This Week In News

ALBANY COUNTY — The only public hearing before the federal Department of Agriculture makes a final determination on closing the Farm Service Agency office in Voorheesville will be held on Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. in the agency’s Martin Road office.

The proposed closure of the Albany County FSA branch came about a month ago when the USDA announced that it planned to close 131 FSA offices across the country. It will still maintain 2,100 locations, and the Voorheesville office will merge with one 18 miles away in Schoharie, according to USDA spokesman Matt Herrick.

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

Opening this weekend in Hamilton Square
Snip-its caters to all kids of kids, making haircuts fun

GUILDERLAND — Denise Deitz noticed a gap in services in the town, and, being entrepreneurial, she decided to fill it.

Deitz has an 8-year-old son with special needs, and she said that, in the past, getting his hair cut was a traumatic experience for the whole family.

“It would sometimes take two or three of us to hold him down, and the process could take over an hour,” said Deitz.

She decided to try a place in Clifton Park called Snip-its, a hair salon designed specifically for children.

“My son loved it,” she said. “He played and was active during the wait, and even though he squirmed a little bit during the haircut, it was over in 10 minutes.” She noted that the stylist who cut his hair specialized in dealing with children with special needs.

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

Levy questions schedule changes on behalf of staff, board advised trusting system

GUILDERLAND — The school district estimates it may save about half-a-million dollars by rearranging schedules, thereby cutting some staff.

Guilderland must slash $3.2 million from next year’s budget if it is to stay under the state imposed tax-levy limit; the limit may be overridden with 60 percent of the public vote, a mark the district hasn’t reached since the recession started in 2008. The district is currently at an impasse in contract negotiations with its two largest unions.

Superintendent Marie Wiles has studied the district’s administrative structure and recommended cutting two posts. The district is also using data-driven budgeting for the first time, to match services to actual student need.

Wiles also worked with staff and a consultant to examine schedules and, in December, she proposed changes in the school day, most significantly at the middle school and high school.

At last week’s school board meeting, Rose Levy, the board’s newest member, spoke out for the second meeting in a row, citing concerns that teachers had raised with her about the proposed changes.

Levy said this week she was surprised by other board members’ reactions, and heard from people afterward who had watched the televised meeting. “They thought I was shut down,” she said.

“You had in the paper that I was told to bring my concerns to the next meeting,” Levy told The Enterprise. She said that 25 to 30 teachers contacted her; only a few were from the elementary schools as the changes proposed at that level are small. About half of the teachers who raised concerns are from the high school and the other half are from the middle school, she said.

As Levy continued to itemize the concerns at last Tuesday’s meeting, the school board president, Colleen O’Connell, interrupted her, saying, “I don’t want to hear 25 complaints from 25 teachers.”

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

GUILDERLAND — The school district on Tuesday asked those most affected by budget cuts — the students — for advice on how to proceed with next year’s spending plan.

“For the first time, we decided to go right to the source,” said Superintendent Marie Wiles.

The hour-and-a-half session started with a presentation by Assistant Superintendent for Business Neil Sanders geared for students. He went over the three levels of government — federal, state, and local — describing the services they provide and the ways they raise money.

Sanders then presented pie charts showing how the current year’s $89 million budget is spent — about three-quarters on salaries and benefits. “It’s a people-intensive business,” he said.

He then showed a pie chart on revenues, with a quarter coming from state aid and 69 percent from local property taxes.

To explain the state’s tax-levy limit — new this year — Sanders invented a high school student who wanted to buy a car and planned to finance it through mowing lawns. “Joe” couldn’t meet the rising costs for gas, equipment, and a helper and still make enough to pay for the car because of a new town law that forbade him to increase his fees by more than 2 percent until the Mets win the World Series. “This will take a long time,” said Sanders.

The room was filled with purposeful chatter as students discussed, in small groups, the way recent cuts had affected their education and how they would close the $3.2 million gap the district faces for next year.

Administrators and at least one school board member circulated throughout the room, listening in on various conversations.

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

VOORHEESVILLE — The school district has extended property-tax relief to flood victims, although it doesn’t expect anyone to claim the benefit.

On the last day to opt in, the school board voted unanimously to participate in the state’s Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee Assessment Relief Act, which was created by the state in the wake of last summer’s major storms. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the law on Dec. 9.

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

NEW SCOTLAND — A recent decision in a suit against the town may be appealed to the state’s highest court.

Peter Lynch, representing William Cade, said this week that he is considering filing a motion to the Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York’s three-tiered system. It chooses to hear cases that will yield precedent-setting opinions.

Cade brought the initial suit late in 2009, citing the failure of municipal boards to properly coordinate throughout the lengthy planning process before the town approved a water tower in the proposed Kensington Woods housing development. Plans for the 169-house subdivision on the old Tall Timbers golf course on Hilton Road have been underway since 2005.

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

VOORHEESVILLE — The village board voted Wednesday to purchase a long-awaited new fire truck at a cost of $398,300.

In the summer of 2009, Frank Papa, who was then Voorheesville’s fire chief and is now on the volunteer company’s truck committee, proposed the village buy a new truck, for about $320,000, which the board ultimately turned down.

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

RENSSELAERVILLE — Just one week after Marie Dermody resigned from her job as town supervisor, and Victor La Plante as deputy supervisor, the town board has appointed former Councilwoman Valerie Lounsbury as deputy supervisor.

While the board has not yet decided when or how or it will go about finding Dermody’s replacement, some board members said this week they would likely favor making an appointment over holding a special election. According to Rachel Bledi, the Republican commissioner at the Albany County Board of Elections, a special election could cost $4,000 to $5,000.

Elected to the supervisor’s post in 2009, Dermody left her seat on the town board the following January to take on her new job. She was halfway through her first four-year term as supervisor when she turned in her letter of resignation last week.

She wrote in her letter to the town, “The ‘culture’ created by the present town board majority has made it almost impossible for me to continue making forward progress for the town of Rensselaerville.”

For the first two years of her term, Dermody was one of three Democrats on the five-member board. In November, a Conservative and a member of the Independence Party were elected to the board, leaving just two Democrats — Dermody and Democratic Party Chairman John Kudlack.

When The Enterprise called Dermody’s home seeking comment this week, her husband declined comment on her behalf, and Dermody did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

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

A super cool Super Bowl party features lots of beer and lots of hugs

GUILDERLAND –– Last time Bill Jones hosted the traditional outdoor Super Bowl party, in 1994, his wife’s favorite wicker chairs were burned. That was never the plan.

“But shit happens,” he said, explaining that is why he’s no longer married.

Also put to flames during the Dallas Cowboys’ 30-to-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills was the cooking apron of honorary chef P.M. (Post Menopause), which, until that point, had never been washed.

“We burned a lot that year,” Jones said this week. “I feel like that was the last straw for my wife.”

Jones, a scientific glass blower for General Electric, is one of the original eight people who were present for the inception of the outdoor Super Bowl party in 1983 in Watervliet. Now, with the party in its 29^th year, Jones is getting ready to host again at his Settles Hill home in Guilderland.

The “Stupor Bowl” party, as those who carry on the tradition call it, was created by accident. Jones, originally from Menands, was over at Joe Gilchrist’s house in Watervliet because he was a friend of Gilchrist’s four sons. While tuning in to Super Bowl XVII, the group got raucous and Mrs. Gilchrist kicked everyone outside.

–– Jordan J. Michael

A young team
Eight Guilderville swimmers have qualified for sectionals

Each Guilderville swimmer travels an average of 6,000 yards of water per practice. Head Coach Vaclav Sotola sets the timer and critiques the swimmers as they carve through the water.

“It’s pretty intense,” Sotola said this week. “If you’re doing less, it’s not enough. If you’re doing more than that, you may be killing yourself.”

Senior Logan Marshall, the only senior on the Guilderville team, which combines athletes from Guilderland and Voorheesville because Guilderland has no pool, says that Sotola makes practice enjoyable for the swimmers. “He motivates us,” Marshall said.

It’s been a rebuilding season for Guilderville; the team went winless in its first eight meets, but got a victory over Amsterdam, 96 to 84, in Voorheesville on Friday. Sotola said that improvement has come more on an individual level this year.

“They all want to swim fast, but they were a little down because they couldn’t win a meet,” said Sotola of his 17 swimmers. “They were definitely excited to finally win a meet as a team.”

–– Jordan J. Michael

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

GUILDERLAND –– Saratoga has had the best gymnastics team in Section II for a long time, winning the last 10 championships. Guilderland has filled the second seat plenty of times, trying desperately to unseat the Blue Streaks whenever the two meet up.

Usually, the tension at these meets can be cut with a knife; every point counts.

On Tuesday, Guilderland hosted Saratoga at Lynnwood Elementary, and the Streaks left with a five-point victory. Junior Sidney Snyder told The Enterprise that the Dutch’s original idea was to get really close.

“We’re hoping to scare them a little bit before sectionals,” said Snyder, who competed in vault and balance beam on Tuesday. “We had a big pep talk tonight about how important it is to stay close to Saratoga. You have to point your toes and keep those legs straight. We’ll see what happens tonight, and then critique it for sectionals.”

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

GUILDERLAND –– The Dutchmen bowling team is spinning a hot hand as it rolls into sectionals with title hopes.

Guilderland finished second to Colonie in 2011 and currently has one of the best bowlers in the Suburban Council, Matt Trestick, who is averaging 228 per match. The Dutch had identical 24-to-8 victories over Burnt Hills and Columbia this week.

On Tuesday, Trestick bowled a 699 triple, backed up by a 696 from A.J. Indovina. Austin Van Buren scored a 675 and Angelo Pacifici bowled a 633.

“He’s an athlete and his hand-eye coordination is unbelievable,” Guilderland Head Coach Lou Marino said of Trestick this week. “He’s fluid when he bowls; really works at it. He’s accurate, consistent, competitive, and loves the pressure.”

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 Stories for the week of February 2, 2012: (STORY OF THE WEEK) Rudy Stempel dies at 82 Hilltown icon mourned *By Zach Simeone* This week regional Public hearing before FSA office is closed ALBANY COUNTY — The only public hearing before the federal Department of Agriculture makes a final determination on closing the Farm Service Agency office in Voorheesville will be held on Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. in the agency’s Martin Road office. The proposed closure of the Albany County FSA branch came about a month ago when the USDA announced that it planned to close 131 FSA offices across the country. It will still maintain 2,100 locations, and the Voorheesville office will merge with one 18 miles away in Schoharie, according to USDA spokesman Matt Herrick. — 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 Guilderland *Opening this weekend in Hamilton Square* Snip-its caters to all kids of kids, making haircuts fun GUILDERLAND — Denise Deitz noticed a gap in services in the town, and, being entrepreneurial, she decided to fill it. Deitz has an 8-year-old son with special needs, and she said that, in the past, getting his hair cut was a traumatic experience for the whole family. “It would sometimes take two or three of us to hold him down, and the process could take over an hour,” said Deitz. She decided to try a place in Clifton Park called Snip-its, a hair salon designed specifically for children. “My son loved it,” she said. “He played and was active during the wait, and even though he squirmed a little bit during the haircut, it was over in 10 minutes.” She noted that the stylist who cut his hair specialized in dealing with children with special needs. — Anne Hayden To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Levy questions schedule changes on behalf of staff, board advised trusting system GUILDERLAND — The school district estimates it may save about half-a-million dollars by rearranging schedules, thereby cutting some staff. Guilderland must slash $3.2 million from next year’s budget if it is to stay under the state imposed tax-levy limit; the limit may be overridden with 60 percent of the public vote, a mark the district hasn’t reached since the recession started in 2008. The district is currently at an impasse in contract negotiations with its two largest unions. Superintendent Marie Wiles has studied the district’s administrative structure and recommended cutting two posts. The district is also using data-driven budgeting for the first time, to match services to actual student need. Wiles also worked with staff and a consultant to examine schedules and, in December, she proposed changes in the school day, most significantly at the middle school and high school. At last week’s school board meeting, Rose Levy, the board’s newest member, spoke out for the second meeting in a row, citing concerns that teachers had raised with her about the proposed changes. Levy said this week she was surprised by other board members’ reactions, and heard from people afterward who had watched the televised meeting. “They thought I was shut down,” she said. “You had in the paper that I was told to bring my concerns to the next meeting,” Levy told The Enterprise. She said that 25 to 30 teachers contacted her; only a few were from the elementary schools as the changes proposed at that level are small. About half of the teachers who raised concerns are from the high school and the other half are from the middle school, she said. As Levy continued to itemize the concerns at last Tuesday’s meeting, the school board president, Colleen O’Connell, interrupted her, saying, “I don’t want to hear 25 complaints from 25 teachers.” “They’re not complaints; they’re concerns,” responded Levy. — Melissa Hale-Spencer To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! *Facing budget shortfall* GHS students put in their two cents worth GUILDERLAND — The school district on Tuesday asked those most affected by budget cuts — the students — for advice on how to proceed with next year’s spending plan. “For the first time, we decided to go right to the source,” said Superintendent Marie Wiles. The hour-and-a-half session started with a presentation by Assistant Superintendent for Business Neil Sanders geared for students. He went over the three levels of government — federal, state, and local — describing the services they provide and the ways they raise money. Sanders then presented pie charts showing how the current year’s $89 million budget is spent — about three-quarters on salaries and benefits. “It’s a people-intensive business,” he said. He then showed a pie chart on revenues, with a quarter coming from state aid and 69 percent from local property taxes. To explain the state’s tax-levy limit — new this year — Sanders invented a high school student who wanted to buy a car and planned to finance it through mowing lawns. “Joe” couldn’t meet the rising costs for gas, equipment, and a helper and still make enough to pay for the car because of a new town law that forbade him to increase his fees by more than 2 percent until the Mets win the World Series. “This will take a long time,” said Sanders. The room was filled with purposeful chatter as students discussed, in small groups, the way recent cuts had affected their education and how they would close the $3.2 million gap the district faces for next year. Administrators and at least one school board member circulated throughout the room, listening in on various conversations. — 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 New Scotland VCSD offers tax break for storm sufferers VOORHEESVILLE — The school district has extended property-tax relief to flood victims, although it doesn’t expect anyone to claim the benefit. On the last day to opt in, the school board voted unanimously to participate in the state’s Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee Assessment Relief Act, which was created by the state in the wake of last summer’s major storms. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the law on Dec. 9. — Saranac Hale Spencer To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Suit sparked by planning issues may go to state’s highest court NEW SCOTLAND — A recent decision in a suit against the town may be appealed to the state’s highest court. Peter Lynch, representing William Cade, said this week that he is considering filing a motion to the Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York’s three-tiered system. It chooses to hear cases that will yield precedent-setting opinions. Cade brought the initial suit late in 2009, citing the failure of municipal boards to properly coordinate throughout the lengthy planning process before the town approved a water tower in the proposed Kensington Woods housing development. Plans for the 169-house subdivision on the old Tall Timbers golf course on Hilton Road have been underway since 2005. — Saranac Hale Spencer To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Village to buy $400K truck for fire department VOORHEESVILLE — The village board voted Wednesday to purchase a long-awaited new fire truck at a cost of $398,300. In the summer of 2009, Frank Papa, who was then Voorheesville’s fire chief and is now on the volunteer company’s truck committee, proposed the village buy a new truck, for about $320,000, which the board ultimately turned down. — Jo E. Prout 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 Dermody quits, Lounsbury steps up to be deputy super RENSSELAERVILLE — Just one week after Marie Dermody resigned from her job as town supervisor, and Victor La Plante as deputy supervisor, the town board has appointed former Councilwoman Valerie Lounsbury as deputy supervisor. While the board has not yet decided when or how or it will go about finding Dermody’s replacement, some board members said this week they would likely favor making an appointment over holding a special election. According to Rachel Bledi, the Republican commissioner at the Albany County Board of Elections, a special election could cost $4,000 to $5,000. Elected to the supervisor’s post in 2009, Dermody left her seat on the town board the following January to take on her new job. She was halfway through her first four-year term as supervisor when she turned in her letter of resignation last week. She wrote in her letter to the town, “The ‘culture’ created by the present town board majority has made it almost impossible for me to continue making forward progress for the town of Rensselaerville.” For the first two years of her term, Dermody was one of three Democrats on the five-member board. In November, a Conservative and a member of the Independence Party were elected to the board, leaving just two Democrats — Dermody and Democratic Party Chairman John Kudlack. When The Enterprise called Dermody’s home seeking comment this week, her husband declined comment on her behalf, and Dermody did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment. — Zach Simeone To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! This week in Sports A super cool Super Bowl party features lots of beer and lots of hugs GUILDERLAND –– Last time Bill Jones hosted the traditional outdoor Super Bowl party, in 1994, his wife’s favorite wicker chairs were burned. That was never the plan. “But shit happens,” he said, explaining that is why he’s no longer married. Also put to flames during the Dallas Cowboys’ 30-to-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills was the cooking apron of honorary chef P.M. (Post Menopause), which, until that point, had never been washed. “We burned a lot that year,” Jones said this week. “I feel like that was the last straw for my wife.” Jones, a scientific glass blower for General Electric, is one of the original eight people who were present for the inception of the outdoor Super Bowl party in 1983 in Watervliet. Now, with the party in its 29^th year, Jones is getting ready to host again at his Settles Hill home in Guilderland. The “Stupor Bowl” party, as those who carry on the tradition call it, was created by accident. Jones, originally from Menands, was over at Joe Gilchrist’s house in Watervliet because he was a friend of Gilchrist’s four sons. While tuning in to Super Bowl XVII, the group got raucous and Mrs. Gilchrist kicked everyone outside. –– Jordan J. Michael To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! A young team Eight Guilderville swimmers have qualified for sectionals Each Guilderville swimmer travels an average of 6,000 yards of water per practice. Head Coach Vaclav Sotola sets the timer and critiques the swimmers as they carve through the water. “It’s pretty intense,” Sotola said this week. “If you’re doing less, it’s not enough. If you’re doing more than that, you may be killing yourself.” Senior Logan Marshall, the only senior on the Guilderville team, which combines athletes from Guilderland and Voorheesville because Guilderland has no pool, says that Sotola makes practice enjoyable for the swimmers. “He motivates us,” Marshall said. It’s been a rebuilding season for Guilderville; the team went winless in its first eight meets, but got a victory over Amsterdam, 96 to 84, in Voorheesville on Friday. Sotola said that improvement has come more on an individual level this year. “They all want to swim fast, but they were a little down because they couldn’t win a meet,” said Sotola of his 17 swimmers. “They were definitely excited to finally win a meet as a team.” –– Jordan J. Michael To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Not the very best, but always really close GUILDERLAND –– Saratoga has had the best gymnastics team in Section II for a long time, winning the last 10 championships. Guilderland has filled the second seat plenty of times, trying desperately to unseat the Blue Streaks whenever the two meet up. Usually, the tension at these meets can be cut with a knife; every point counts. On Tuesday, Guilderland hosted Saratoga at Lynnwood Elementary, and the Streaks left with a five-point victory. Junior Sidney Snyder told The Enterprise that the Dutch’s original idea was to get really close. “We’re hoping to scare them a little bit before sectionals,” said Snyder, who competed in vault and balance beam on Tuesday. “We had a big pep talk tonight about how important it is to stay close to Saratoga. You have to point your toes and keep those legs straight. We’ll see what happens tonight, and then critique it for sectionals.” –– Jordan J. Michael To read the full story pick-up a copy of The Altamont Enterprise at one of our newsstands or subscribe today! Guilderland bowls “in the thick of it” GUILDERLAND –– The Dutchmen bowling team is spinning a hot hand as it rolls into sectionals with title hopes. Guilderland finished second to Colonie in 2011 and currently has one of the best bowlers in the Suburban Council, Matt Trestick, who is averaging 228 per match. The Dutch had identical 24-to-8 victories over Burnt Hills and Columbia this week. On Tuesday, Trestick bowled a 699 triple, backed up by a 696 from A.J. Indovina. Austin Van Buren scored a 675 and Angelo Pacifici bowled a 633. “He’s an athlete and his hand-eye coordination is unbelievable,” Guilderland Head Coach Lou Marino said of Trestick this week. “He’s fluid when he bowls; really works at it. He’s accurate, consistent, competitive, and loves the pressure.” –– 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]