To the Editor:
The Guilderland town planner, Ken Kovalchik, appears to have spent more time writing a response [“Updated comprehensive plan makes recommendations to increase accessibility,” The Altamont Enterprise, Oct. 17, 2024]  to my letter to the Altamont Enterprise editor [“No mention of the needs of disabled in comprehensive plan,” Oct. 10, 2024] than to addressing disabled in the comprehensive plan.

The word “disabled” was spit onto the draft comprehensive plan once on or about page 88.

Let’s consider what the town planner wrote to the paper about "including disabled" in the draft comprehensive plan.

— Town planner: Page 17: increased accessibility during the comprehensive plan update process by livestreaming CPUC [Comprehensive Plan Update Committee] meetings.

A disabled resident’s response: Disabled persons can just watch? No live public comment by phone? The comprehensive plan omitted that non-disabled people comprise the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee. 

I learned of a Comprehensive Plan Housing Committee through this paper; a meeting at the Guilderland Public Library where there were no signs to tell people what room the meeting was held and when I found the room it was the non-disabled of Guilderland deciding on housing ….

— Town planner: Page 20: challenges/opportunities section discussing the need for expanded services and accessibility infrastructure.

Disabled resident’s response: Neighbors, please watch the Guilderland Town Board Meeting of Oct. 1, 2024, replay on the town website;

— Town planner: Page 99: public restroom installation at Fred Abele Park to increase accessibility.

Disabled resident’s response: … The Fred Abele Park lacks any playground equipment, not even a swing for children with disabilities….

Did you write the Fred Abele Park restroom will be done as part of the next comprehensive plan? Did the town hold off on giving children with disabilities an opportunity to play in the toilet because no swings or playground equipment was installed for them?

Where are the good people of Guilderland? …

— Town planner: Chapter 6 Recommendation E-5: related to development of multi-use trails as this type of trail offers increased accessibility … E-11: related to increasing accessibility in public spaces.

 Disabled resident’s response: See the Guilderland Town Board meeting of Oct. 1, 2024 labeled ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] Transition Plan — buzzwords that throw off interest but please watch all of it.

This newspaper covered it [“​​How long should the town take to make all sidewalks accessible?” The Altamont Enterprise, Oct. 7, 2024] in a very non-disabled light, in my opinion.  

— Town Planner: “Transportation and Mobility Section” Recommendation F-2: Develop a Complete Streets Policy for Guilderland in recognition of the community’s desire for a broad range of transportation options.

Complete Streets policies are tools that municipalities can utilize to “encourage a safe, comfortable, integrated transportation network for all users, regardless of age, ability, income, ethnicity, or mode of transportation.”

Other Capital District communities have adopted Complete Streets policies in recent years, signaling a paradigm shift in how the available space within designated rights-of-way is allocated to various travel modes.

There has also been a growing desire to coordinate with NYSDOT [New York State Department of Transportation] to implement Complete Streets policies for state roads within the town, which would ensure a safer and more accessible transportation network across key corridors.

Disabled resident’s response: Watch the Oct. 1, 2024, Town Hall meeting on replay ….;

— Town planner: The addition of suitably engineered sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, and safety infrastructure in strategic locations can assist in enhancing public health and wellness and can facilitate greater mobility for those without access to a personal vehicle.

Disabled resident’s response: More nonsense. Watch the Oct. 1, 2024 Guilderland Town Board Meeting;

— Town planner: I appreciate Ms. Duffy’s passion and advocacy for the disabled, but her comments and concerns do not reflect the fact that the town, consultants, and Comprehensive Plan Update Committee have acknowledged and incorporated recommendations to further increase accessibility.

Disabled resident’s response: A town consultant told the town it is not ADA-compliant today. They let people block disabled people today. They need to do their jobs of enforcement today …

Simply watching the Oct. 1, 2024 town board meeting and listening to the statements of the town planner will show you the town’s non-recognition.  

I don’t appreciate that non-disabled people leading our town are contorting themselves to harm disabled. I don't appreciate the town allowing the business community to obstruct in clear view the public sidewalk ….

That’s the beauty of being non-disabled: It’s not your problem, right? ….

Christine Duffy

Guilderland