It is a quiet time here at Town Hall, with no public meetings or court scheduled this week.  It is also the last week for a trio of long-term Town employees, with the retirements of Hon. John W. Bailey, as Town Justice; Rosemary Centi, as Town Board member; and Greg Wier, as Highway Superintendent.  Each of these public servants held other prominent positions, with Mr. Bailey serving as Town Attorney; Ms. Centi as Town Clerk; and Mr. Wier as Superintendent of the Transfer Station and Director of Parks & Recreation.  Upon behalf of the Town, I thank them for their generous service to our community.   Later this week, and at the Town Board’s   January 4^th organizational meeting, we will welcome their successors including Margaret Tabak as Town Justice; Gustavos Santos as Town Board member; and Howard (Bob) Haver as Highway Superintendent.  

Town News & Announcements

Highway Department trucks are now picking-up discarded Christmas trees.  Because the trees are recycled, please do not wrap the trees in plastic, and also remove ornaments, tinsel, etc.  Please remember that Highway trucks pick-up lawn bags and tied brush on a year-round basis.   

To help stay active this winter, the Parks & Rec Department is keeping open Tawasentha, Keenholts, DiCaprio, and Nott Road Parks for daytime use.   Western Turnpike Golf Course is now also open for walkers on cart paths.  When measurable snow finally arrives (not likely soon, given the 10-day forecast), Town parks and Vosburgh Trails are open for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, with groomed trails at the golf course.  Sledding is available at the Winter Recreation Area just past Tawasentha Park.  Nordic ski and snowshoe rentals are available at the Parks & Rec Office.

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  (not yet named) 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 and children.  

On Tuesday, January 2 at 8am, Parks & Rec is opening reservations for Tawasentha Parks’ pavilions for the 2024 season.  Walk-in reservations (with payment) will take priority over phone, faxed or emailed reservation requests (with payment).  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 (credit card, check, cash or money order) 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.  

The Town Board’s 2024 organizational meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, January 4 at 7pm, with swearing-in of newly elected officials.  The Comprehensive Plan Update Committee’s next meeting is set for Tuesday, January 9 at 7pm when the CPUC will refine draft recommendations and goals.

Next Friday, January 5 from Noon to 5pm, the American Red Cross is holding a blood drive at Town Hall.  The Red Cross is offering a new long-sleeved Red Cross Tee to donors.  You can make an appointment by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or visiting www.redcrossblood.org and entering “guilderlandtown” for the sponsor code.

The 2024 property tax bill be arriving soon (sorry), and will look different and should be much easier to understand.  With the retirement of the bond for the purchase of Western Turnpike Golf Course, there is no longer a need for a separate line for the golf course.  Also missing this year are separate lines for ambulance districts.  Both lines were moved to the Town’s General Tax.  The new bill also removed separate lines for pass-through charges by the County and the State, including the election mandate and retirement contributions.   These tax bill lines were created during the 2008 fiscal crisis, when these charges frequently increased by 15% or more each year and made it difficult for the Town budget to stay below the State’s new property tax cap.  And while those annual charges still far exceed the tax cap, they were also added, along with the golf course and ambulance charges, to the Town’s General Tax.  Because the State does not allow showing tax lines with zero amounts, these four lines were added to the general Town tax line and created a double digit growth, but the overall Town tax is again well-under the property tax cap.    

Town facilities will be closed for New Year’s Day on Monday, January 1.   The Transfer Station will also be closed on Saturday, December 30.   

Covid-19 Update

The CDC reported this week that hospitalizations nationwide increased over the past week by 10.4% and the death rate increased by 3.4%.  The CDC’s current map continues to have Albany County with a “medium” hospitalization rate for COVID-19, with nearby counties, including Saratoga, Schenectady and Washington, improving from “high” rates to “medium” rates.  

State DOH’s most recent COVID-19 summary indicated that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are still increasing.  County DOH’s most recent wastewater COVID-19 surveillance report shows that the presence of the COVID-19 virus in the Town’s wastewater is “increasing” and is  “quantifiable,” with more than 50 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, and is also at a “higher” rate when compared to the State’s numbers, and that in-patient hospitalizations over the next 10 days is expected to increase.   

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

The Guilderland Public Library’s calendar includes seminars on interesting topics and conversations with well-known authors.  On Wednesday, January 10 at 8pm, the Library is hosting a virtual conversation with best-selling author Rebecca Serle about her novel, One Italian Summer, In Five Years, The Dinner List, and many more.  The Library offers a wide-variety of seminars by authors and prominent persons, and taped recordings of prior events.  

A reminder that the Library offers several free weekly gatherings for the community’s benefit including Let’s Talk: Coffee & Conservation for Seniors on every Wednesday from 11am to 12:30pm, with coffee, tea, snacks, and lunch available at the Café’ con Mel, the Library’s new café.   The Library’s events calendar also has LEGO Free Play, Teen Drop-In DIY, and other interesting group activities.   

During this holiday season, volunteers work tirelessly to provide assistance in our community.  There are dozens of special organizations that also depend on charitable donations.  If you can, please consider a tax-deductible donation to Community Caregivers whose volunteers provide transportation for medical appointments, help with grocery shopping, make visits to homes, provide reassurance phone calls, and other kind acts.   Your donations, and the basic services made possible, help residents to live independently in their homes.  You can help by donating online or mailing a check to Community Caregivers at 2021 Western Ave, Suite 104, Albany, NY 12203.

I hope that you have an enjoyable and relaxing New Year’s Day.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.  

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor