ALTAMONT — Gerald “Gerry” Thomas Nopper Sr., a proud firefighter and a man of great faith, died peacefully Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at his home in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was 81.

“He took a lot of pride in serving his community, helping people and being a fireman,” said his son, Robert Nopper. “He was a real good man.”

A public hearing is set for April 5 at 7 p.m., on a proposed local law that would allow marijuana retail dispensaries in Guilderland.

Superintendent Marie Wiles, in answering questions from the board and the public about her draft budget on March 15, said that the nearly 5-percent spending increase and the nearly 3-percent tax increase “are the highest they've been in my time here” as she stressed the importance of “balance” in not overburdening taxpayers.

Guilderland Councilwoman Laurel Bohl summed up the issue: “Where does a resident go who wants to get a determination made about if a permit’s being violated or not? And if the [zoning-enforcement officer] gives an answer that seems very inconsistent with the facts, how does she appeal that or go from there?”

Robert J. Rudd, April D. Davis, et. al., Meadowdale

Kirby Wilson, Council Secretary, St. John’s Church Altamont

Paul Nelson, Guilderland

Tracy Mance, Guilderland

“Character is more than simply individual achievement,” Lisa Knowles, Guilderland’s director of pupil services, told the school board on Tuesday. “It is the intersection of our thoughts, our feelings, and our behavior.”

GUILDERLAND — A two-car head-on crash on Route 20 early Tuesday morning killed a resident of Fuller Station Road, according to Guilderland Police.

The crash took place at about 6:39 a.m. near Fuller Station Road. “One car crossed into the other car’s lane and they hit head-on,” Deputy Chief Curtis Cox told The Enterprise.