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SUNY Fredonia is calling on the village of Fredonia to work with the university on installing an alternate source of water from the city of Dunkirk.
Frank Pagano, president of the university's College Council and a former mayor of Fredonia, laid out the request at the start of Wednesday's council meeting. The council voted to send the village a letter outlining the request.
"The university and our students have struggled together with the village" as its water system deals with problems, the letter states.
Citing "all-too-frequent water emergencies," the letter says that the time has come for the village and the university to work with the city of Dunkirk on providing a backup source.
The letter backs a plan laid out by Dunkirk officials a few months ago for that backup source. Under the plan, the city would construct a line from its Willowbrook Avenue storage tank to the campus.
SUNY Fredonia's letter also states, "The village water storage capacity is limited and not extensive." It expresses fears that in a long-term emergency, the village might not be able to adequately supply the university.
The university also promises to help acquire funding for the new connection.
Pagano stated that he wants the letter read out at the next Fredonia Board of Trustees meeting. That could irritate Trustee James Lynden, who has repeatedly said that under the state Home Rule Law, the village is the only entity that can provide the university with water. He said that again at the last trustees meeting on Monday.