GUILDERLAND — On Feb. 7, the same night the president was giving his State of the Union address, Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber delivered his State of the Town speech.

No one at Town Hall booed or shouted “Liar!” Rather, the town board members — all Democrats like the supervisor — listened quietly.

At the end of the meeting, Councilman Jacob Crawford thanked Barber for his address and said, “A number of the priorities you’ve laid out I think are priorities of this board going forward so I thank you for highlighting a number of those items this evening and showing us where we’re headed.”

The only criticism came from Altamont resident Ted Neumann who mentioned a “complete conflict” in one of the slides that accompanied Barber’s presentation. The slide on economic development encouraged supporting small businesses on one side while touting the advantages of the planned Costco Warehouse on the other side.

“I don’t think we can have those two things working out very well,” said Neumann.

He also asked for a moratorium as a committee updates the town’s comprehensive plan. “Closing the barn door after the horse gets out isn’t going to be very good for the town,” he said.

Guilderland resident Chuck Klaer reiterated a call he’d made earlier for a moratorium and added a request that the town coordinate with federal and state agencies on code enforcement. He also said that Governor Kathy Hochul was “threatening to override town zoning with regard to housing” and, while her intentions may be good, it shouldn’t overrule “what we think is good or how it should be for our town.”

At the end of the Feb. 7 meeting, Councilwoman Christine Napierski asked when would be a good time for the town board to discuss a moratorium.

Barber responded that, while he didn’t disagree “with moratoriums and comprehensive plans,” it was premature. He said it would make sense to adopt a moratorium once the committee working on the comprehensive plan has made its recommendations.

During his address and afterwards, Barber stressed that the public will have its first chance to participate in the update during a workshop the committee is holding on Monday, March 13, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the town hall.

Since “it’s going to be spread throughout the room,” Barber said, the workshop can’t be broadcast. He also said the committee will soon launch a survey and website “to increase and encourage public participation as much as possible.”

Barber briefly reiterated highlights from his address the next morning at a State of the Town event annually hosted by the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce at Crossgates Mall.

The speakers at the chamber event also included Colleen Williams from Congressman Paul Tonko’s office, Deputy Albany County Executive Daniel Lynch, State Senator Neil Breslin, Assemblywoman Pat Fahy, Guilderland schools Superintendent Marie Wiles, and Guilderland Public Library Director Timothy Wiles.

State of the town

Barber, who is starting his eighth year as Guilderland’s supervisor, praised town workers, volunteers, and community institutions for their help during the pandemic. He also praised members of various boards and committees for always trying “to make the right decisions, not necessarily the popular decisions.”

He recalled COVID arriving in town on March 12, 2020 and his 845 daily updates, which are now weekly.

The virtual meetings spurred by the pandemic led to current technology improvements, Barber said.

“We also added a lot of matters to our website,” he said.

Barber said the most important initiative coming up is updating the town’s comprehensive plan, which was first adopted in 2001. He noted that Hochul in her State of the State address had emphasized housing growth.

“I think it’s a testament that we want to make sure our town is home to all residents, regardless of income,” said Barber. “It should not make a difference whether you’re a doctor or a lawyer, we want to make sure the home-care aids, the laborers, the people who do not have the same income have a welcome home in our town.”

He also stressed the importance of “non-motorized connectivity.”

Barber highlighted, too, the importance of climate action, noting that Guilderland is a Clean Energy Community. Converting to light-emitting diodes will save tens of thousands of dollars, he said, and the solar facility the town invested in in 2016 is now resulting in $50,000 to $100,000 in annual savings. Next, a solar facility is to be built at the town’s transfer station.

Following President Joe Biden’s and Governor Hochul’s leads, the town’s goal is to preserve 30 percent of its land mass, Barber said. He said town parks will be mapped as open space and also that the conservation-easement program the town enacted recently had its first applicant, conserving 44 acres on the Bozenill.

Barber also thanked the town board for “establishing a native tree preservation law,” which he stressed was not punitive but would educate people on how to preserve native trees and plant them while discouraging invasive species “akin to what the Pine Bush is doing.”

Three or four people have already expressed interest in serving on a five-member committee that will “take a good year or so to work on identifying best practices,” Barber said.

He noted a new “small park for small dogs” as well as various park improvements throughout town, many of them supported with legislative grants.

Barber revealed plans to reinstitute some of the recreational uses of the Watervliet Reservoir, which was shut off to the public in 2001. The city of Watervliet, in going through its once-every-20-years relicensing process is to “provide some sort of mitigation for the negative impacts,” Barber said.

The Hurst Road parking area is going to be reopened, monitored by Guilderland Police, and the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is going to build a fishing platform into the reservoir. While a walking trail will be opened and shoreline fishing allowed, no on-the-reservoir activities — like boating or ice fishing — will be allowed.

Barber also spoke of the importance of preserving water resources and highlighted the town’s interconnection with Rotterdam, which he called “far cheaper than producing the water at our filtration plant”; 60 percent of the project costs were covered by a DEC grant.

A new law has increased rates for water abusers and new water meters are to be installed, Barber said.

“Historic preservation is very, very important,” Barber said, noting the town owns “two prime properties.” The Mynderse-Frederick House in Guilderland Center is being painted and having its windows replaced, and the Gothic Revival Schoolcraft mansion on Route 20 will soon be used for library lectures put on hold by the pandemic, said Barber. Some funds have been set aside for needed exterior work, he said.

The town has had “preliminary conversations” with the Guilderland school district, which does not want the 1860 cobblestone schoolhouse it owns in Guilderland Center. Barber said he’d like the town board’s input on how the schoolhouse might be used if the town took it over. He noted the property would provide access to Keenholts Park.

Barber lauded the work of the town’s Senior Services and the purchase of a 22-passenger bus; 80 percent of its $150,000 cost was covered by the state.

Guilderland has close to 20 new businesses, which reflect the town’s “growing diversity,” Barber said. “It’s very important that we support our small businesses … most of which are owned by local residents and they employ local residents,” he said.

The Costco Warehouse application will have a public hearing this spring, said Barber noting “substantial benefits to the town,” including jobs and annual property taxes.

The town tries to pave 16 miles of its 168 miles of roads each year but last year could only pave eight miles “because of the diesel and just everything was haywire,” said Barber. Doing the paving in-house has saved the town hundreds of thousands of dollars, he said.

On Guilderland Police, Barber praised the hiring of a dedicated traffic safety officer and said, “We need to reduce speed and reckless driving.” Speed humps are being considered for problematic town roads. 

A local committee worked on police reform at then-governor Andrew Cuomo’s insistence after the murder of George Floyd. Barber said Guilderland’s detailed plan is being followed including a more diverse workforce — “both in terms of our officers of color but also women officers” — additional supervisory staff giving more training, and with emergency medical services responding to some calls.

Barber noted with pride that Guilderland started using body and car cameras in 2016, which are now being replaced. The cameras, he said, provide “unbiased visual recollection” and prevent claims brought against police. “I don’t remember the last time [there] has been any action regarding a police officer,” he said.

A neighborhood watch program is being revived and dispatch consoles are being updated.

Since Guilderland adopted a policy on ambulance wait times at hospitals, hospitals have been “more mindful to have meetings now with EMS,” Barber said.

He also said, “Our call volume is surging right now,” and that a new EMS station is being built at the town’s golf course entrance.

Barber concluded, “The past several years has reaffirmed that, at its core, we have a very kind and compassionate community.”