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“With the development center, we may actually develop products and help customers get them to the market sooner,” he said.

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GLENVILLE
Walgreens, bank plan to be aired
Plaza was to host Panera Bread
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter

    Walgreens is proposing to locate a new store at a shopping plaza proposed for Route 50 that was originally going to house Panera Bread.
    Developer Thomas Burke is also trying to get approval for a Walgreens in Schenectady at the busy intersection of Brandywine Avenue and State Street, but his proposal has been met with significant criticism thus far. Many city officials say the design is too “suburban” for an active urban center, particularly because the pharmacy chain wants a 67-foot setback from the road with parking in front of the store. He attempted to allay those concerns Monday by meeting with the Schenectady City Council, but the reaction was not enthusiastic.
    In Glenville, Burke wants to construct a 14,820-square-foot pharmacy and a 2,703-square-foot bank at 303 Saratoga Road across from the Price Chopper plaza.
    Panera Bread was originally supposed to be the anchor for this development, which was once the site of a Dollar Store and tile shop that was demolished last year. However, Panera pulled out last fall because store officials said they already had restaurants in Niskayuna and Clifton Park and they did not think the market could support another one.
    In April, the Nigro Companies had received approval for a bank and multi-tenant building. Now, the latest incarnation of the plan abandons the multi-tenant building and proposes the pharmacy and a bank. The Planning and Zoning Commission will review the proposal when it meets at 7 p.m. on Monday at Glenville Town Hall.
    Planning Director Kevin Corcoran said the property has changed hands. Burke of Malta bought it from the Nigro Companies for $1.35 million in April. TJ Development of Glenville LLC is handling the project.
    The bank had previously been named as Pioneer Savings Bank, but it was not known Monday if that is still the case.
    Walgreens spokeswoman Carol Hively said the company has not signed any lease or purchase agreement at this time. “It sounds like it’s in the early stages,” she said.
    Hively said Walgreens has been expanding very rapidly throughout New York and looking at a lot of locations.
    Walgreens has about 6,300 drug stores nationwide including 144 in the state. Among its locations are Amsterdam, Colonie, Delmar, Guilderland, Latham, Troy and Wilton.
    Walgreens recently pulled out of a proposal to locate a pharmacy in Rotterdam at Capitol Plaza at the corner of Curry Road and Altamont Avenue. Company officials gave no reason for deciding not to go forward, but Burke said the decision was the result of a disagreement between the property owner and the developer. Burke was not involved in that transaction.
    Walgreens has also had trouble finding a location in Schenectady. The pharmacy chain was unsuccessful in buying the vacant Eckerds property at the corner of Brandywine and State Street. Rite Aid bought the land and has no plans to either develop it or sell it to a competitor because Rite Aid has a pharmacy across the street.
    Burke convinced the company to consider the other corner of Brandywine and State, where Fratello’s Restaurant sits vacant. But the company wanted its building set more than 100 feet away from the road, as well as building a connector driveway through the residential neighborhood to McClellan Street.
    That plan has now been dropped in favor of the 67-foot setback and only two entrances, off Brandywine and State.
    Burke called the change a compromise.
    “We don’t roll over for these guys,” he said, referring to Walgreens. “We said, ‘Look, this is dead on arrival. If you want to engender animosity, go in with that. We can’t deliver that.’”
    He asked the City Council to support the project, which is up for Planning Commission review. The council has no authority over whether the project is approved, but Burke said its support would be a significant help to him.
    He argued that the project would bring jobs — including high-paid pharmacy positions — and $50,000 in county, city and school taxes. Mayor Brian U. Stratton spoke highly of those benefits as well.
    But the council offered little support. Councilwoman Barbara Blanchard criticized the proposal as a “suburban design” and said Burke should follow the city’s new design standards, particularly the rule that buildings can be no more than 10 feet from the road.
    The Zoning Board of Appeals gave Burke permission to build farther from the street, but has not yet acted on several other variances Burke would need. His proposed building is too large and has too many parking spaces to meet the city’s requirements. Burke also wants a drive-through.
    Stratton said the building would spruce up a blighted corner, but Blanchard said the city should enforce its new design rules and predicted that the plan would be shot down by the planning commission.
    In other Glenville business, the town commission will review a proposal by Charlton Suburban Services to expand the Smith Sand Pit at 1648 North Road from 10 acres to 16.5 acres.
    Corcoran said the gravel mine has existed since the 1980 and is located in a rural location.
    “You won’t even know it’s there. It’s a small scale operation. It seems very well run,” he said.
    The town has very little control over these operations, Corcoran said, because they are regulated by the Department of Environmental Conservation.
    The Zoning Board of Appeals because any expansion of an existing gravel mine in the rural residential/agricultural district requires a conditional use permit.

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GLENVILLE
Town freezing spending on employees, equipment
Board seeks to address shortfall of at least $500,000
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3105 or mgoot@dailygazette.net.

    The town has frozen hiring, equipment purchases and overtime in response to a budget shortfall.
    While the Town Board did not take a formal vote on Wednesday, Supervisor Frank Quinn said the board indicated that it did not want to incur any additional expenses. Quinn said the current estimate of the budget shortfall is about $500,000, based on the current level of expenses.
    Police Chief Michael Ranalli was seeking to fill a vacant dispatcher position after an employee just resigned. Public Works Commissioner Rick LeCLair wants three additional laborers.
    “We’re not going to even entertain them unless they’re critical for health and safety,” Quinn said.
    He added that the board is essentially raising the bar that departments will have to clear to justify these expenses.
    The board is also adopting a new budget model: it is asking departments to start with a “bare-bones budget,” and then the board can work from there.
    Board member Chris Koetzle said he wants to avoid the situation that happened last year in which the board started with wish lists from departments that would have resulted in a massive tax increase. The board gradually whittled away at the requests.
    “It doesn’t put you in a box between a big tax increase and a bigger tax increase,” he said of the new budget model.
    The board on Wednesday held off on any discussion of other expenses. Police are seeking a $1.5 million bond for a new dispatch center, and the Public Works Department is seeking money for trucks and paving projects.
    The board approved a proposal to establish a 15 percent property tax exemption for Cold War veterans. Those who were on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces between Sept. 2, 1945, and Dec. 26, 1991, and were honorably discharged would qualify for the exemption. The exemption cannot exceed $12,000 of assessed property value.
    It also passed a series of traffi c law changes, including setting a speed limit of 40 mph on a portion of Wolf Hollow Road.
    Ruth Kelly, of 636 Wolf Hollow Road, said the speed limit should be lower. She said her father has tried to pull out of the driveway and was nearly hit by speeding cars.
    “How many near-misses he’s had is unbelievable,” she said.
    Wolf Hollow Road is actually closed indefinitely right now because of damage caused by recent storms. Koetzle estimated that the cost for labor and materials is going to be about $120,000. He said that on Monday, the county and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will send a team to assess the damage to see if the town is eligible for any aid.
    The board also approved adding stop signs on Valleywood Drive at its intersection with Acorn Drive, Bradbury Street at its intersection with Riverside Avenue, Charles Street at Bradbury Street and Hadel Road at Evergreen Boulevard.
    Also on Wednesday, the board voted to schedule a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 3 at Town Hall on a proposal by Bordeau Builders to change the zoning at 69 Saratoga Road and 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Dover Place from mixed-use planned development to residential planned development. The developer wants to construct apartments, 18 units total, at 69 Saratoga Road.

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Scotia must deal with overtime abuse in its fire department


    Uncovering mismanagement in any Scotia village department is extremely important in ensuring that taxpayers’ money is being spent in the most efficient manner possible. Scotia fi reman Dave Briggs calls this meddling, and wants to be left alone [July 22 Gazette letter]. He wants you to change trustees in November.
    Here are a few situations that have occurred in the recent past while management of the department has been less than stellar: Payroll and overtime have soared. Eight firemen made between $71,130 and $94,682. One fi reman was on pace earlier this year to make $144,000! The total salary and benefits were $1.27 million for 2007.
    The village board has evidence showing serious procedural fire scene violation and considered charging some individuals. The board discovered mandated training had not been done in numerous areas. Time and attendance records indicate problems with using sick and personal days before and after scheduled vacation days, which have caused overtime to skyrocket. Scotia firemen are scheduled for work seven days each month for 24-hour blocks, with seven consecutive days off about every 28 days. On many occasions, fi remen worked overtime the day before and the day after their scheduled shift but did not report on their scheduled day, resulting in more overtime for coworkers.
    The taxpayers of Scotia deserve proper use of their money. So do the taxpayers of Glenville living in Fire District No. 4. We must be able to prove to everyone that our department is managed properly and efficiently.
    Imagine what Mr. Briggs and those of his ilk can achieve with five board members whose thinking is the same as theirs. He nearly has that right now. I hope the election this November will be about electing candidates who recognize the burden village taxpayers are under and can deliver services from well-managed departments in more efficient ways.
ARMON BENNY
Scotia
The writer is a Scotia trustee running for re-election.

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SCOTIA
Village, town eye merged water services
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter

    Scotia and Glenville officials are continuing to explore collaboration on water and public safety, including a consolidation of water service.
    A few months ago, Glenville officials had asked Scotia if the village wanted to become a customer and purchase water from the town. The village declined because it wanted to merge the entire operation. Mayor Kris Kastberg said if the town were to take over the village operation, Scotia would lose about $380,000. “How do we get made whole for that money?” he said. Another issue is there is a chance that the town could lose the contract it has to provide water to Clifton Park. “We don’t want to get into a situation where we merge water and village residents see a big spike in their water bills,” Kastberg said. The village and town are also making another try at obtaining a Shared Municipal Services Incentive grant to do a study of a shared police headquarters.Glenville is reaching out to Scotia to save money on energy costs. Town Board member Chris Koetzle said he would like the village to consider joining with the town to purchase electricity. He said the town is considering purchasing power on the open market and can save 2 1 /2 cents per kilowatt-hour. If Scotia were to join in, that could drive the costs down even further.

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Trustee’s attack on Scotia Fire Dept. irresponsible

    It was with some disappointment but no surprise that I read the Aug. 22 letter from Scotia Trustee Armon Benny.
    Since his failed attempt to run for mayor, Armon has focused on dismantling the Scotia Fire Department and contracting with the city of Schenectady to provide fi re protection for the residents of our village. His letter attempts to blend what he terms as mismanagement of the department with the daily workings of the firemen.
    His letter refers to the salary and overtime paid to firefighters, but fails to mention that the department ran short of staff by three people due to his refusal to hire personnel in time to replace retirees. The overtime created by this shortsightedness is of his own making.
    In his letter he also multiplies the onetime retirement payout of one firefighter by 12 months to falsely state that he was on pace to earn $144,000 last year. This misrepresentation of the facts from a person running for office is deeply troubling. The real fact is that fire department payroll and overtime have come in under budget for the past two years.
    Benny mentions his concern for fi re scene procedural violations. How he feels that he has the expertise to fi ght or manage a fire is a mystery; he is the only trustee who has never been present at a fire scene.
The fi refighters of the Scotia Fire Department are professionals trained to provide fire and EMS protection at the highest level. For a candidate to look at photographs of a fire scene and make these kind of accusations is irresponsible.
KENNETH ALMY
Scotia
The writer is a department captain and president of the Scotia Permanent Firemen’s Association.

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SCOTIA
Farm a possible site for police station
Village and town studying joint venture
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3123 or mgoot@dailygazette.net.

    Glenville and Scotia officials are eyeing another site in their search for a potential new joint police headquarters.
    Village officials are having preliminary discussions about locating a public safety center at the old Horstman Farm in Glenville off Swaggertown Road and Route 50. It is located across the street from a Stewart’s.
    Scotia Mayor Kris Kastberg said although housing both departments under one roof would not save the village money, it may make sense from a practical point of view.
    “To be able to run the departments more efficiently and solve both departments’ space concerns would be a good thing,” he said.
    In addition, Kastberg said both municipalities could potentially consolidate their courts and building inspection operations. Kastberg said this could free up space in the building on Mohawk Avenue that fire, police and village government share. One option would be to bulldoze the current building and then build something new. Another option would be to construct an addition and let the Scotia Fire Department take over the entire space.
    The current building lacks sufficient space under code regulations. A proposal to build a new fire house and rehabilitate Village Hall was defeated in 2004 when the price and tax impact became a concern.
    Glenville Supervisor Frank Quinn said the Horstman site is located near the boundary of the village and town, so it would have easy access for both municipalities.
    Quinn said one potential option is for a developer to construct a building and the village and town to lease the space. He said previous estimates were that a joint police station would have to be 10,000 square feet.
    Officials have been exploring sites around Route 50 and Dutch Meadows Lane for a joint facility near the village and town border. Also being considered is a parcel of land owned by the Piotrowski family near Freemans Bridge Road.
    Both the village and town plan to apply again for a state Shared Municipal Services Incentive grant to do a study for a shared police headquarters. It did not receive a grant during the last round of funding.

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GLENVILLE
Town Board restores jobs cut in budget draft
Board changes would mean 9.7% tax hike
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter

    The Town Board on Wednesday restored positions that would have been cut under an earlier proposal as it voted on the preliminary 2009 budget.
    The $17.9 million total budget is an increase over this year’s $17.55 million spending plan. It would result in a 9.7 percent tax rate increase, which equates to nearly $50 increase for an average Glenville property assessed at $173,000 and an $8 increase for an average Scotia property assessed at $124,000.
    Board members voted to restore the nine police and highway positions that Supervisor Frank Quinn had cut in his tentative budget.
    “I think [Quinn’s] budget cuts too deep into essential services and eliminates far too many positions,” said board member Chris Koetzle.
    Quinn said he disagreed with the assertion that residents would have been hurt by the cuts. “I haven’t seen the data,” he said.
    Board member Mark Quinn offered an amendment to use another $100,000 of the fund balance, or surplus, to offset the tax levy. He said he was comfortable tapping more of the surplus because revenues were ahead of expenses for 2008 so far and the town will likely have a bigger fund balance than projected at the end of this year.
    Board member Edward Rosenberg offered another amendment to lower the revenue projections for the sales and mortgage taxes the town will receive by $50,000 each in light of the sluggish economy. Both amendments passed and effectively canceled each other out so there was no change in the tax rate.
    The amount of tax increase was misstated at an earlier meeting because the figure had neglected to include $100,000 of debt for a highway paving project.
    The board will hold a public hearing on the preliminary budget on Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. It is scheduled to vote on the fi nal budget on Nov. 19.
PARK DESIGN
    In other business, the board voted to hire Environmental Design Partnership of Clifton Park to design the Maalwyck Park improvements.
    Director of Human Services James MacFarland said the $500,000 project will include a new access road and second entrance to the park, water and sewer lines and a central support building with rest rooms and a pavilion. The project will be designed in the winter and be put out to bid for construction during the spring and summer of 2009. It is funded with a state $250,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and the rest through the recreation fees the town collected from subdivision projects.

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SCOTIA-GLENVILLE
Board OKs raises for all 17 administrators
Salary increases of 4 percent agreed
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3105 or mgoot@dailygazette.net

    The Scotia-Glenville administrators will get 4 percent raises this year under a new three-year contract the Board of Education approved.
    The contract covers 17 building and department administrators making an average salary of $86,196. They were working under the terms of a contract that ended on June 30.
    It contains 4 percent salary increases retroactive to July 1. They will receive raises of 4 percent in the 2009-2010 school year and 4.25 percent in the 2010-11 school year. The administrators do not receive automatic “step” salary increases.
    The net cost of the contract is $46,100 this year and $151,700 during the entire three years.
    It also eliminates a more expensive health insurance plan some employees were using, which is estimated to save about $12,600.
    For administrators hired after July 1, 2010 and after 10 years of experience, the amount the district pays toward individual and family insurance will drop from the current 90 percent to 88 percent in retirement.
    Also at Monday’s meeting, Superintendent Susan Swartz gave the board some preliminary thoughts on the 2009-2010 budget. She said she does not anticipate any state aid cuts in the current year, but the district should be cautious.
    “What I’m not going to do with my administrative team is say ‘bring me all your heart’s desires’ because I don’t believe this is the year for heart’s desires.”
    Among the issues the district wants to look at is expanding to full-day kindergarten, adding more computer classes at the high school and offering a multi-year science research course and adding music classes, Swartz said.
    Other initiatives like adding foreign language courses in sixth grade will probably have to wait.
    Swartz said going to full-day kindergarten would not result in additional cost. Currently, the district has transitional kindergarten where students go for a half day from September to January and then a full day from January to the end of the school year. There would actually be a cost savings of about $50,000 because the district would not have to do a mid-day bus run.
    The board also heard a presentation about research projects from Joseph Kavanaugh, director of curriculum and instruction and Jan Tunison, high school library media specialist.
    Kavanaugh said the goal is students will complete at least one research project per year from grade six to 12. Administrators are still trying to determine in which discipline the projects will occur. Kavanaugh told the board that the district wants to make sure students are prepared for the type of research that will be expected of them in college.
    The projects could include multimedia presentations. The district looks to implement the new research requirements in the fall of 2009 after a pilot this year.

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Scotia gets federal grant for shoreline rehabilitation
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
By Michael Goot (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

SCOTIA — A project to rebuild the deteriorating shoreline at Freedom Park may move forward next spring after officials learned last week the village is in line to receive another $900,000 grant for the project.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded the first phase of a $900,000 grant to allow the village to stabilize about a half-mile of Mohawk River shoreline along Schonowee Avenue between Jumpin’ Jacks and Washington Road, near the former sewage treatment plant. This is on top of a $750,000 grant the village received earlier this month from the state’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program that reequires the village to match the funds.
Mayor Kris Kastberg said these grants should cover the cost of the project.
“We can leverage one against the other, and hopefully it does not cost us very much out of pocket to do this project,” he said.
Kastberg said the riverbank is a cliff now because of steady erosion.
“We’ve been losing between one and two feet a year off that riverbank. We’ve lost 15 to 20 feet into the river,” he said.
With the continued erosion, there is a risk that utilities and the Freedom Park stage could drop into the river. This project will help regrade that land and make it a gradual slope.
...........http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/nov/11/1111_shoreline/