This Week In News

GUILDERLAND — Following the exit of the long-time, and sometimes controversial, chair of the town’s Economic Development Advisory Council in April, the split-party town board appointed a new chairman in a strikingly congenial unanimous vote on Tuesday.

Dr. Thomas Kriger hauled himself up to the podium, easing one leg along after having knee surgery, to answer general questions from the board before the vote. He answered routine questions carefully.

Currently the associate budget director for research and policy in the sate university system, Kriger has worked as an assistant professor and assistant farm manager over the last three decades. “I’ve had a pretty varied career,” he said when asked in a phone interview last night what he thought might have given him preference for the position over the other three candidates.

He learned a good deal about business when he worked on a large farm, Ontario Orchards Farms, in central New York for 13 years, he said. That job also gave him respect for rural, agricultural land, some of which Guilderland still has, unlike many of its thoroughly suburban neighbors, Kriger said.

While he called economic development “absolutely essential,” he stressed the importance of “maintaining the way of life.” At Tuesday’s meeting, he told the board that his philosophy of development isn’t unlike the Hippocratic oath that doctors take, to first “do no harm.”

“We are a suburban and rural community,” he said last night, contrasting Guilderland with other nearby communities. “That makes us different.”

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

Pictured above:
Welcoming a new teacher: The Guilderland Ballet added Vanessa Viscusi to its staff this year. The young dancer will teach ballet at the school.

GUILDERLAND — When she was 8 years old, Vanessa Viscusi saw the Nutcracker ballet and decided that she would be a ballerina.

“I looked at my mom — it was in the middle of the show — I said, ‘I want to dance like them,’” Viscusi recalled of the moment she decided to take dancing seriously. “I saw all the older girls,” she said, and as they were twirling, and leaping, and spinning, she thought that was what she wanted to do.

Seventeen years later, the 8-to-10 age group is her favorite one to teach, because, she said, that’s when kids decide whether or not they will take dance seriously.

“You can really mold them into a great dancer,” she said of the children at that age who choose to carry on with ballet.

Viscusi, a New Jersey native, is the newest teacher to join the Guilderland Ballet. It’s a “much more creative movement for me,” Viscusi said of ballet, compared to jazz or modern dance.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

NEW SCOTLAND — Commercial development in New Scotland’s northeast quadrant got a green light last week when the town board adopted a law to allow for development of the Vista Technology Park. The light is still yellow for the commercial district at the old Bender melon farm as the committee reviewing zoning there asked for a moratorium extension.

The board last Wednesday adopted a Mixed Economic Development District for the Vista project. At the same meeting, the Commercial Zone Advisory Committee asked the board for a two-month extension of a building moratorium so that it can finish its review.

The Vista project covers land in the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland, with the bulk of the project in Bethlehem behind the Slingerlands Price Chopper complex.

The MEDD zoning “is not designed to encourage retail development,” New Scotland Supervisor Thomas Dolin told The Enterprise. “The Bethlehem portion of the district permits very little retail.” Dolin said that retail in the district would support the office-use population. A coffee house, a restaurant, or a hotel could be permitted with the zoning, he said.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

NEW SCOTLAND — Local seniors may soon have more flexible, and more comfortable, transportation, if the town board approves the purchase of one or two used buses from the senior program in Bethlehem.

The town board last week tabled a decision on the purchase until its next board meeting on Aug. 27. This week, Susan Kidder, the senior outreach liaison for the town, told The Enterprise that Bethlehem agreed to hold off on sending two buses to auction until the day after the New Scotland Town Board meeting.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

Voorheesville library reaches out to families,
offers workshops on caring for toddlers and the chronically ill

VOORHEESVILLE — This fall, the library here will offer free workshops to reach both ends of the age spectrum. The workshops — on caring for toddlers or those with chronic diseases — are part of the library’s effort to expand its services to families.

The series for the parents and guardians of toddlers will discuss issues such as language development, early intervention for learning disabilities, nutrition, and arts. Local experts will facilitate the workshops.

“Parents can come and share their experiences with their toddlers with other families,” said Barbara Vink, the library’s public relations representative.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

RENSSELAERVILLE — The town board passed a code of ethics Thursday that, among other things, puts a stranglehold on nepotism, long a contentious issue in the town. It also calls for the creation of a board of ethics.

The code states that a town official’s spouse and other family members are not allowed to serve in appointed positions if their duties “conflict or appear to conflict within the scope of duties of the official,” nor may a person be part of any board, commission, or body in which his or her family member serves as an official.

Town Supervisor Jost Nickelsberg thinks nepotism should be done away with completely. But despite this fact, he voted against the resolution because he disagreed with other things. He and fellow Republican Robert Lansing made up the nay-saying minority. The three democrats carried the vote.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

KNOX — Sarah Gordon, a farmer’s daughter trained now as a planner, says the town’s outdated comprehensive plan threatens agriculture.

Gordon, a Knox resident, made a pitch to the town board last Tuesday for a farmland protection plan. New York’s Department of Agriculture and Markets offers grants of up to $25,000, or 75 percent of the cost of developing such a plan, whichever is less.

Patrick Hooker, agriculture commissioner for New York State, has said that one of the most important roles of a municipality is the regulation of land use. With this in mind, the Department of Agriculture and Markets created its Farmland Protection Program, which offers the non-competitive grants.

The program aims to provide the means and incentive for maintaining New York’s agricultural industry and protecting the environment.

Sarah Gordon grew up on a farm herself, run by her mother, the late Mary Ellen Gordon, and her father, Alexander Gordon, the Albany County legislator representing the Hilltowns. She learned of the grant opportunity while consulting with the Department of Agriculture and Market’s Soil and Water Conservation Committee.

The neighboring town of Berne recently received a $25,000 grant to be used for developing a farmland protection plan. The department said that 51 counties now have farmland protection plans in place.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

BERNE — The school board here is looking at ways its elementary students can get the exercise the state requires.

Currently, Berne-Knox-Westerlo elementary students are in physical education classes for 80 minutes a week while state regulations require 120 minutes.

Brian Corey, the elementary principal, referred to a presentation he and the middle- and high-school administrators made in June, about the gym gaps and called the 40-minute elementary gap the “biggest discrepancy.”

The first was to have a physical-education teacher work with classroom teachers, who would lead their students in exercise 10 to 15 minutes each day. The second was to have instruction via the Internet or TV that kids would follow in their classroom for 10 to 15 minutes each day.

The third and fourth options involved hiring a full-time or part-time physical-education teacher to either teach kids outside during recess, a pull-out-model, or to use a push-in model where the teacher would come to the classrooms on a rotating basis.

Next, Corey said, he planned to work with the school’s shared decision-making committee to come up with more options.

School board President Helen Lounsbury asked about a short-term solution, to be in place when school opens. She said she was concerned about the district being noncompliant.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

Pictured above:
Tammy Krueger, at her desk, was once the secretary for the director of transportation at Berne-Knox-Westerlo and now leads the department.

BERNE — Tammy Krueger, the first woman to head the transportation department at Berne-Knox-Westerlo, is excited about her new job.

“I was Alan’s secretary for years,” she told The Enterprise, referring to the decades-long transportation director, Alan Zuk. “That’s where a lot of my knowledge comes from...I couldn’t have had a better boss and teacher.”

Although her job as secretary was technically part-time, Krueger said she worked full-time hours. This summer, her hours officially have been from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“But there’s no way I can leave then,” she said with a smile. “There’s always more to do.”

Zuk retired in 2007, after 35 years as director of transportation. He was briefly replaced by Russ Underwood, who had been a mechanic at Guilderland for nine years. Superintendent Steven Schrade said that Underwood left after three months, saying he felt he needed more experience, and Zuk then filled in, assisting Krueger.

When Underwood left, Krueger was on the committee to find a replacement for him. “Alan said to me, ‘Who knows the job like you?’” recalled Krueger.

She was appointed assistant director of transportation this spring, said Krueger, an interim title that will allow her to qualify for taking the Civil Service test for director. She earns $50,000 annually in the post.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

Pictured above, left:
Senior Bobby Falcone, a contender for starting quarterback, drops back for a pass during a drill. Guilderland is looking for a new throwing arm.

Pictured above, right:
On the run: This Guilderland player is the lone man moving as he carries the pigskin up the field on Tuesday.

Pictured above:
A sea of Dutchmen sprint toward the sideline during a session of conditioning on Tuesday. Coach Dan Penna wants his players in top shape.

GUILDERLAND –– The Guilderland football team is in good spirits after setting a school record for wins in 2007.

The team finished 8-2 and made it to the Class AA Super Bowl last year. “We’ve been improving the last couple of years,” said Coach Dan Penna. “We really hit the nail on the head last year and got it done. I’m looking forward to the same outcome this year, if not better.”

Last year was huge for the Dutchmen; the team went places where it hadn’t been in many years. “We’re ready to bounce back strong under the radar,” said senior Billy Kemp. “Even though we did real well last year, we lost a lot of good players. Because of that, people are doubting us this year. We will win and surprise people.”

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

Pictured above, left:
Ready to kickoff: All-League place kicker Lee Fenner punts the ball high into the sky. The Voorheesville senior is also the goalie for the men’s soccer team.

Pictured above, center:
Sophomore Ryan Duncan gets ready to throw down field during an offensive drill. He’s the new gunslinger for the Blackbirds.

Pictured above, left:
Going for the block: A Voorheesville varsity football player stretches out to disrupt the pass at a practice on Tuesday afternoon.

VOORHEESVILLE –– The Blackbirds have fielded a winning football team for the past eight seasons and show no signs of letting up.

“Voorheesville football comes with tradition,” said junior Dan Whiteley. “We are looked upon as winners and winners only.”

Coach Joe Sapienza has seen more experienced teams during his 15 years on the sideline, but never doubts his players. “I have 29 kids on the team this year,” he said. “Only four of them are returning starters –– One on defense and three on offense. I have to mold their skills to get them game ready.”

The team is coming back with new players, after a 6-3 season last fall. It bid farewell to great athletes like quarterback Jay Conde, running back Adam Duncan, offensive lineman Sean Fitzmaurice, and running back Pat Jones.

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!

ALTAMONT –– “Being around for 11 years is a big deal in this town,” said Phil Carducci. “You don’t get any credit here unless you’ve been active for at least 10 years.”

Carducci, 59, a resident of Altamont since 1993, is the organizer for the Altamont 5K Run/Walk. He hosted the first run in 1998.

“When I came here, I wondered why there wasn’t an annual race in town,” said Carducci. “I decided to change that, but I didn’t really know who to ask.”

To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today!


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	The Altamont Enterprise Feature Story for the week of August 21, 2008 The Altamont Enterprise Web Feature Story: Making the grade? GCSD to review honor society admission Click on the link above to see the complete story. This week in the Town of Guilderland New chair Kriger preaches “do no harm” with economic development GUILDERLAND — Following the exit of the long-time, and sometimes controversial, chair of the town’s Economic Development Advisory Council in April, the split-party town board appointed a new chairman in a strikingly congenial unanimous vote on Tuesday. Dr. Thomas Kriger hauled himself up to the podium, easing one leg along after having knee surgery, to answer general questions from the board before the vote. He answered routine questions carefully. Currently the associate budget director for research and policy in the sate university system, Kriger has worked as an assistant professor and assistant farm manager over the last three decades. “I’ve had a pretty varied career,” he said when asked in a phone interview last night what he thought might have given him preference for the position over the other three candidates. He learned a good deal about business when he worked on a large farm, Ontario Orchards Farms, in central New York for 13 years, he said. That job also gave him respect for rural, agricultural land, some of which Guilderland still has, unlike many of its thoroughly suburban neighbors, Kriger said. While he called economic development “absolutely essential,” he stressed the importance of “maintaining the way of life.” At Tuesday’s meeting, he told the board that his philosophy of development isn’t unlike the Hippocratic oath that doctors take, to first “do no harm.” “We are a suburban and rural community,” he said last night, contrasting Guilderland with other nearby communities. “That makes us different.” — Saranac Hale Spencer To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Viscusi joins Guilderland Ballet Pictured above: Welcoming a new teacher: The Guilderland Ballet added Vanessa Viscusi to its staff this year. The young dancer will teach ballet at the school. GUILDERLAND — When she was 8 years old, Vanessa Viscusi saw the Nutcracker ballet and decided that she would be a ballerina. “I looked at my mom — it was in the middle of the show — I said, ‘I want to dance like them,’” Viscusi recalled of the moment she decided to take dancing seriously. “I saw all the older girls,” she said, and as they were twirling, and leaping, and spinning, she thought that was what she wanted to do. Seventeen years later, the 8-to-10 age group is her favorite one to teach, because, she said, that’s when kids decide whether or not they will take dance seriously. “You can really mold them into a great dancer,” she said of the children at that age who choose to carry on with ballet. “The little kids are adorable,” she added. “I wouldn’t give that up.” Viscusi, a New Jersey native, is the newest teacher to join the Guilderland Ballet. It’s a “much more creative movement for me,” Viscusi said of ballet, compared to jazz or modern dance. — Saranac Hale Spencer To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! This week in New Scotland New zone for Vista Tech Park NEW SCOTLAND — Commercial development in New Scotland’s northeast quadrant got a green light last week when the town board adopted a law to allow for development of the Vista Technology Park. The light is still yellow for the commercial district at the old Bender melon farm as the committee reviewing zoning there asked for a moratorium extension. The board last Wednesday adopted a Mixed Economic Development District for the Vista project. At the same meeting, the Commercial Zone Advisory Committee asked the board for a two-month extension of a building moratorium so that it can finish its review. The Vista project covers land in the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland, with the bulk of the project in Bethlehem behind the Slingerlands Price Chopper complex. The MEDD zoning “is not designed to encourage retail development,” New Scotland Supervisor Thomas Dolin told The Enterprise. “The Bethlehem portion of the district permits very little retail.” Dolin said that retail in the district would support the office-use population. A coffee house, a restaurant, or a hotel could be permitted with the zoning, he said. — Jo E. Prout To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! New Scotland looks to buy used Bethlehem bus to transport seniors NEW SCOTLAND — Local seniors may soon have more flexible, and more comfortable, transportation, if the town board approves the purchase of one or two used buses from the senior program in Bethlehem. The town board last week tabled a decision on the purchase until its next board meeting on Aug. 27. This week, Susan Kidder, the senior outreach liaison for the town, told The Enterprise that Bethlehem agreed to hold off on sending two buses to auction until the day after the New Scotland Town Board meeting. “It’s a desperate need,” Kidder told the board last week. — Jo E. Prout To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Voorheesville library reaches out to families, offers workshops on caring for toddlers and the chronically ill VOORHEESVILLE — This fall, the library here will offer free workshops to reach both ends of the age spectrum. The workshops — on caring for toddlers or those with chronic diseases — are part of the library’s effort to expand its services to families. The series for the parents and guardians of toddlers will discuss issues such as language development, early intervention for learning disabilities, nutrition, and arts. Local experts will facilitate the workshops. “Parents can come and share their experiences with their toddlers with other families,” said Barbara Vink, the library’s public relations representative. — Chloe Mister To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! This week in the Hilltowns Rensselaerville: What’s new with nepotism? RENSSELAERVILLE — The town board passed a code of ethics Thursday that, among other things, puts a stranglehold on nepotism, long a contentious issue in the town. It also calls for the creation of a board of ethics. The code states that a town official’s spouse and other family members are not allowed to serve in appointed positions if their duties “conflict or appear to conflict within the scope of duties of the official,” nor may a person be part of any board, commission, or body in which his or her family member serves as an official. Town Supervisor Jost Nickelsberg thinks nepotism should be done away with completely. But despite this fact, he voted against the resolution because he disagreed with other things. He and fellow Republican Robert Lansing made up the nay-saying minority. The three democrats carried the vote. — By Zach Simeone To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Knox looking into developing a farmland protection plan KNOX — Sarah Gordon, a farmer’s daughter trained now as a planner, says the town’s outdated comprehensive plan threatens agriculture. Gordon, a Knox resident, made a pitch to the town board last Tuesday for a farmland protection plan. New York’s Department of Agriculture and Markets offers grants of up to $25,000, or 75 percent of the cost of developing such a plan, whichever is less. Patrick Hooker, agriculture commissioner for New York State, has said that one of the most important roles of a municipality is the regulation of land use. With this in mind, the Department of Agriculture and Markets created its Farmland Protection Program, which offers the non-competitive grants. The program aims to provide the means and incentive for maintaining New York’s agricultural industry and protecting the environment. Sarah Gordon grew up on a farm herself, run by her mother, the late Mary Ellen Gordon, and her father, Alexander Gordon, the Albany County legislator representing the Hilltowns. She learned of the grant opportunity while consulting with the Department of Agriculture and Market’s Soil and Water Conservation Committee. The neighboring town of Berne recently received a $25,000 grant to be used for developing a farmland protection plan. The department said that 51 counties now have farmland protection plans in place. — By Zach Simeone To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! BKW looks to meet state regs on gym class BERNE — The school board here is looking at ways its elementary students can get the exercise the state requires. Currently, Berne-Knox-Westerlo elementary students are in physical education classes for 80 minutes a week while state regulations require 120 minutes. Brian Corey, the elementary principal, referred to a presentation he and the middle- and high-school administrators made in June, about the gym gaps and called the 40-minute elementary gap the “biggest discrepancy.” He presented the board with four ways to close the gap. The first was to have a physical-education teacher work with classroom teachers, who would lead their students in exercise 10 to 15 minutes each day. The second was to have instruction via the Internet or TV that kids would follow in their classroom for 10 to 15 minutes each day. The third and fourth options involved hiring a full-time or part-time physical-education teacher to either teach kids outside during recess, a pull-out-model, or to use a push-in model where the teacher would come to the classrooms on a rotating basis. Next, Corey said, he planned to work with the school’s shared decision-making committee to come up with more options. School board President Helen Lounsbury asked about a short-term solution, to be in place when school opens. She said she was concerned about the district being noncompliant. — Melissa Hale-Spencer To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Krueger blazes a new route, leading BKW’s transportation department Photo: The Enterprise — Melissa Hale-Spencer Pictured above: Tammy Krueger, at her desk, was once the secretary for the director of transportation at Berne-Knox-Westerlo and now leads the department. BERNE — Tammy Krueger, the first woman to head the transportation department at Berne-Knox-Westerlo, is excited about her new job. “I was Alan’s secretary for years,” she told The Enterprise, referring to the decades-long transportation director, Alan Zuk. “That’s where a lot of my knowledge comes from...I couldn’t have had a better boss and teacher.” Although her job as secretary was technically part-time, Krueger said she worked full-time hours. This summer, her hours officially have been from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. “But there’s no way I can leave then,” she said with a smile. “There’s always more to do.” Zuk retired in 2007, after 35 years as director of transportation. He was briefly replaced by Russ Underwood, who had been a mechanic at Guilderland for nine years. Superintendent Steven Schrade said that Underwood left after three months, saying he felt he needed more experience, and Zuk then filled in, assisting Krueger. When Underwood left, Krueger was on the committee to find a replacement for him. “Alan said to me, ‘Who knows the job like you?’” recalled Krueger. She was appointed assistant director of transportation this spring, said Krueger, an interim title that will allow her to qualify for taking the Civil Service test for director. She earns $50,000 annually in the post. — Melissa Hale-Spencer To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! This week in Local Sports Dutchmen build on momentum from a year before Photos: The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael Pictured above, left: Senior Bobby Falcone, a contender for starting quarterback, drops back for a pass during a drill. Guilderland is looking for a new throwing arm. Pictured above, right: On the run: This Guilderland player is the lone man moving as he carries the pigskin up the field on Tuesday. Photo: The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael Pictured above: A sea of Dutchmen sprint toward the sideline during a session of conditioning on Tuesday. Coach Dan Penna wants his players in top shape. GUILDERLAND –– The Guilderland football team is in good spirits after setting a school record for wins in 2007. The team finished 8-2 and made it to the Class AA Super Bowl last year. “We’ve been improving the last couple of years,” said Coach Dan Penna. “We really hit the nail on the head last year and got it done. I’m looking forward to the same outcome this year, if not better.” Last year was huge for the Dutchmen; the team went places where it hadn’t been in many years. “We’re ready to bounce back strong under the radar,” said senior Billy Kemp. “Even though we did real well last year, we lost a lot of good players. Because of that, people are doubting us this year. We will win and surprise people.” –– Jordan J. Michael To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Voorheesville determined to keep a winning record Photos: The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael Pictured above, left: Ready to kickoff: All-League place kicker Lee Fenner punts the ball high into the sky. The Voorheesville senior is also the goalie for the men’s soccer team. Pictured above, center: Sophomore Ryan Duncan gets ready to throw down field during an offensive drill. He’s the new gunslinger for the Blackbirds. Pictured above, left: Going for the block: A Voorheesville varsity football player stretches out to disrupt the pass at a practice on Tuesday afternoon. VOORHEESVILLE –– The Blackbirds have fielded a winning football team for the past eight seasons and show no signs of letting up. “Voorheesville football comes with tradition,” said junior Dan Whiteley. “We are looked upon as winners and winners only.” Coach Joe Sapienza has seen more experienced teams during his 15 years on the sideline, but never doubts his players. “I have 29 kids on the team this year,” he said. “Only four of them are returning starters –– One on defense and three on offense. I have to mold their skills to get them game ready.” The team is coming back with new players, after a 6-3 season last fall. It bid farewell to great athletes like quarterback Jay Conde, running back Adam Duncan, offensive lineman Sean Fitzmaurice, and running back Pat Jones. –– Jordan J. Michael To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Altamont gearing up for 11th annual 5K ALTAMONT –– “Being around for 11 years is a big deal in this town,” said Phil Carducci. “You don’t get any credit here unless you’ve been active for at least 10 years.” Carducci, 59, a resident of Altamont since 1993, is the organizer for the Altamont 5K Run/Walk. He hosted the first run in 1998. “When I came here, I wondered why there wasn’t an annual race in town,” said Carducci. “I decided to change that, but I didn’t really know who to ask.” –– Jordan J. Michael To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! [Return to Home Page]