To the Editor:

I am so proud to be the fourth Albany County Executive to represent our great county. Looking back at our history on our 330th anniversary, I am honored to call this diverse place my home.

With 19 municipalities and over 533 square miles of land, Albany County has so much to offer.   The county sprawls from urban to suburban to rural areas and embodies everything from high tech at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering to the innovation of Ecovative in Green Island to the farms in our Hilltowns.

All of us, as a community, built this county and it will continue to be community members who will help us to grow and to improve. In honor of our unique and rich history, I want to invite all of you to celebrate this momentous occasion.

While the actual anniversary is Nov. 1, I encourage you to visit the Albany County Hall of Records on Tivoli Street in Albany to see some of our rich history, including the Dongan law, chapter 4 creating New York’s counties.

The cornerstone of Albany County is its local businesses and products.  I continue to work with our local chambers of commerce and business improvement districts to showcase the importance of buying local.  From Hannay Reels in Westerlo to Phillips Hardware in multiple locations throughout the county to Troy Belting in Watervliet, it’s our family businesses that lay the foundation for our communities and drive our economy.

Buying local and taking pride in our community was the focus of a campaign called “Grow Menands” this summer.  It is a template for other municipalities to follow to beautify our towns and support our local businesses.

Celebrating 330 years would not be possible without our servicemen and servicewomen.  As an active member of the National Guard, I understand the importance of recognizing those who have protected not only our county but our nation.  I will honor five local veterans for their service. These veterans have dedicated their lives to service and we will proudly honor them for their heroism on Friday, Nov. 8th at 10 a.m. in the Cahill Room at 112 State Street.

Maybe you’d like to celebrate with us at the men’s and women’s home-opener basketball games between the University at Albany and Siena at the Times Union Center on Nov. 8.  M & T Bank has provided tickets for some Albany County kids who might otherwise not have been able to see this great rivalry.  They’ll be wearing special T-shirts with a “Happy Birthday, Albany County” message. 

This is an exciting time for Albany County. Being one of the oldest counties in New York State, we have been able to grow into a unique and inviting home for a variety of people and businesses. Each resident has something special to offer this county and we hope you will celebrate our history and future.

Daniel P. McCoy, executive
Albany County