Thursday, July 3, 2025

The Town’s summer calendar is now in full swing, with Parks & Rec’s Summer Recreation program wrapping up its first successful week, and the Guilderland Performing Arts Center’s next performance tonight at 7:30pm. The upcoming 4^th of July weekend looks mostly rain-free with temperatures in the 80s. More details are shared below.

July 1, 2025 Swearing In

Town News & Announcements

On this past Tuesday morning, the Town Police Department held a special ceremony including the swearing-in of two new police officers, James T. Marchena and James M. Arango,

July 1, 2025 Promotions

the appointments of Nicholas M. Marcella and Kristopher S. Scarano as investigators, and Barak E. Strock as a school resource officer at Farnsworth Middle School. I congratulate these officers for their achievements, and the Department’s exceptional commitment to public safety.

The Guilderland Performing Arts Center’s 2025 summer season continues tonight at 7:30pm with a performance by the Tame the Rooster, a modern country band, with a food truck provided by Flaco’s Tacos. GPAC’s concert season continues each Thursday evening through August 14, including The Refrigerators for National Night Out on Thursday, August 5, and Park Playhouse Stage Company’s showings of Oklahoma! at 7:30pm on Thursday, July 31 through Saturday, August 2, and a matinee on Saturday, August 2 at 3pm.

Richard W.O. Beebe Blood Drive

On next Wednesday, July 9 from 1pm to 5pm, the Town EMS Department is hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive in memory of Richard W.O. Beebe at EMS Station 1, 200 Centre Drive in Westmere. It is easy to make an appointment online and entering the code “GuilderlandEMS”.

The Parks & Rec’s 2025 Summer Program has started and runs through Friday, August 8. You can sign-up your children for one-week half-day camps, swimming lessons, and dozens of sports and enrichment camps. Tawasentha Park’s pool is now open for the season. There are also Tot Swim and Learn to Swim programs. Adult lap swimming takes place on Monday thru Thursday from 11am to Noon, and on weekends from 10am to 11:30am. Lap lanes are limited, and are provided on a first come, first serve basis.

Hike Guilderland! provides interactive mapping of all trails, including the Town’s hiking trails at Tawasentha Park and Vosburgh Open Space, and also hiking trails managed by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, DEC (Black Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area), and Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy (Bozen Kill Preserve). The interactive map allows you to zoom on for each trail’s description, length, difficulty, and trailhead locations. Please be aware that ticks are present, with reports of far more ticks than prior years.

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.

The Senior Services Department’s July 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.

The Town is accepting letters of interest and resumes from candidates interested in applying for the full-time position of Keyboard Specialist or Senior Keyboard Specialist in the Assessor’s Office. The Town is also accepting letters of interest and resumes from candidates for Police Officer, Telecommunicator/911 Dispatcher, and Laborer positions in the Highway, Parks and Water Departments.

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, and broadcasted on Verizon channel 34, and Spectrum channel 1303. Within days of a broadcasted meeting, an indexed recording, with links to each listed agenda item, is also posted online.

Traffic Safety Committee

Tuesday, July 8 (cancelled)

Conservation Advisory Council

Monday, July 14

Town Board

Tuesday, July 15

American Revolution 250^th Anniversary Committee

Wednesday, July 16 at 3pm (not broadcasted)

Zoning Board of Appeals

Wednesday, July 16

Tree Preservation Committee

Thursday, July 17 at 2pm (not broadcasted)

Industrial Development Agency

Tuesday, July 22 (cancelled)

Planning Board

Wednesday, July 23

Conservation Advisory Council

Monday, August 11

Community Events & Resources

The Guilderland Public Library’s summer calendar is full of events, including on Saturday, July 12 from 1pm to 2pm, Murder at Cherry Hill, when you can learn about the murder in 1827 at the Cherry Hill farm, the home of the Van Rensselaer family. The crime aroused tremendous public interest, and the subsequent trial resulted in the last public hanging in Albany.

The Library’s calendar has other in-person and virtual learning opportunities, including on Thursday, July 31 from 2pm to 3pm, a virtual discussion with neurologist and author Pria Anand about her recently released The Mind Electric: A Neurologist on the Strangeness and Wonder of Our Brains, about the complexity and wonder of brains in health and the vast gray area between sanity and insanity. On Tuesday, August 5 from 2pm to 3pm, the Library is hosting a virtual discussion with Smithsonian biologist Jay Falk, the author of The Bird Book: The Stories, Science, and History of Birds about the natural history of birds and cultural connection.

The Library has launched a Long-Range Planning process for the Library. To ensure that the Library continues to meet the changing needs of our community, it has created a survey for your feedback. This is your chance to share what you value most about the library, as well as ideas for improvements or new services, and to help shape the library’s future. The survey is also available at the Library for your convenience.

The Altamont Free Library’s 2025 Orsini Park Concert Series continues this coming Tuesday, July 8 at 7pm, with a performance by Grand Central Station, with a mix of popular favorites and upbeat party songs.

Lunchtime Chats

Image on the right, wrapped

Community Caregivers’ weekly Lunchtime Chats includes next Wednesday, July 8 at 1pm, Sweet Simplicity: The Sugar Cookie Story, and on Friday, July 11 at 1pm, Lending a Helping Hand: Elevating Your Impact. 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.

Albany County has launched a new transportation program with GoGoGrandparent that provides residents aged 60 and older with two free round-trip rides each month to any destination of their choice. The service is available Monday through Saturday, from 8am to 8pm. The program is funded by the New York State Office for the Aging. To participate, you can call a dedicated County line at 855-915-6601. Once enrolled, rides can be scheduled in advance by calling 855-464-6872.

Seniors (at least 60 years old) may be eligible for coupons for 2025 farmers markets. There are monthly income thresholds based on family size. To request a coupon booklet, please contact the Albany County Senior Services Office at 518-280-7607.

Regal Cinemas at Crossgates has announced the return of its popular family-friendly Summer Movie Express series. Over nine weeks this summer, Regal will offer two PG-rated movies every Tuesday and Wednesday only for $1. The double-bill showing on July 7 and July 8 is “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” at 10:30am and “Paw Patrol: The Movie” at 10:45am

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s summer calendar includes several volunteer opportunities, including on Tuesday, July 8 from 7:30am to 9am, Discovery Center Volunteer Gardening Opportunity, when you can volunteer to help up us maintain the Discovery Center grounds. Projects may include invasive species removal, exhibit maintenance, litter clean-up, and trimming vegetation. On Saturday, July 12 from 10am to noon, the Preserve is hosting Volunteer Conservation Day, when you can help clean up trash within the Preserve. All equipment including gloves, trash bags, and safety vests will be provided. For both events, please dress appropriately for the weather and outdoor working conditions, and bring your own water.

The Guilderland Food Pantry, which has addressed food insecurity in our community since 1979, needs your help. The Pantry’s currently most needed items currently are peaches (cans), pears (cans), cannellini beans (cans), applesauce (cans or non-glass). Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the Pantry during regular hours or left in the collection bin located outside the Pantry at 4 Charles Boulevard. The Pantry is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30am to 11:00am.

Town Hall and the Transfer Station will be closed tomorrow for the 4^th of July holiday.

I hope that you have an enjoyable and safe long weekend.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor