GUILDERLAND — Following recommendations in its recently updated comprehensive plan, Guilderland is taking a first step towards a Bronze designation as a Climate Smart Community.

Guilderland made the pledge to become a Climate Smart Community in August 2019 but has taken little action in the seven years since.

The state launched the program in 2009. In 2014, a certification component was added to recognize communities that complete documented actions. 

In 2021, for example, Albany County received a Bronze designation for completing 30 actions items for a total of 176 points. A Bronze designation requires 120 points while a Silver designation requires 300 points.

The pledge adopted by Guilderland in 2019 stated, “The effects of climate change will endanger our infrastructure, economy and livelihoods; harm our farms, orchards, ecological communities, and wildlife populations; spread invasive species and exotic diseases; reduce drinking water supplies; and pose health threats to our citizens.”

A required step in the process is to appoint a Climate Smart Communities Task Force.

At its March 17 meeting, the Guilderland Town Board unanimously voted to have the members of its Conservation Advisory Council serve as the task force.

Caitlin Ferrante, who chairs the conservation council, told the board that the council, which will meet twice a year as the task force, “has the knowledge and has the time and the ability to make sure that what we’re trying to plan for in the town is actually good.”

Ferrante said there was some initial hesitation as members wanted to be sure “we are the best committee for this.”

She said, as outlined in a memo to the board and planning department, “We are definitely supportive of doing this for at least a year.”

After a year, she said, the council may decide “another committee needs to take this over.”

Deputy Supervisor Amanda Beedle said, “I think the CAC will dovetail nicely into this since a lot of the things that you already do under your purview kind of align with this as well.”

Beedle added, “If this becomes too much for some members, they could step away …. No harm, no foul.”

Ferrante, who served on the climate resiliency subcommittee in updating the comprehensive plan, said, “We were very supportive and excited to see that this initiative is moving forward so quickly, coming out of the comprehensive plan.”

Mansi Parmar, the town’s senior planner and GIS analyst, was appointed as the Climate Smart Community Coordinator. Parmar has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in planning.

In a three-page memo to the board, Parmar outlined actions the town could take for a Bronze designation such as conducting a natural resources inventory or developing an alternative-fuel infrastructure.

She noted that, working with National Grid, Guilderland has already installed 600 LED streetlamps and has installed electric-vehicle charging stations.

“As expressed in public input during the Comprehensive Plan Update process,” Parmar wrote in her memo, “the Guilderland community has a desire to mitigate the hazards of a changing climate through resiliency measures coupled with proactive steps to reduce the Town’s collective contribution to climate-warming pollution.” 

Other business

In other business at its March 17 meeting, the Guilderland Town Board:

— Approved a contract with the town of Knox to provide emergency medical services. Guilderland receives a lump sum payment of $85,000 from Knox for the service.

The contract was updated this year to specify that Guilderland will be responsible for billing insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid and will also handle billing for Helderberg Ambulance, which provides service in Knox.

“I think they’re very happy with the town’s services,” said Supervisor Peter Barber. “I think they realize they’re getting advanced life support, which is, I keep on saying, an emergency room on wheels.”

He also said, now that Guilderland has an ambulance stationed in Altamont, “It’s very quick. We get there quicker than Helderberg,” which is based in Berne.  The now-defunct Altamont Rescue Squad used to provide service to Knox;

— Accepted two park benches from the Guilderland Coalition for Responsible Growth, which requested they be placed at Firefighters Park and Fort Hunter Park to provide “a place for folks to enjoy watching their children and grandchildren engage in play activities.”

The funds to buy the benches were collected from people at the Guilderland farmers’ market last summer. Karen White said that Robyn Gray had spearheaded the effort and thanked the public for its contributions and also the town workers who will install the benches;

— Approved installing two “stop” signs on Willow Street, at Pineview Drive and at Siver Road.

Beedle thanked Willow Street resident Alexandra Mitsios for her “diehard effort to get these installed” and said the “stop” signs are an easy fix compared to some of the traffic issues on Willow Street;

— Scheduled a public hearing for 7:15 p.m. on April 21 on the town’s draft Stormwater Management Program Plan. Barber said the plan was drafted by Kenneth Kovalchik who is the town planner and also the town’s stormwater officer.

The plan is required for enforcement, Barber said, and also because Guilerland is “an MS4, which means we’re part of a municipal separate stormwater system and we have to have plans in place to deal with inflows into that system”;

— Awarded a bid for yard-waste grinding and removal to HGNS Inc. at $3.74 per cubic yard, which Barber said was a slight decrease from last year.

“The disposal of yard waste is probably one of the biggest increases from year to year … It’s all dependent upon storms,” said Barber.

“Are we any closer to figuring out if we would bring this in-house?” asked Beedle.

Barber responded that the new superintendent of the transfer station, Thomas Valletta, is “going to be taking a fresh look.” Barber said, “We have the land. We don’t have the equipment.”

The equipment to grind yard waste would cost several-hundred-thousand dollars, he said, adding, “At some point, we’ll reach the sweet spot” of having the cost to pay an outside company do the grinding and removal equalling the cost of equipment;

— Approved artists’ contracts for Guilderland Performing Arts Center’s 2026 Summer Season on the stage at Tawasentha Park. The season runs from July 2 to Aug. 13.

Contracts were awarded to Cosby Gibson & Tom Staudle for $400, Big Fez & the Surfmatics for $1,100, The Hammerhead Horns for $750, Across the Pond for $1,500, and Hair of the Dog for $1,800;

— Waived  the building permit for First United Methodist Church of Voorheesville’s temporary sign at the intersection of Depot Road and Route 146, which advertises a seasonal farmers’ market;

— Heard from Barber a list of spring events. The town is running recreational programs at elementary schools during spring break, from April 7 to 10.

On Arbor Day, April 24, from 1 to 4 p.m., the town will give away 175 tree seedlings at Tawasentha Park.

April 25 has three events: Clean Up Guilderland Day when volunteers collect litter and another all-day event — Caring for your Cemetery Day when volunteers clean Guilderland’s cemetery. The third event, in the morning, is Drug Take-Back Day, when unused drugs, for people or pets, are collected in the auxiliary parking lot at the Guilderland Public Library.

May 2 is I Love My Park Day when volunteers spruce up town parks. People interested in that or in Cemetery Day should contact David Jenkins at the Parks Department.