To the Editor:

The election ballot for registered Democrats for the June 22 primary will show four names for two Guilderland Town Board positions: Christine Napierski and Kevin McDonald (they are running as a team) and Paul Pastore and Amanda Beedle (who are also running as a team) [“Two pairs of Democrats face off in Guilderland’s first primary for town board,” The Altamont Enterprise, May 27, 2021].

You have probably seen their signs on Guilderland lawns.

Paul and Amanda have received the endorsement of the Guilderland Democratic committee.

I am voting for Paul and Amanda. Paul is an experienced town board member and Amanda has held various positions in Town Hall.

Neither Christine nor Kevin has town government experience.

 Christine Napierski and Kevin McDonald claim that the town government has failed to provide what Guilderland needs.

I live in McKownville and I think the neighborhood is pleased with how the town government has responded to our needs. We asked for new sidewalks along Western Avenue in McKownville — and we have them. We asked for a park that includes our former reservoir (near Stuyvesant Plaza) and we have it.

The town worked with the former Best Western hotel on Western Avenue in McKownville to transition it into a residential place for persons who need some medical assistance. We sought to prevent a home on Western Avenue from being replaced with a commercial building and the town supported us. We asked for street banners proclaiming McKownville as a “walkable neighborhood” and we got them.

The town was of enormous help in fighting the city of Albany and its proposed rezoning of Loughlin Place — a street in the city but on the edge of McKownville. It was a pleasant street of a dozen or so quality homes but not terribly expensive homes.

We lost — the city won — the houses were removed and now that street has six apartment houses. (I don’t dislike apartments — they are valuable and there should be more of them — but modestly priced homes are something rare in Guilderland and are to be treasured and protected — and we need more of them also.)

The town was helpful to neighbors on “quality of life” issues as well. Getting someone on Western Avenue to stop holding late night and very noisy parties — they were advertised and possibly admission was being charged — could probably not have been achieved without significant help from the town building department officers.

Currently, the town is helping to reduce our stormwater problems by constructing a stormwater sewer for the portion of the neighborhood that has had a long history of storm water problems. How serious is the stormwater flooding problem? Well, the McKownville Fire Department has pumped stormwater out of many a McKownville basement.

As for the town leadership and accompanying improvements in other Guilderland neighborhoods, the recent letter in the Enterprise by Jerry Houser gives numerous — and impressive — examples [“Government should not impede reasonable solutions,” The Altamont Enterprise, June 10, 2021].

I recommend that you re-read Jerry’s letter before you decide who to vote for. Thank you. And do vote.

Don Reeb

McKownwille