The Altamont Planning Board will next meet on May 19 to consider the proposed Stewart’s project, but the company has already responded to questions raised at the board’s April meeting. 

ALTAMONT — Craig Ciaccio was an exuberant person who liked being his own boss. He made friends throughout his life at whatever enterprises he was part of. He was a loyal son who loved Altamont.

GUILDERLAND — In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promised permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

“I believe we came up with a local law to support solar energy while being mindful of vistas and scenic views,” said Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber.

The Altamont Planning Board on Monday extended the public hearing on Stewart’s Shops special-use permit application and site-plan approval for its proposed Altamont Boulevard project.

After the Stewart’s project generated interest among village residents in municipal government, Altamont’s long-time zoning board chairman was not reappointed to another five-year term. 

The State Education Department recently identified 582 schools, just 13 percent of schools statewide, as “high achieving” and “high progress” — two local schools made the cut.

The lawsuit alleges that the town and Pyramid’s actions evince Guilderland’s “unalterably closed mind pre-determining the outcome of the project’s land use permitting process.” Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber responded that residents had wanted higher-density development, apartments and shops, closer to existing retail, which would keep traffic off of Western Avenue.

“The irony is mindblowing. The taxpayers are losing out because of the state’s own computer problems … The state has denied the town funds as a result of the state’s own glitch. It was their fault,” says Andrew Farbstein, a consultant who helped Guilderland with its townwide revaluation last year.