Commotion at the City Hall treasurer’s office this week led by the office of the New York state comptroller, law enforcement and the county district attorney has been a compelling distraction. But no matter what is discovered, it is doing nothing to fix the serious cash crunch facing Dunkirk.

“This action was set in motion (due) to the discovery of questionable accounting practices, which were brought to light through new policies, procedures, and enhanced oversight measures implemented by me to safeguard public funds,” Mayor Kate Wdowiaz announced during the Common Council meeting that took place on the same day the treasurer’s office was secured.

Though there needs to be an examination of all those old documents to pinpoint what went wrong — and that is long overdue — city leaders need to look ahead, not back. With tax bills going out that include an 84% increase for property owners, there needs to be real solutions dealing with the expense side moving ahead.

Some of those possibilities include a potential merger of fire and police departments with another struggling entity in the village of Fredonia. While that process is dragging on, it appears savings with that option are years away.

City leaders, who have admitted their hands are tied due to contractual obligations, need to look outside the box — specifically calling on Albany to put a control board in place. Finding the accounting mistakes that have been ignored through recent years will not ease the burden. A control board will.

Created by the State Legislature in September 1975 to help rectify the financial emergency in New York City, boards have also been put in place in Buffalo to ease money troubles. Dunkirk is much smaller potatoes than those two cities — but is lacking the willpower to address the elephant in the room.

We hope the state comptroller’s office — and state leaders — are more vocal in making a control board happen. Investigations, while necessary, will not replenish the carelessly overspent city coffers. Tough decisions might.