To the Editor:

Depletion of trees and increased traffic due to the explosion of development in Guilderland were the top two issues residents of Westmere wanted to discuss with me when I ran during the Democratic Primary for District 30 last spring. I heard the same complaints from residents over and over about a lack of notification of development projects and the impacts on their neighborhoods.

This is why I am supporting Laurel Bohl for Guilderland Town Board and agreed to take on her previous role of the Steering Committee chair for the Guilderland Coalition for Responsible Growth.

The GCRG is a group she cofounded with other Guilderland residents to help neighborhoods help one another to understand the development happening in Guilderland and provide an organizing platform to resist the development they do not want in their neighborhoods. People can learn more about the organization at our website: www.GuilderlandCRG.org.

Since the beginning of this year, I have had the privileged opportunity to get to know Laurel Bohl both personally and professionally. (In full disclosure, her campaign hired my company to build out her website and design her marketing materials, but I am writing this letter on my own accord.)

I find her commitment to serving the residents of Guilderland beyond reproach. Her ideas for how our local government can be more responsive to the concerns of the residents and protect the environment need to be heard by our existing elected officials and implemented.

The quality of life that residents of Guilderland have become accustomed to and why many have moved here needs to be protected, as does our environment for both local and global concerns.

I encourage all residents of who love Guilderland to join me in voting for Laurel Bohl for town board. She will be your voice.

Steve Wickham

Guilderland