On Saturday, September 13 from 10am to 2pm at Tawasentha Park, the Town is hosting a rabies clinic for dogs, cats, and ferrets.  The event is free but donations are greatly appreciated.  The clinic is sponsored by Albany County Department of Health and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society.

The Town’s Household Hazardous Waste Day takes place on Saturday, October 18 from 8am to 2pm at the Highway garage located at 6338 French’s Mill Road in Guilderland Center.  The event is open to Town residents only.  No pre-registration is required.   Please have the current Parks/Transfer Station vehicle sticker or proof of Town residency (tax bill, driver’s license).  Please carefully review the lists of acceptable and non-acceptable items.  Do not arrive before 8am, and when you reach the drop-off location, the contractor will remove the materials from your vehicle.  

The Drug Take Back Day’s fall event is scheduled for Saturday, October 25 from 10am to 2pm at the auxiliary parking lot at the Guilderland Public Library.  It is an opportunity for the safe, convenient, and responsible disposal of unused or expired prescription medications. 

Please remember that, with continuing dry weather, the watering of lawns is restricted to times when overall water usage is low.  The Town’s summer water usage restrictions, which are in effect until September 15, help maintain adequate water capacity and pressure in homes, businesses, and fire hydrants.  The use of automatic underground sprinklers is only allowed from 1am and 4:30am on odd days for properties with odd numbered street addresses and on even days for properties with even numbered addresses.  For above-ground manually placed sprinklers and hand-held sprinklers, the water use is restricted to 6:30am and 8:30am and 6:30pm and 8:30pm on odd days for properties with odd numbered street addresses and on even days for properties with even numbered addresses.  There are no water restrictions for hand-held sprinkling of non-commercial vegetable and flower gardens.  Please contact the Water Department before filling a swimming pool.  

Please remember that, in all Town parks and open spaces, dogs must be on a leash at all times.  Your dog may be very friendly, but hikers and park patrons do not know that and the presence of an unleashed dog can be disconcerting.  The exceptions to this rule are the Town’s two dog parks at Nott Road Park and behind EMS Station 1 in Westmere.  

The Senior Services Department’s August newsletter and September newsletter have information about classes and seminars, trips, medical and shopping transportation, legal aide, monthly meal calendar, games, and much more.  On Wednesdays from 11am to 12:30pm, the Guilderland Public Library is the home for Senior Connects!, where seniors can have a friendly chat on a wide-range of interesting topics.  

The Town is accepting letters of interest and resumes from candidates interested in applying for the fulltime position of Court Scheduling Liaison in the Town Court. Because this position is covered by the Hiring Emergency Limited Placement (HELP) Program, candidates will not have to take an exam for this title.  More information about the HELP program may be found on the Albany County Civil Service website.   The Town is also accepting letters of interest and resumes from candidates for Police Officer, Telecommunicator/911 Dispatcher, and Laborer positions in the Highway, Parks and Water Departments. 

Community Events & Resources

On Friday, September 5 from Noon to 5pm, the American Red Cross is holding a blood drive at Town Hall.  You can register for an appointment online and entering “Guilderlandtown” in the sponsor code box or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.  While supplies last, the Red Cross is offering a free Red Cross & Peanuts t-shirt for donors.

The Guilderland Public Library’s upcoming calendar includes on Saturday, September 7 from 2pm to 3pm, a performance by Mark Hecker on popular songs by Woodie Guthrie, Phil Ochs and others about social justice.  The Guilderland Public Library’s Long-Range Planning process is underway, and has created a survey for your feedback.  You can share what you value most about the library, as well as ideas for improvements or new services, and to help shape the library’s future. The survey is also available at the Library for your convenience. 

The Altamont Free Library also is also creating a new Long-Range Plan of Service that relies, in part, on a brief and anonymous survey on whether you use the Library, how you use it, and what it can do better for you in the future. 

On Saturday, September 27 from 10:30am to 5:30pm, the University at Albany and the NYS Writers Institute are hosting the eighth Annual Albany Book Festival.  The festival involves a wide-ranging list of local and regional authors, book signings, publishers, and literary organizations. 

Community Caregivers’ upcoming weekly Lunchtime Chats includes The Making of an Icon: Building the Golden State Bridge which takes place tomorrow.  You can easily join and listen in on these one-hour chats by calling (518) 992-6661.  Community Caregivers is looking for volunteer drivers who can transport seniors for medical and other essential trips, and help keep our neighbors in their homes.  If you are interested or have questions, please contact Community Caregivers at info@communitycaregivers.org or by calling (518) 456-2898.  

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s summer calendar includes Barrens Birding Blitz on Saturday, September 20 from 6am to 1:30pm.  This annual community event takes place during the peak of fall bird migration.  This friendly competition is a full day event, with teams birding and counting the species they see and hear throughout the preserve.  Birdwatchers of all skill levels, from novice to expert, are invited.  Teams will compete to spot and identify as many species as possible in the time allotted.  The event will culminate in an awards ceremony and catered lunch in the Discovery Center at 12:30pm.   Reservations ($25) are required, and include a t-shirt, event guidelines, birding guide (score sheet), lunch, and a chance to compete for team prizes. 

The Preserve is also offering times for Drop-in Bird Banding Observation on Monday (Labor Day), September 1 from 6am to 11am; Tuesday, September 23 from 7am to Noon; Saturday, October 11 from 7am to Noon; and Tuesday, October 21 from 7am to Noon.  You can see wild birds up close and personal as Preserve scientists carefully fit them with uniquely coded leg-bands, before releasing them back to the wild. Bands are provided by the US Geological Society Bird Banding Lab to licensed banders so scientists can identify individuals, and also study how long birds live, where they breed, and when and where they migrate.   On Thursday, September 18, at 7pm, the Preserve is hosting a science lecture entitled “Avian response to the restoration and management of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve,” when you can learn more about the effects of the Preserve’s habitat management on birds.