Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 7

49 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 in the portion of Pomfret that borders Lake Erie. It had closed in the early 1990s and the site is being renovated with plans to reopen the Van Buren Drive-In and expand the venue to include a stage for live shows, as well as a campground. Town Supervisor Daniel Pacos has lived in Pomfret his entire life. He shares, “Pomfret is very historic. It was one of the first towns actually settled in our county. Originally, our county was actually part of the Batavia area, it was absolutely huge when it was being settled and ours was one of the first areas to be sectioned off into a town. I love the Town of Pomfret, it’s rural but it’s neat and just packed with history.” The Town of Pomfret is located in northern Chautauqua County in the westernmost part of New York State. Its northeastern border touches Lake Erie and the county’s two lakes, Bear Lake and Cassadaga Lake, make water sports and recreation abundant in the area. With its proximity to Buffalo (about 50 miles) and Erie County, many people commute there to work. But that same convenient drive of an hour or less also makes Pomfret the perfect rural destination TOWN OF POMFRET , NEW YORK for city slickers looking to escape. Among its many unique villages and hamlets, the town is home to Lily Dale, a spiritual community that has attracted mediums for more than 133 years. From a technology perspective, the town offers broadband capabilities to most of its residents. While right now the more rural areas lack that strong, reliable connection, a private company is in the process of layer fiber optic cable throughout the town and Pacos believes that should be up and running in the next year. The addition of 5G technology will make it a perfect place for people who are working remotely, including the town’s Deputy Supervisor, Ann Eckman, who grew up in a neighboring community and spent a lot of time in Pomfret in her youth. She boasts, “It’s one of the nicest places there is to live; a place where you want to come to enjoy all four seasons. I call it quaint and picturesque.” Eckman believes the ability to work completely remotely is going to give residents and businesses a lot of opportunities. She notes, “It’s kind of neat to see. My next door neighbor Courtesy of Kimberly and Daniel Pacos