Archive » March 2023 » News

Berne Dems ditch Apple over sheriff’s silence on possible First Amendment violation

by Noah Zweifel

The Berne Democratic Committee has opted not to carry petitions that would support Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple in his bid for re-election, in protest of his silence following a Feb. 20 incident where sheriff’s deputies ejected Berne resident Kevin Crosier from a public hearing on the unjustified orders of the town’s supervisor, who admitted the removal was based on a personal grudge. 

Detour started Monday for rail-trail bridge replacement

ALBANY COUNTY — Starting on Monday, March 27, New Scotland Road (Route 85) was closed to westbound traffic under the county’s rail-trail bridge, a former bridge for trains that is being rebuilt for pedestrians.

Traffic is being detoured over Cherry and Kenwood avenues, according to a Friday notice from Albany County.

‘We are billions apart’ says Fahy on budget negotiations as local school board members weigh in

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Guilderland Superintendent Marie Wiles noted that currently Guilderland is allotted $5,400 for each pre-kindergarten student, “which doesn’t begin to cover the cost for the community-based partners that we have.” She went on, “They feel and rightfully so — and were pleased to continue to work with us — that they can actually do better just by being independent and getting self pay from parents who can afford it.”

Week CLIX: County at last labeled ‘low’ for community level of COVID

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

After a pandemic-induced moratorium on evictions that lasted almost two years, ending early in 2022, proceedings have topped pre-pandemic levels in 40 out of 62 counties statewide, according to an analysis by Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Albany County saw filings for 8 percent of renter households in 2022, according to the Eviction Filings Dashboard. The county, with 55,849 renter-occupied units, had 4,362 filings last year.

Amphibians are on the cusp of spring migration, volunteers prepare for ‘big night’

Volunteers are getting ready to help frogs and salamanders cross the road for springtime mating.

BKW passes volunteer tax exemption with minimum requirements, broad support from community

by Noah Zweifel

The Berne-Knox-Westerlo School District is the second — and the largest — Hilltown tax authority to pass the 10-percent property tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and EMS members. 

Altamont’s newest justice has always considered herself a public servant

by Sean Mulkerrin

Longtime Altamont village justice Rebecca Morse-Hout declined to seek re-election this year, and no candidate filed a petition to replace her. But barely a week before the March 21 election, Bridget Holohan Scally was OK’d by her employers to run for the position, which required mounting a write-in campaign. 

Pyramid seeks tax break for Costco after board signs off on site plan

by Sean Mulkerrin

The Guilderland Planning Board signed off on the proposed site plan for Costco, voting unanimously to send as its recommendation to the zoning board Town Planner Kenneth Kovalchik’s memo on the project

Guilderland grants tax exemption to volunteer first responders

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

The new Guilderland law grants an exemption of 10 percent on town taxes to active firefighters with two years of service; a volunteer with 20 years of active service gets a lifetime exemption. The law also grants exemptions for surviving spouses.

Guilderland School Board refunds Macy’s $374K

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

GUILDERLAND — The school board here voted unanimously on Tuesday to refund Macy’s $373,623 in taxes because of a settlement on its assessed value.

Town board sends Black Creek Run proposal back to planning board for further review

by Sean Mulkerrin

The town board on March 21 tabled a vote that would have determined if the proposed Black Creek Run development at 6250 Depot Road would have a significant adverse impact on the environment.

Twin Rivers Council: Zieske’s Eagle Scout project was the best

BERNE — Despite the pandemic, the word of God reached rural church-goers because of the work of Eagle Scout Derek Zieske.
Zieske installed computer and camera systems at the First Reformed Church of Berne, which allows the church to easily broadcast services online.

Twenty Capital Region BOCES Career and Tech students earn regional honors

Twenty Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education students earned medals at the regional SkillsUSA competition on Thursday, March 16, in Schenectady and Albany. 

BKW super proposes 3.2-percent tax increase, addresses potential foundation aid changes

by Noah Zweifel

Berne-Knox-Westerlo Superintendent Timothy Mundell made the proposal after correcting the district’s tax cap calculation, which had originally been 2.5 percent but now sits at 4.1 percent. He also prompted the board of education to consider upcoming changes to the Foundation Aid formula that will either level out aid to the school, or diminish it, depending on lawmakers’ decisions. 

New Scotland looks to update subdivision law

by Sean Mulkerrin

New Scotland Town Planner Nan Stolzenburg on March 8 told town board members that the update started with a zoning and subdivision audit that she did many years ago, which “resulted in a series of recommendations for updating and improving the zoning and the subdivision law.”

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