It is school break week which means an unusually quiet time at Town Hall, with many staff on vacation and no scheduled meetings.  The continued lack of snow is also disconcerting, but our historically snowiest weeks are still ahead.  Parks & Rec has upcoming activities coming in the near future.  More details are below.    

Town News & Announcements

On Tuesday, March 12 at 7pm at Town Hall, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee will consider comments received at the recent public open house and further refine the draft goals and recommendations on the updated plan’s topics on Agriculture; Business, Employment, and Fiscal Resources; Environment, Climate Change, and Resiliency; Neighborhoods and Housing; Parks, Recreation and Historic Resources; and Transportation and Mobility.  You can learn more about this CPUC’s work on its website and also watch the meeting when the CPUC c’s discussion of the draft goals and recommendations.   

A week ago, I presented a one-hour State of the Town with a PowerPoint presentation on the Town’s progressive agenda for 2024, including the updating of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, record investments in Town parks, concrete steps to promote pedestrian safety and non-motorized connectivity, responding to recurrent water capacity issues during summer months, budgeted investments in public safety with state-of-the-art dispatch consoles, new EMS ambulance station, and new fire training facility, and continuing to improve the community’s quality of life.  

Parks & Rec has announced the return of the Bird Walk at Community Gardens.   The program is hosted by Jeanette Roundy, a local bird expert, and will run on consecutive Sunday mornings from March 17 to April 28.  There are two scheduled outings from 8am to 9:30am and from 10:30am to Noon.    

Next Monday, February 26, Parks & Rec is opening registration for the Spring Break Fun & Games camp which will run during the next school break from Tuesday, April 2 to Friday, April 5.   

Parks & Rec has opened registration opportunities for entry level summer camp counselors for the 2024 summer camp.  You must be 16 years of age and older, and while previous experience as a counselor-in-training, teacher, childcare, or related field is preferred, it is not required.  The 2024 summer camp will take place daily in the mornings from Monday, July 1 to Friday, August 9.  Parks & Rec is also accepting applications for lifeguards, lifeguard managers, and pool booth attendants at Tawasentha Park pool, and seasonal laborers in Parks & Rec.   

Parks & Rec has opened reservations for Tawasentha Parks’ pavilions for the 2024 season.  Walk-in reservations (with payment) will take priority over phone, faxed or emailed reservation requests.  A Request for Use of Facilities/Know the Rules form must be submitted with payment and a signed Know the Rules form. To request booking a pavilion, residents must submit the Request for Use of Facilities/Know the Rules and full payment to the Town. Forms can be dropped off or mailed to the Guilderland Parks & Recreation Department at 181 State Route 146, Altamont, NY 12009, or faxed to 518-456-3156.  

Please remember that dogs must be kept on a leash at all times, including in Town parks, with the exception of the Nott Road dog park and the new dog park behind EMS Station 1 in Westmere.  While you may know that your dog is friendly, the Parks & Rec receives complaints from park patrons who are confronted by unleashed dogs while enjoying Town parks with their family.

Tawasentha, Keenholts, DiCaprio, and Nott Road Parks are open for daytime use for the winter season.  Western Turnpike Golf Course is now also open for walkers on cart paths.  Not enough snow this week to groom cross-country trails at the golf course.  When sufficient snow arrives, snowshoeing trails and cross-country skiing is available at the golf course, Town parks and Vosburgh Open Space trails. Sledding is available at the Winter Recreation Area just past Tawasentha Park.  Please check out the Parks & Rec’s webpage for latest conditions.  You can also rent cross-country skis and snowshoes, and pickleball equipment (paddle and balls), at the Parks & Rec Office during business hours.

The due date for participating in 2024 Hometown Heroes Banner Program is next Friday, March 1.  The program recognizes active duty and veteran service members, both living and deceased.  Each banner will honor a specific current or former Guilderland serviceperson and will include her or his name, branch or service, and photo. 

The Town is accepting letters of interest and resumes from candidates for the position of full-time Building Maintenance Mechanic in the Building Maintenance Department, Stormwater Management Officer, and Telecommunicator. 

Covid-19 Update

The CDC reported this week that hospitalizations nationwide increased over the past week by 0.8% and that the death rate decreased by 6.9%.  The CDC’s current map shows that Albany County remains at a “medium” rate, and neighboring counties, including Schenectady, Saratoga, and Washington, also have “medium” rates.  .    

A reminder that the Federal government has expanded its program under which you can receive by mail free at-home COVID-19 tests.  The program now allows for eight home tests per household which means that if you recently placed an order for four tests, you can now order four additional tests at no cost.  

The CDC’s new data shows that updated COVID-19 vaccines were effective against COVID-19 from September 2023 thru January 2024, including against new variants.  The protection provided by the updated vaccine was compared to not receiving an updated vaccine, regardless of a person’s infection history or the number of previous COVID-19 vaccines received. 

Community Events and Resources

Earlier today, Café con Mel, the new café at the Guilderland Public Library unfortunately announced that it was abruptly closing, citing allegations of “racism, harassment and constant disrespect.”   Such offensive behavior has no place in our Town as we continue to welcome a growing diversity in our community.   

A reminder that the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is inviting the public to wide-ranging special guided programs and outings in February. The Preserve’s website contains all the details about this opportunity to explore nighttime in the Preserve, including geologic history, plants, animals, restoration, human influence, scientific research and protection of the Preserve.  The website also has videos about local wildlife, storytelling, community history and more, and also photography tutorials, downloadable activities and nature craft instructions.  The Preserve is also offering a free Discover the Night activity kit for pick up, while supplies last, through February 25 at the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road in Albany.  More information about Discover the Night, trails and other programs is available at www.AlbanyPineBush.org or call 518-456-0655.

The Preserve has also shared its Community Science opportunities for volunteers in the upcoming year.  These important engagement activities help the Preserve to fulfill its mission of learning more about our changing environment and further understanding of the Preserve’s fragile ecology.  Volunteering opportunities include surveying for rare birds, measuring snow packs, identifying invasive species, and much more.    

The Preserve’s winter calendar is full of activities for children and adults, including FrogWatch Volunteer Training online on Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30pm, when you can learn to listen for and report frogs and toads calling in the Preserve from March through August in the Preserve’s study area. Participants will be trained to become certified FrogWatchers.

The New York State Library’s February calendar is also full of free and informative seminars and programs, online and in-person, on wide-ranging topics, and also walking tours. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.  

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor