The new school year has started, so be mindful of children catching their school bus. The arrival of fall also brings autumn festivals, apple-picking, shorter days, and very soon, the raking of leaves.  The Town is also in the last stages of updating its Comprehensive Plan.  More details are shared below.  

Town News & Announcements

Later this month, you should receive the Town’s Fall Newsletter with details on what’s happening or planned in our community.  It also includes the Highway Department’s calendar for vacuuming leaf and pine needle piles that are raked to the edge of your lawn, but not on the pavement.  Here’s a preview of the schedule which starts on Tuesday, October 15 and ends on Wednesday, December 11.  There are two scheduled pickups for each street.  A reminder that Highway crews might be vacuuming your street before the scheduled day but will return on the scheduled day.   Please remember that this schedule is subject to the weather because the same trucks are used to plow streets.   There are extra days in the calendar to get back on schedule.  Please remember that Highway crews circulate year round picking up bagged and tied lawn debris.   

On Tuesday evening, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee held a public hearing on its draft plan.  Written comments will be accepted until Wednesday, September 18 and can be mailed or dropped off at Town Hall or online on the plan’s webpage.  On Thursday, October 10 at 7pm, the CPUC will meet to consider the public comments and possible revisions to the draft plan.  

At its Tuesday, October 1 meeting, the Town Board will hold a public hearing at 7pm on the draft Town of Guilderland ADA Transition Plan.  The draft is the result of an 18-month review, inspection, rating, and action plan for Town-maintained sidewalks, with the help of a consultant.  You can provide comments at the public hearing or online.  The draft ADA plan is also available for review at Town Hall and Guilderland Public Library.

On Thursday, September 19 at 7pm at the Mynderse-Frederick House in Guilderland Center, the Guilderland Historical Society is hosting a presentation by Aaron Mair about the Battle of the Normanskill and the important role of the 1^st Rhode Island Regiment.  The public is invited to attend.   

On Saturday, October 12 from 8am to 2pm, the Town is hosting the 2024 Fall Household Hazardous Waste Day at the Highway garage.  No pre-registration or event passes are required; just bring proof of Town residency, like a driver’s license or tax bill, or have a yellow-colored sticker for Town parks and Transfer Station.  Please review the information sheet on what are acceptable and non-acceptable materials.  You can help the Town reduce the event’s cost by not discarding latex paint cans. The State’s paint care law allow you to bring paint cans to local vendors for proper disposal.  

We are proud to announce the launch of the 2025 Hometown Heroes Banner Program which recognizes active duty and veteran service members, both living and deceased, for their bravery, courage, and sacrifice.  Each banner honors a current or former Guilderland serviceperson by name, branch of service, and photo.  The banners will be displayed at Tawasentha Park at a special event held at GPAC.  In late fall, the banners are made available to sponsors.  Banners may be sponsored by individuals, families, businesses or organizations at a cost of $150 per banner.  The deadline for applications is February 28, 2025.  If you have any questions regarding memberships, please call the Parks & Rec Office at (518) 456-3150.

The Town’s Senior Services Department has a new monthly newsletter with information about classes and seminars, medical and shopping transportation, legal aide, community meals, and much more.   

State DOT is completing its ADA modifications on sidewalks, curbing repairs, and stormwater improvements at intersections along Route 20 (Western Avenue) from State Route 155 to State Route 146 (Carman Road).  DOT has also started milling and paving the same stretch.  The project remains scheduled for completion by the end of next week.  There will be weekday single lane closures on eastbound Route 20 from 10am to 6pm and westbound from 6am to 2pm.  

The Town is accepting letters of interest and resumes from candidates for Recreation Administrative Assistant,  Police Officer, Telecommunicator/911 Dispatcher, and Laborer positions in the Highway, Parks and Water Departments.  

Community Events & Resources

On next Saturday, September 21, from 10:30am to 5pm, the University at Albany and the NYS Writers Institute are hosting the Annual Albany Book Festival.  The festival involves a wide-ranging list of local and regional authors, local publishers, and literary organizations.  More information is available by calling (518) 442-5620 or by email at writers@albany.edu

The Guilderland Public Library’s monthly events calendar including on Monday, September 16 from 7pm to 8pm, The Plastic Crisis: Turning Off the Tap, when David Sayer of  Beyond Plastics, will explain plastic pollution crisis, what we can do about it, and what is possible through legislation. 

On Thursday, September 19, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, the Guilderland Food Pantry is holding “A Taste of Guilderland” for its 45th Anniversary Celebration.  The fundraiser takes place in the gymnasium at Christ the King Church.  There will be food from local restaurants, live music, a photo booth, and raffles, auctions and games. 

Guilderland Clean Up Day will take place on Saturday, September 21, from 11am to 1pm, volunteers are needed.  Supplies will be provided and the event will start at Tru Hotel located at 1651 Western Ave., in the back parking lot.  Please contact Kathy Burbank at kburbank01@gmail.com for more information about this event or to RSVP. 

On Saturday, September 28, from 2pm to 6pm, the McKownville United Methodist Church at 1565 Western Avenue is hosting a drive-thru Brooks Barbeque fundraiser.  

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s upcoming summer calendar includes Full Moon Hike at Blueberry Hill, on Tuesday, September 17 at 6:30pm., and Learn 10 Asters and Goldenrods in the Albany Pine Bush, on Sunday, September 22 from 9am to Noon, when you can join botanists Steve Young and Laura Lehtonen of the NY Flora Association (NYFA) and learn how to identify asters and goldenrods.  The seminar will focus on ten common species, examine specimens in the field, and focus on features that will help you distinguish species. “Learn 10…” is a NYFA program designed to help people of all ages and levels of knowledge to learn more about the plants of New York.

On Saturday, September 14 from 6am to Noon, the Preserve is holding Barrens Birding Blitz, a team birding competition for birdwatchers of all skill levels from novice to expert.  There will be traversing and sit & spot teams covering different parts of the Preserve, with teams competing to spot and identify as many species as possible.   The Preserve is home to over 200 bird species.  

On Wednesday, September 18 from 7pm to 8pm, the Preserve is hosting a virtual Community Science: Buckmoth Survey Volunteer Training , where you can learn about the inland barrens buckmoth, a giant silk moth that feeds exclusively on scrub oaks as a caterpillar.  Volunteers will independently conduct surveys to count buckmoths from late September through early October.

The New York State Library’s fall calendar has a wide-variety of virtual and in-person seminars, including, on Wednesday, September 18 from 11am to Noon, a virtual seminar on Mother Jones, about Mary “Mother” Jones’ early life who in her fifties, appeared on the labor scene and, over the next 40 years, supported a national march of the unemployed, building unions, and supporting strikes. 

On this Saturday, September 14 from 10am to 2pm, the Helderberg Reformed Church in Guilderland Center is hosting a church yard sale.   

The CDC again is finding a summer surge in COVID-19, with rates growing or likely growing in 20 states, but now likely declining in New York State.  Since last week’s email, CDC has approved the updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024-2025 season.   Later this month, the Federal government revive its program that allows residents to order four free at-home COVID-18 tests for free delivery by the Post Office.  The program had ended on March 9.  

I hope that you have an enjoyable and relaxing weekend. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.  

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor