this community, and we hope that they will consider the village as a permanent location somewhere in their future.

“The village water plan is focused and moving along as we will have a strong bond between the village, college, our residents and our temporary residents — the students of Fredonia State University,” Ferguson concluded.