On this coming Monday, April 21 from 6pm to 8pm, the Town is hosting a Town Hall styled event with State Senator Patricia Fahy, Assemblymember Phil Steck, and Assemblymember Gabriella Romero.   The State legislators, who represent the Town, will discuss the State budget, pending legislation, and other issues of importance, including the impact of Federal actions on funding and the delivery of services.  This public event will take place at EMS Station 1, 200 Centre Drive. 

Starting tomorrow, Parks & Rec is offering Bird Walk at the Community Gardens, a weekly Friday morning outing from 8:30am to 10:30am through Friday, May 6.  Jeanette Roundy, an experienced birder, will take you on easy walks through woods and fields to identify by sight and sound potentially over 100 bird species in the varied habitat.  Please bring water and binoculars, bug spray and sunscreen, and wear long light-colored pants for spotting ticks.  

At its meeting last week, the Planning Board completed its review of the draft Comprehensive Plan Update and is now compiling its comments for its report for the Town Board.  When completed, likely next week, it will be posted on the Town website and added to the Town Board’s agenda for its public hearing.  You can follow the review progress on the Town’s website.  You can access the Comprehensive Plan Update and its appendices online or review hard copies at the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall.  

On next Friday, April 25 from 1pm to 4pm at Tawasentha Park, the Town is celebrating  Arbor Day, when members of the Tree Preservation Committee will hand out 110 tree seedlings (30 Sugar Maples, 30 Eastern Redbuds and 50 Concolor Firs). Town Arborist Tim Downey will also answer questions on tree types, soil conditions, proper planting, and maintenance.  

At the same day and time, you can participate in Clean Up Guilderland, an annual spring event to pick up litter on Western Avenue, other streets, and neighborhoods.   You can do it alone or gather a group, with supplies provided.  Please call Kathy Burbank at (518) 461-8032 or by email at kburbank01@gmail.com.

On Saturday, May 3 from 10am to 1pm at Tawasentha Park, the Town celebrates I Love My Park Day, a State-wide volunteer effort, by removing invasive species, garden beautification efforts, and a scavenger hunt.   More information is available by contacting Dave Jenkins at the Parks & Rec Office or by calling (518) 456-3150 or emailing at jenkinsd@togny.org. 

A reminder that Parks & Rec has opened registration for its 2025 Summer Program which takes place this year from Monday, June 30 to Friday, August 8, with one-week half-day camps, swimming lessons, and dozens of sports and enrichment camps.  The printed lime-colored 2025 brochures are available at Town Hall and the Park & Rec’s Office, and were delivered by back-pack mail at schools before the Spring break. 

Parks & Rec’s Pickleball for Beginners takes place from Monday, June 2 to Friday, June 6 from 9am to 11am at Tawasentha Park.  The course can advance your Pickleball game from beginner to an advanced beginner/intermediate player, and also learn the basic skills and rules of the sport.   Paddles, if needed, and balls will be provided.  

Please remember that, in all Town parks and open spaces, dogs must be on a leash at all times.  Your dog may be very friendly, but hikers and park patrons do not know that and the presence of an unleashed dog can be disconcerting.   The exceptions to this rule are the Town’s two dog parks at Nott Road Park and behind EMS Station 1 in Westmere.   

Please remember that Highway crews only pick up lawn bags and tied brush and will not vacuum leaves until fall.   Leaf piles should be bagged.  The Highway Department has also completed its sweeping of sidewalks and is now sweeping streets and cleaning out stormwater drains.    You may have also noticed that Highway crews are now edging the sidewalks, an important step in mowing grass and keeping the sidewalks unobstructed.    

The Town’s Senior Services Department’s April newsletter has information about classes and seminars, book discussions, tax preparation assistance, trips, medical and shopping transportation, next month’s book discussion, legal aide, monthly meal calendar, games, and much more.  

On Wednesdays 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.  On Wednesday, May 7, Town Arborist Tim Downey will talk about the harm caused by invasive tree species, and an overview of possible tree selection.   Other topics include home downsizing, senior resources, hobbies, books, movies, favorite day trips, and local events.   No registration is required for this free event. 

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

On Tuesday, May 6 at 6:15pm at the Library, the Guilderland Historical Society and the Town's American Revolution 250th Anniversary Committee are having its inaugural meeting for a new book club featuring the books about the Revolution.  This series will start with Rick Atkinson's award-wining book The British Are Coming.   Registration for this special event is open through Monday, May 6, 2025 at Noon. 

On Saturday, May 3 from 10am to 4pm and Sunday, May 4 from Noon to 4pm, the Library is hosting a Book Sale.   On Friday, May 2 from 4pm to 8pm, the Library is offering a Preview Night Book Sale, with a $10 admission, with a limit of purchasing 10 items at the listed price.  On Sunday, the Library will provide bags for $10 for filling with books.  The event’s sale proceeds will benefit the Library’s programs and services.  

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s Lupine Fest 2025 will, like last year, run for the entire month of May.  Lupine Fest allows visitors to celebrate the blooming wild blue lupine with guided hikes, interactive exhibits, live music, wildlife encounters, and participating in conservation efforts.  Among the special events is A Night with the Arts which will honor the legacy of renowned wildlife artist Wayne Trimm.   The ticketed evening will also feature the first public screening of Scorching Success, a short film that captures the Preserve’s transformative use of prescribed fire. This special event will take place on Friday, May 16 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.   

The Preserve’s upcoming calendar, includes on Wednesday, April 23 at 6:30pm, when the Preserve and DEC are sponsoring, both in-person and virtual, How to Compost at Home or in Your Local Community, where you can learn more about how you can manage your food waste, with tips to reduce wasted food and how you can compost at home.

On Thursday, May 15 at 7pm, the Preserve is hosting a seminar entitled Butterfly and moth diversity in Preserve, when you can learn more about high diversity of winged insects in the Preserve’s barrens habitats, highlight the species found in the Preserve, and explain how these species are managed and monitored to both protect them and to learn how management decisions are affecting the Preserve overall.  On Wednesday, June 25 at 7pm, you can join in National Butterfly Count Volunteer Training, when you can learn about butterfly habitat in the Preserve and how you can participate in the 2025 National Butterfly Count.

On Saturday, April 26 from 8am to 2pm, the Guilderland Central School District is sponsoring the Guilderland Recycling Extravaganza in Farnsworth Middle School’s front parking lot, when you drop off sneakers, bikes, cardboard, plastics, clothing, electronics (but not TVs), cell phones, and gently used instruments.  Please take a look at the list of acceptable and unacceptable donations, and vendor details.  

Community Caregivers’ weekly Lunchtime Chats includes tomorrow at 1pm, Shaking the Bay: The Tragic Legacy of the Great San Francisco Earthquake. You can easily join and listen in on these one-hour chats by calling (518) 992-6661.   You can help with Community Caregivers in fulfilling its mission by volunteering your time and/or making donations.  

A reminder that Town Hall will close tomorrow at 12:30pm for Easter and Passover.  The Transfer Station will remain open tomorrow until 3:30pm, and will be closing at 11:30am on Saturday, April 19.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.  

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor