While meteorological spring may have started on March 1, the official start is still two weeks away. I’m not sure whether if it really makes a difference, with a mostly snowless winter and mud season now starting.  Earlier this week, the Town Board took several actions to start addressing pressing needs that will advance the quality of life of Town residents.  And next week, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee will meet to continue its review of draft goals and recommendations that will chart the Town’s future.  More details are below. 

Town News & Announcements

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Town Board approved several important actions including approving the Town’s participation in the State’s pro-housing program to promote affordable housing options.  The Town Board also approved transferring $350,000 from the Town’s fund balance to a reserve fund for future ambulance purchases.  The cost of a new ambulance now exceeds $300,000, and the added reserve funds is key to a replacement plan.  The Town Board also approved transferring $50,000 to a reserve fund for improvements at Western Turnpike Golf Course.  With the retirement of the purchase bond, there are now opportunities for significant improvements at the golf course.  A total of $600,000 was transferred to various reserve accounts.  

We have received several calls and emails from residents inquiring about tree cutting on both sides of Route 155, just north of Route 20.  This activity is taking place in the City of Albany, not the Town of Guilderland.  On the west side of Route 155, the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is performing ecosystem management work by removing invasive trees from 18 acres of Preserve, just south of Pinehurst Blvd.  Before the start of this work, the Preserve provided neighbors with a letter that details the steps in removing invasive trees, such as black locust, and leaving native pitch pine and oak trees untouched.  The multiple year wildlife restoration effort includes planting native wildflowers and prairie grasses, and later pine barren shrubs and trees to create the needed environment of the Karner Blue butterfly.  The Preserve had posted a restoration sign on Route 155 but that was blown away during recent heavy windstorms.  A new sign was installed and a larger sign is going up next week to help explain more clearly what is going on.  If you have any questions about this work, please call Joel Hecht, Preserve’s Stewardship Director, at (518) 690-2773. 

The activity on the east side of Route 155 is again in the City of Albany.  It appears that the owner of Charles Park is removing trees on private property as part of an approved development.  You can reach the City’s Planning & Development Department at (518) 465-6066.

Next Tuesday, March 12 at 7pm at Town Hall, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee will consider comments received at the recent public open house and continue refining the CPUC’s 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 last meeting on January 22 when the CPUC had extensive discussions on the draft goals and recommendations.   

Parks & Rec’s popular Bird Walk at Community Gardens is back.   The program is hosted by Jeanette Roundy, a local bird expert, and will run on consecutive Sunday mornings from March 17 to April 28, except for March 31.  There are two scheduled outings from 8am to 9:30am and from 10:30am to Noon.  Ebird, a free downloadable app sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, will be used to keep track of what species are seen and to help improve bird identification skills.   

Parks & Rec has opened 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 also 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.  These options have been proven to be very popular, and I thank Parks & Rec crews for making it happen.  When (maybe) sufficient snow arrives, snowshoeing trails and cross-country skiing will return to 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 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 decreased over the past week by 10.3% and that the death rate decreased by 8.7%.   The CDC’s current map shows that Albany County, along with most of the State, with the exception of counties near Rochester, now have “low” rate of COVID-19 transmission.   

Last week, CDC released new guidance on protection against risks from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV.   The new guidance comes as the nation is experiencing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 and because there more available ways to combat COVID-19, flu, and RSV. 

The CDC also issued a report that confirmed that the updated COVID-19 vaccines cut the risks in half for visiting the emergency department or being hospitalized with COVID-19 for most people.  The CDC recommend that every person 6 months and older should get an updated COVID-19 vaccine, with a particular emphasis on persons 65 years or older or persons with medical conditions, such as a weakened immune system, that make them more likely to get very sick with COVID-19.

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.  

Community Events and Resources

On this upcoming Sunday, March 10 from 11am to 1pm, the Guilderland YMCA is sponsoring Dance for Kids, a fundraiser in support of Circle of Champs, a program dedicated to improving the lives of children fighting life-threatening illnesses,  

On Friday, March 15 from Noon to 6pm, the American Red Cross is holding a blood drive at Town Hall.  To make an appointment, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcross.org at enter the sponsor code “guilderlandtown.” 

A reminder that the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is inviting the public to wide-ranging special guided programs and outings in March. The Preserve’s website contains details about in-person and virtual opportunities including night photography, astronomy, nighttime activities, wildlife videos, special winter activities, and downloadable activities and nature craft instructions.  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 posted 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 a Full Moon Hike on Wednesday, March 20 at 5pm, a short hike (0.9 mile) when you can look for emerging signs of spring’s return.  On Wednesday, April 17 from 7pm to 8pm, the Preserve is offering Community Science: American Woodcock Survey Volunteer Training, an online opportunity to learn more about the American Woodstock, whose numbers have declined since the 1960s, and help the Preserve monitor their presence.

Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy has several early spring activities on its calendar including on Sunday, March 24 from 1 to 4pm at the First United Methodist Church and Rail Trail, a seminar on iMap Invasives, a proven key tool used by professionals and enthusiasts to document invasive species in our environment.  The training will be led by Addison Kubick, Education & Outreach Coordinator for the Capital Region Partnership for Invasive Species Management.   On Thursday, April 4 from 7pm to 9pm, MHLC is hosting Hike and Draw, an online drawing workshop, with step-by-step instructions by artist James Sisti.  

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

A reminder that daylight saving time begins at 2am on Sunday and lasts until 2am on Sunday, November 3.  Your clocks should “spring” forward by one hour.   

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.  

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor