The OBSERVER’s View (Jan. 3-4) blames past village of Fredonia boards from back as far as 2015 for a role in the current fiscal mess, but is not faulting current mayor, trustees or fire chief.

Really? That’s right up there with the county fly car system that has operated at more than a $1 million deficit since its inception and the County Legislature that keeps dumping more of the taxpayer money into the system that only benefits portions of the county. For the rest of us, it’s double dipping.

Both of these issues were created by the promise from state and county that revenue from insurance billing for rescue services would absolutely be realized to support the positions, although the North County Water District is another fine example of financial mismanagement.

Under previous Mayor Doug Essek, current Mayor Michael Ferguson and current Fire Chief Josh Myers is when the expenses have skyrocketed.

It is clear where the lack of vision lay. This year’s budget rests squarely on the shoulders of the current mayor and Village Board.

The OBSERVER editor loves the current village mayor and a majority of its board for his own biased opinion. They are pushing for shared, combined or a complete takeover of village services by the city of Dunkirk or the county.

His theory seems to be that big government is better at managing our money and services. My view is if that were true, why is it that for a city and a village of similar size the city has a budget of more than twice the size of the village and has a budget deficit by tens of millions of dollars? Once you’ve combined and you haven’t solved anything, then what?

After reading the article about Dunkirk, “2022 audit reveals fiscal misery,” why would anyone in their right mind do anything with them as a municipality or even to consider moving there as an individual or business? They are in worse shape than thought

Their total general fund budget appears to exceed well past their borrowing limits, hence their lowered credit rating. They basically have no fund balance protection to use in an emergency and their debt is at a very high interest rate. Then there are the water and sewer funds with massive debt and fund deficits and without fund balance and incomplete consent order, those service rates will have to increase.

Regardless of any state incentives for consolidations, Dunkirk’s governing body has proven it is in no fiscal position or competent enough to be able to facilitate any such consolidation of any type. For that matter, the Fredonia mayor and village board must quickly get their act together.

Prior to adopting this year’s budget they were advised by their constituents that the budget was not sustainable but they did not make the necessary changes and adopted it anyway and here we are six months into a fiscal crisis. In conclusion Fredonia cannot be or provide a lifeline for Dunkirk and combining services with Dunkirk or the North County Water District will only put an anchor on Fredonia pulling it completely under.

James Lynden, a Fredonia resident, is a former village trustee.