GUILDERLAND — John Wemple Jr. was praised by every member of the town board on July 18 as each recognized his work heading Guilderland’s Conservation Advisory Council.

Wemple is retiring after more than 20 years on the council.

“John sets the standard,” said Supervisor Peter Barber, praising Wemple’s knowledge as well as his considerate nature.

“He is a gentleman’s gentleman,” said Barber. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen John raise his voice at a meeting. He has a way about him that is very welcoming and also very reassuring.”

The nine-member council reviews subdivision proposals, often walking the land to be developed, and submits reports to the town’s planning board.

“Thank you for your dedication to this town and your hard work,” said Councilwoman Christine Napierski to Wemple who sat in the front row of the gallery.

Councilwoman Rosemary Centi spoke of Wemple’s “innate knowledge of conservation” and said, “When I was town clerk and I would read his reports, they were so detailed and descriptive that it was easy to go on from that.”

Councilwoman Amanda Beedle, who had formerly served on the planning board, said those same reports “gave some ease and peace of mind … because we knew that they were so well laid out as they walked through that area.”

She also told Wemple, “You’re a patient, gentle man. And there’s never an argument, but it’s always well-thought-out conversation.”

Councilman Jacob Crawford, who had served on the town’s zoning board, said, “It didn’t matter if we’re walking a quarter acre or 250 acres, you knew exactly what was happening on that piece of property, every tree, where every bat was going to be residing in that tree, and what the soil sample was going to show before you can open the book.”

Crawford also told Wemple, “You are going to leave enormous shoes to fill in this town.”

On behalf of the town, Crawford presented Wemple with a proclamation.

Wemple then went to the lectern to thank the board “for the nice kind words.”

“I had a good group of people working with me on the council,” Wemple said. “I enjoyed the privilege of being chair.”

He got to see most of the town over the last 20 years, Wemple said. “And it’s a beautiful town. And we’ve got a real good board, which will keep it beautiful.”

Other business

In other business at its July 18 meeting, the Guilderland Town Board:

— Heard from Zach Boyer that he and his wife and several other Guilderland families with young children are concerned about picture books on display in the Guilderland Public Library. He described a picture of a boy with a dress on in one of the books and of a girl looking in a window and seeing a boy’s reflection looking back in another book.

“So my problem there is, you know, promoting gender confusion through these sexual innuendos … What questions will be coming up from these kids? … And what if parents don’t want to have gender-identity and sexual conversations with their toddlers? It doesn’t seem appropriate to me.”

Barber explained that the town does not run the library and noted that the library trustees meet on Tuesday evenings;

— Unanimously passed a resolution proposed by Town Clerk Lynne Buchanan to digitize town records. A June 30 memo from Buchanan to the town board said that the town’s payroll and vital records from 1847 to 1998 as well and town board meeting minutes from 1803 to 1995 are “currently on outdated and failing microfilm.”

“We have a grant that was provided to us by New York State Archives,” said Barber. “The goal was to work with the Albany County clerk to digitize many of our records, particularly payroll and vital records, some dating back to the founding of the town in 1803.”

While the records may now be housed on a county server, Barber said, they are still considered to be town records;

— Unanimously adopted two similar resolutions for funding design costs for sidewalks — one on Carman Road between Western Avenue and East Old State Road, and the other on East Old State Road between Carman Road and Hillview Drive. 

The sidewalks will be funded by two separate grants awarded at two different times, Barber said. “Our grant writer, Don Csaposs, thought that it might be better for keeping track of the dollars as they come in and out that they be merged together,” said Barber. “And also that we might be able to go out to bid and get one contract with both.”

While the state’s Department of Transportation agreed to merging the two projects, Barber said, the Office of the State Comptroller has different file numbers so separate resolutions were adopted.

In both cases, federal funds will cover 80 percent of the costs with non-federal funds covering 20 percent. The resolution for the Carman Road sidewalk committed $177,000 and the the resolution for the East Old State Road sidewalk committed $229,000;

— Agreed unanimously to nine budget modifications including transferring $280,000 to the town’s transfer station.

Every year, Barber said, the cost for grinding brush is increasing. “This is something we’re going to have to take a look at” for future years, said Barber.

Crawford asked if “the large impact of this was from this year’s winter storm” and Beedle asked, with the “crazy” weather, if the $280,000 transfer would be enough.

Barber said that the transfer station foreman, David Corey, provided “actual invoices and we made a logical projection …I think he’s pretty sure that most of the damage is done in the wintertime and the early spring”;

— Appointed Dave Slover as foreman in the town’s Water and Wastewater Management Department. After Bill Bremigen became superintendent of the department in May, replacing Timothy McIntyre who retired, Boe Welsch was named assistant superintendent of the department in June, filling Bremigen’s former role.

Now, Slover will fill Welsch’s former post.

Bremigen wrote in a June 12 memo to Barber that it would be a “seamless transition.” He said of Slover, “He is familiar with all aspects of the department, and great with the public.”

“Dave has been an excellent employee,” said Barber, sharing the story of a relative who got help from Slover with frozen pipes. Barber described Slover as “diligent and really caring for residents”;

— Waived the fee for a building permit to repair damage at the McDonald’s restaurant at 1602 Western Ave.;

— Heard from Barber that the Guilderland Police will host the annual National Night Out on Aug. 1 at 6 p.m at Tawasentha Park. “It’s always very, very well attended,” said Barber, describing the event as an “opportunity for residents to interact with our police officers and first responders”;

— Learned that a free health fair and cancer-screening event will be held at the Guilderland Town Hall on Aug. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m.; and

— Heard that the town hall will close at noon on Aug. 4 for Employee Appreciation Day. Town workers will be celebrated at the golf course pavilion.