FREDONIA — New York State wants to facilitate a study on consolidating the Dunkirk and Fredonia police and fire departments.

Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson announced at a village Board of Trustees meeting Friday, “I’ve asked Dunkirk’s attorney (Elliott) Raimondo to talk to (Village Treasurer) Erlyssa (LeBeau) about writing the proposal for the study.”

The mayor said, “What the study entails is consolidation of police and fire. There are tax benefits to the public for communities that do that with the guidance of the state.”

Ferguson asked trustees to vote their support for the study. The vote will apparently happen at a workshop Wednesday — but trustees sounded open to the study Friday. Ferguson added that the study was “highly suggested by County Executive (PJ) Wendel and also by the governor’s office that, in particular, Dunkirk and Fredonia look at that option of consolidating both police and fire.

“We’ll dot our I’s and cross our T’s to make sure that there’s no cost to our community,” Ferguson said. “It would only be based on financial savings for both communities, not additional costs to the communities.”

Trustee Jon Espersen commented on the study, “If it’s not going to cost us anything, we’d be crazy not to participate just to see what it says, so we know the realities of any kind of consolidation.”

Regarding a consolidation, “if it’s a significant cost savings and doesn’t interrupt the service we currently have, that’s something I think we need to take a serious look at.”

Trustee Nicole Siracuse was under the impression that Dunkirk would be in the lead on the study because “they are in the community that is in the clear financial hardship.”

Ferguson responded: “No, it has nothing to do with their financial status. It has to do with an effort by the state to consolidate services. They’re looking at distance — and yes, they’re looking at finances, not solely because of Dunkirk’s (financial challenges).”

Trustee Paul Wandel asked if the study would look at combined facilities for the city and village’s police and fire departments.

“That’s part of it,” Ferguson said. The mayor stated that according to “brief, casual discussions I’ve had… there are properties available for shared building right on the border. I’m not at liberty to talk more about it, other than that there’s opportunities for it.”

Over in Dunkirk on Saturday, city Councilperson-at-Large Nick Weiser confirmed the state’s interest in the study. He expressed his openness to the study, and to sharing resources with the village police and fire departments in order to save money.

Chautauqua County Legislator Robert Bankoski, who represents Dunkirk, stated in a Saturday OBSERVER article that the communities should look at merging police and fire departments.