2025

It has been a somewhat slow start to the winter season, with only remnants of snow around, but the season still has ten more weeks to go. As we also know well here, weather here can quickly change but the 7-day forecast is also disappointing for winter recreation with very cold weather and no snow forecasted. With the lack of snow, Western Turnpike Golf Course has remained very popular with walkers on its cart paths over its rolling hills enjoying beautiful vista views. More details are below.

Town News & Announcements

Earlier today, the Parks & Recreation Department opened the booking for 2025 rentals of Tawasentha Park’s pavilions. The demand is very high. Walk-in reservations (with payment) take priority over phone, faxed or emailed reservation requests (with payment). To request booking a pavilion, please submit a completed Request for Use of Facilities/Know the Rules and required payment (credit card, check or cash) to the Town of Guilderland. You can drop off the required forms or mail them to Guilderland Parks & Recreation Department at 181 State Route 146, Altamont, NY 12009, or faxed to 518-456-3156. You can view the availability calendar for Tawasentha Park Pavilion Rentals.

To help you stay active this winter, the Parks & Rec 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), 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 and golf course, with the exception of the dog parks at Nott Road Park and 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 time with their family and children.

Highway Department crews have begun picking-up discarded Christmas trees. Please note that these trees are recycled as mulch so please do not wrap trees in plastic, and remove ornaments, tinsel, etc. There is no hurry. Highway trucks pick-up lawn bags and tied brush on a year-round basis.

The 2025 property tax bill has been mailed and is also available online. Since the start of the State’s property tax cap in 2012, the Town tax has complied with the tax cap. The Town’s total tax is less than 12% of the total property tax imposed by all taxing jurisdictions.

January 3, 2025 Blood Drive

Tomorrow from Noon to 5pm, the American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive at Town Hall. While supplies last, the Red Cross will give an exclusive long-sleeved American Red Cross T-shirt to donors.

The Town’s 2025 Hometown Heroes Banner Program 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 banners, please call the Parks & Rec Office at (518) 456-3150.

The Town’s Senior Services Department’s January newsletter has information about classes and seminars, trips, medical and shopping transportation, book discussions, legal aide, community meals calendar, games, and much more. Every Wednesday from 11am to 12:30pm, the Guilderland Public Library is the home for Senior Connects!, where seniors can have a friendly chat on a wide-range of interesting topics. The prior topics included home downsizing, senior resources, hobbies, books, movies, favorite day trips, and local events. No registration is required.

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

Please note that Town offices will be closed on Monday, January 20 for the Martin Luther King Holiday. The Transfer Station, which will be open on Saturday, January 18, will also be closed on Tuesday, January 21.

At its 2025 organizational meeting on Tuesday, January 7 at 7:00pm, the Town Board will approve the tentative meeting calendars for boards and committees which will then be added to the Town’s calendar of public meetings.

Upcoming Meetings at Town Hall

The following is a list of dates and times for currently scheduled meetings of boards and committees at Town Hall over the next 30 days. Please check the Town’s calendars for the latest news about public meetings and community events, possible changes in agendas and cancellations, and the latest contents of agenda packets. Unless stated otherwise, each of the listed meetings start at 7pm, and are livestreamed on the Town website, Verizon channel 34, and Spectrum channel 1303. Within days of the meeting, an indexed recording, with links to each listed agenda item, is also posted online.

Town Board (2025 Organizational meeting)

Tuesday, January 7

Planning Board

Wednesday, January 8

Conservation Advisory Council

Monday, January 13 (tentative)

Traffic Safety Committee

Tuesday, January 14 (tentative)

Zoning Board of Appeals

Wednesday, January 15 (tentative)

Town Board

Tuesday, January 21 (tentative)

Planning Board

Wednesday, January 22 (tentative)

Industrial Development Agency

Tuesday, January 28 (tentative)

Community Events & Resources

Community Caregivers, which offers wide-ranging services and support for seniors and their supporters, is launching a new virtual education series that is designed to support caregivers. The plan is to offer new topics. Among its services, Community Caregivers’ volunteers provide respite time for persons caring for loved ones. You can help with this mission by volunteering your time and/or making donations.

The registration for the Guilderland Central School District’s Winter/Spring 2024-25 continuing/adult education program ends tomorrow. You can register online or by mailing registration forms and payment. You can learn more about the program’s wide-variety of upcoming classes.

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s fall calendar is full of activities, including Winter Wonder Walk, a 1.4-mile hike over rolling sand dunes, with snowshoes provided if necessary. On Wednesday, January 8 at 7pm, the Preserve is hosting online Winter Bird Identification, a virtual course on how to identify some of the more than 450 species in the State’s diverse habitats.

The Guilderland Public Library’s upcoming calendar includes on Saturday, January 11 at 11am, Realm Explorers, a book club that meets on Saturday mornings to discuss science fiction and fantasy novels. This month’s book is The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang. A copy of the book is at the Library’s Information Desk, while supplies last, or borrow a digital copy from Libby.

The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy has opened 4-miles of trails in its Upper Bozen Kill Preserve, a 225-acre property at the end of Bond Road. The new trail system also connects to the existing trail system at the Lower Bozen Kill Preserve. The total trails are nearly 6 miles. You can access the new entrance to the Upper Bozen Kill Preserve by continuing north on Westfall Road past the existing Lower Bozen Kill Preserve entrance and turn left on Bond Rd. A parking lot and preserve kiosk is located at the end of the road. The trail system is open year-round, and given its elevation, often has sufficient snow for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

On Saturday, February 15 at 10am, the MHLC is hosting Winter Wildlife Tracking, when Dan Yacobellis, a certified Level 3 Track & Sign facilitator, who has studied the animals of the northeast and their habitats for three decades, will lead a hike at the 208-acre Winn Preserve in Altamont.

Parks & Trails New York has just announced the opportunity to sign-up for two classic bike outings, including Cycle the Erie Canal, a 400-mile tour from July 12 to July 20, and Cycle the Hudson Valley, a 200-mile tour from August 4 to August 9. These past events have proven popular.

A reminder that the Federal government’s program, which allows residents to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests for free delivery by the Post Office, remains available but could end with the new administration. The FDA encourages checking its website to see if the expiration date for your at-home COVID-19 tests has been extended.

I hope that you had an enjoyable and relaxing New Year’s holiday.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor