2017 Year End Review

With sadness, we said goodbye to resident Al Wright, who passed away on January 23, 2018. Al was a former member of the Menands Fire Dept. and Menands Senior Citizens, retired Village Bldg. Inspector, helping hand whenever needed and devoted to his family and friends.  My condolences to Al’s family and his many friends whom he shared a special bond.

During my time as Mayor, I have relied heavily on members of our departments for their experience and hard work in keeping us safe. Over the last few years, we have also developed partnerships with outside agencies to assist with certain issues. During the recent threat of flooding in February of this year, (due to the ice jams along the Mohawk), in addition to the efforts from the MPD, MFD and DPW in preparing their departments for a quick response, I also received calls from Gov. Cuomo’s Office, the Office of Fire Protection and Control and NYS Emergency Management, to offer assistance. We worked closely with Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Sheriff Craig Apple and his Critical Incident and Emergency Management Unit, the American Red Cross, Town Supervisor Paula Mahan, Chief John Teale, Town Emergency Operations, and Schuyler Heights Fire Dept. Thankfully the flooding did not make its way to Menands. With efforts from Chief Steurer and the MFD in handing out notices to residents in Village One Apartments should an evacuation become necessary, Clerk Don Handerhan for his diligence in notifying businesses that may have been affected and coordinating efforts, Foreman Mike Hagmann and the DPW gathering equipment and Chief Mike O’Brien and the MPD making preparations, I believe we were prepared if the flooding in Menands occurred. We were fortunate to not have any issues that other communities experienced. This is just one example of where our partnerships with outside agencies have been valuable in assisting village departments. I am grateful for these relationships and knowing each are only a phone call away if needed.

With the number of players declining in the Menands Jr. Baseball and Softball League, in January Trustee Steve Boulet and I organized a meeting to try and bring renewed interest back to the league. The first meeting was met with enthusiasm by past presidents, former players and league board members, and a new generation of parents who are passionate about the league and what it brings to the kids in our community. This year there will be t-ball and co-ed minor baseball, but with the number of kids registered in those divisions, things are looking up for the future of the league.  Please contact President Paul Nylin at email hidden; JavaScript is required for more information. I am very thankful to those who volunteer their time to continue to make Menands a special place to live. Opening Day is scheduled for April 21^st. Please come out and support the players and coaches.

Public Safety:

The Village of Menands is very fortunate to maintain our own Dept. of Public Works, Police and Fire Depts. Many of the services provided by these departments goes unnoticed and while seen as routine to them is what keeps us safe on a daily basis. Whether there is a snow storm, a watermain break or any other issue in the Village, the members of our departments work together to ensure our safety.

Dept. of Public Works:

In addition to the numerous services performed regularly for the residents, such as trash, recycling, leaf pick-up, salting, snow removal, etc., the DPW had a busy year with other projects:

• Repair of water main breaks as quickly as possible to ensure minimal disruption of service to the residents and businesses.
• Continued maintenance of DPW equipment, building and property maintenance.
• Replaced water valves to expedite necessary shut downs.
• Grinder pump replacements.
• Maintenance of storm drains and trash racks.
• Congratulations to Marty Thompson and Rick Ognan on their retirement from the DPW after 29 and 37 years respectively. Our sincere thanks for their many years of service and best wishes in their retirement.
• Welcomed David Ognan and Shawn Gomes to the DPW staff.
• Assisted engineers with infrastructure projects.
• Responded to resident concerns of various issues.
• Assisted in site plan review applications for new building projects.
• Hanging baskets and banners along Broadway, as well as other holiday decorations around Village.
• Field prep and maintenance of parks, including preparations for new gazebo, new trash cans and pet waste disposal stations, and other upgrades.
• Leak detection.
• Painted fire hydrants throughout Village.
• Meter readings.
• Prepared surface for new gate at Glenwood Road.
• Retired equipment:
• 1998 Mack Packer Refuse Truck
• 1991 International Recycling Truck
• New Equipment:
• New Main Valve @ Main Pump Station.
• Replaced computer at water dept.

Menands Fire Dept.:

We are grateful for the volunteer members of the Menands Fire Dept. for their dedication to ensure the safety of those who live and work in Menands. New members are always welcome.

• 2017/18 officers were sworn in and we thank them for their service and commitment.
• Continuous training and drills.
• Hosted their Annual Open House in October, together with MPD, MFC, MFC Aux. and Colonie EMS.
• Mutual Aide response to assist other Town of Colonie Fire Departments, including the massive fire in Cohoes in December, for which MFD was credited with saving a church.
• Lieutenant Harvey Bender was honored as 2017 Firefighter of the Year by the Colonie Elks Club.
• Participated in Albany St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Watervlliet and Maplewood Memorial Day Parades, and Hudson Valley Volunteers Fireman Association Annual Convention and Parade.
• Welcomed new member Nicolas DeCerce.
• Worked with other Village Depts. to review site plan applications for new building projects.
• Escorted Santa around the Village in December during a special Santa Detail.
• New equipment:
• Contributed towards CO2 detector for Town Fire Services
• Replaced AED
• 10 Scott Bottles
• Replaced 3 sets of turn-out gear

Total calls – 313 (including but not limited to):

• Fire Alarms – 78
• Mutual Aide – 59
• EMS calls – 74
• Motor Vehicle Accidents – 30
• Structure Fires – 16

For information on joining the Menands Fire Dept., contact Chief Steurer at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Menands Fire Co.:

• In April the 2017/18 Officers were sworn in. Congratulations to all.
• Hosted dinner for Annual Seniors Holiday Party.
• Annual Fish Fry Dinners held.
• Memorial Service to honor deceased members of MFC.
• Annual picnic with MFC Aux.
• Ziti dinner to benefit MFC and ACS.
• Concerts in the Park and Annual Village Picnic.
• Participated in the MFD Annual Open House
• Supported the Annual Santa Detail.

Menands Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary:

The MFC Auxiliary purpose is to render assistance upon request by the Menands Fire Co. (711 calls) and to promote good will and friendship among their neighbors.

• No 711 calls
• The 2017/18 officers were sworn in and we are grateful for the commitment of the MFC Auxiliary members to the MFD and our community.
• Hosted Annual Life Member and Past Presidents Brunch, including a fashion show.
• Craft fair.
• Ham dinner.
• Open house with MFD in October.
• Assisted MFC with Senior Holiday Party.
• Annual wrap-up meeting and picnic, joined by other Town Auxiliaries.
• Annual picnic with MFC.
• Participated in Annual Village Picnic.
• New members are always welcome!

For information on joining the Menands Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary, contact President Joyce Miller at email hidden; JavaScript is required

Menands Police Dept.:

Providing 24/7 protection in Menands, members of our police department are the first responders on most calls. In addition to police protection, the MPD is also involved in community awareness and events.

• Chief O’Brien and members of his department, along with Chief Teale of the Colonie PD, held a public meeting to update the residents in the Sage Hill/Sky Hollow area on an assault and robbery that had taken place in that area of the Village in March 2017. With assistance from the victim, MPD, CPD and APD, the four assailants were quickly arrested and all serving time for this crime.
• Officer Paul J. Stone was honored at the STOP DWI New York and MADD awards banquet for his DWI enforcement efforts.
• Officer Scott Westfall was honored at the Town of Colonie Law Day Breakfast for his general excellent performance of duty and custodian of evidence.
• The MPD joined the MFD in an open house in October to meet the officers, tour the police station and explore a police cruiser.
• Assisted in site plan review applications for new building projects.
• Escort school buses for the safety of the students. Greet the students upon arrival at school.
• Officer Bourdeau was voted President of the Menands PBA and Officer Stone, Vice President. The PBA contributes to many events and charities throughout the year.
• Police patrol at various events, such as Concerts in the Park and Village Picnic.
• Community Awareness Notices are sent out by Chief O’Brien via the Village Website, Menands Activities, Village Notification System and Village Facebook page. New in 2018, the MPD has created their own Facebook page.
• New Equipment:
  • New patrol car
  • In partnership with PERMA, the MPD purchased new bulletproof police vests that are lighter and designed to reduce lower-back pain.

Total Calls:

• Calls for service – 15,286
• Property checks – 10,418
• Miles traveled – 131,623
• Criminal arrests – 246
• Traffic tickets – 1,012
• Motor vehicle accidents – 162

Village Court:

• Menands Village Court, by volume, is one of the largest Town and Village Courts in Albany County, in part to our geographic location, particularly along I787.
• In 2017, the Village Court heard 3,261 cases. These include 2,833 traffic, 116 DWI cases and 217 penal cases. Revenues totaled $373,497.00.
• Court was held five times per month, not including hearings, arraignments or trials. On traffic court nights, upwards of 300 cases can be heard.
• Village Justice Chris Flint and Acting Village Justice Robert Becher attended mandatory Judges school and Court Clerks Susan and Kim attended training sessions, staying up to date on policies and procedures in the Unified Court System.
• The Court received $4,694.95 in jcap funding which was used to purchase security equipment.

Building Dept.:

• The Building Department continues to be busy with projects in Menands. Good news for the Village.
• 74 building permits were issued.
• Code Enforcement worked closely with developers on building projects in Menands to ensure all requirements were met and expedite projects.
• Coordinated efforts of renovations of Key Bank to the Village Office.
• Paul and Lyle attended the NYSBOC training conference to maintain their required annual training.
• Paul attended the monthly sessions with the Stormwater Coalition as our MS4 Officer and the CDTC Planning Committee Meetings on behalf of the Village.
• Available to assist homeowners, businesses and developers with projects to ensure safety and code compliance.

Village Initiatives:

• GIS System to assist departments in documenting infrastructure data, property information, etc.
• Continued participation in Albany County’s Emergency Managers Program and Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Working with Albany County Municipal Leaders on Shared Services and other agendas.

Grant Opportunities:

We continue to explore grant opportunities to help defray costs of projects. Some have been successful, and others have not, but we will continue to look at future applications.

• NYS DEC – Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program
  • $25,000 Grant w/$0 local match, to document the number, type and quality/health of the trees along Village streets and parks, while positioning the Village to apply for future funding for a tree maintenance project.
• NYS DEC/NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation – Engineering Planning Grant
  • $30,000 Grant w/$6,000 local match to perform investigations and evaluations of the sanitary sewer system to identify clean water infiltration and capital improvements to reduce clean water entry.
• State and Municipal Facilities Grant Program
  • $125,000 Grant w/$0 match, to improve the Sage Estates Nature Trails.
• Hudson River Valley Greenway
  • $9,900 Grant w/$2,500 match in Village funds and UAlbany student in-kind services to draft goals and objectives for a Village Comprehensive Plan.
• Not awarded:
  • NYS Dept. of Health/NYS EFC – Water Infrastructure Improvement Act
  • NYS EFC – Green Infrastructure Grant Program
  • NYS DOS – Local Waterfront Revitalization Program

Infrastructure:

• Park Drive Sanitary Sewer Main Replacement.
• Leak detection on water system.
• Camera work on water lines for blockages and infiltration.
• NYS DOT Rt. 377 Road Diet was completed, reducing lanes from four to three, creating a bike lane, expanding the shoulder and reducing the speed limit to 45 mph.
• Additional street lights were installed along Rt. 377 to increase visibility.

Paving:
Continued paving with the following streets paved in 2017:

• Momrow Court
• Folmsbee Drive
• Newell Court
• Irving Place

We will continue paving additional streets this summer.

Village and Park Improvements:

• Gazebo Ganser-Smith Park
• Hood over grill Ganser-Smith Park
• Installation of ceiling fans in pavilion Ganser-Smith Park
• Updated electric service at Ganser-Smith Park
• Engineering and Grant opportunity for improvements to Nature Trails
• Moved Village Office to 280 Broadway
• Expanded Police Dept. at 250 Broadway
• Awnings at both 250 and 280 Broadway
• Access System replaced at municipal buildings

Economic Development:
The Village of Menands continues to be a destination for new businesses. Our departments work closely with developers to assist them with the Site Plan Review Process to expedite projects and make sure all requirements are met.

• The Mohawk Hudson Humane Society held a grand opening on September 27, 2017 of their state of the art facility to provide greater service for the animals.
• Finishers Trade Institute held their grand opening on September 16, 2017 to showcase their training facility.
• Riverview Assets purchased Mid-City Shopping Center.
• Uhaul purchased the Williams Press Bldg.
• The IT services firm nfrastructure moved their headquarters to Menands.
• The Semi-Annual Business Breakfasts were held in May and October. This is an opportunity for the business community to enjoy an awesome breakfast catered by Poppy’s Place, to hear what is happening in Menands and to meet Village representatives and each other. Our guest speakers were Sean Maguire, Director of Economic Development with the Capital District Regional Planning Commission and Mark Egan, President and CEO of Capital Region Chamber.
• Economic Development Revitalization Strategy in collaboration with UAlbany Dept. of Geography and Planning.

Beautification:

• Village Gardener, Dianne MacFarland, planted and maintained the flower beds and hanging pots around the Village, with help from the DPW.
• With donations from Michelle and Frank Esposito, Black Horse Farms and Jack McDonough, Dianne, Bill Giering, and the DPW created a beautiful fall display on the island.
• Dianne filled the stone pots with holiday greens and ribbons.
• With help from the Nugent family and the DPW, the gazebo was decorated for the Fall and Winter.
• The Vanguard Designer Showhouse 2017 was showcased at 14 Pheasant Lane in Menands.

YOUTH:

• The 2017 Summer Park Program offered fun events at the park and exciting trips to Fun Spot, White Water Rafting and Million $ Beach, Basketball Hall of Fame, Six Flags, Clifton Park Ice Skating, Water Safari, and Colonie Town Pool.
• Director Brianna Coughlin and her counselors hosted the annual Easter and Halloween parties, and a trip on Santa’s Magical Express.
• Director Brianna Coughlin welcomed son Liam to her family in August.
• Together with the Menands School Choir, a tree lighting ceremony with caroling and refreshments was held in the new gazebo.

Watch for information on the 2018 Summer Youth Park Program on the Village website at Villageofmenands.com.

SENIORS:

• The Menands Seniors celebrated Nonagenarian Members (over 90 years young) with a special luncheon. With ages ranging from 90 – 102, there were 18 members celebrated.
• Menands Senior President Diane Leonard and husband Paul, received the Colonie Senior Service Centers, Volunteer of the Year Award for their volunteer work done for the seniors.
• The Seniors enjoyed several trips during 2017, including a trolley ride in the Albany St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe house tours, Newport and Block Island, George Eastman Museum and Genesee Brew House, Whale Watching, Bronx Zoo, Amish Tour, NYC, Lake George Dinner Theatre, The Music Man, Paint & Sip and much more.
• Enjoyed their weekly gatherings on Thursdays.
• Held their annual summer picnic and holiday party
• Supported local food pantries

New members, ages 55 and older, are always welcome, and can enjoy exciting trips planned for 2018. For more information contact Senior President Diane Leonard at email hidden; JavaScript is required

COMMUNITY:

One of the special things about Menands is that there are always events to support local charities and bring the community together.

• Pay It Forward Together continues to serve the Menands and Watervliet communities with events, such as Back to School Closet, Prom Closet, and making blankets for the Ronald McDonald House.
• The annual Fuel for School and Fill the Mayflower food drives were great successes, collecting supplies to replenish the shelves of local food pantries.
• Dollars for Derek Fundraiser was held at Il Faro and was a great success.
• Menands School Drama Club performed James & The Giant Peach.
• Menands School hosted the Capital Rep production of They Built America: The Workers of the Erie Canal.
• Bethany Church hosted a spaghetti dinner to benefit REACH mission trip.
• Menands School PTA held their mum sale and Brooks BBQ to support the Outdoor Education Fund.
• Menands School held their annual Spring Concert and Evening of the Arts in May. Congratulations to Art Teacher, Pat Testo and Music Teacher, Lauren Bergeron on showcasing the talents of the students.
• Menands St. Patrick’s Club held their Pie Sale, Sweetheart Breakfast and Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner.
• Menands School PTA held their annual Multicultural Celebration, A Passport to the World.
• Menands School sponsored relief efforts for communities in Puerto Rico, Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico for damage from hurricanes and earthquakes.
• Empower Ethiopia held a garage sale and fundraiser to support Let Us Change, a home for street children in Ethiopia. Founders Todd Hayes and Lisa Buoniconto received the Global Humanitarian Award and Congressional Recognition for their humanitarian efforts.
• The Colonie Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Beautification Award, recognized Finishing Trade Institute as a finalist in the Redevelopment Category and Albany Lofts at One Broadway took first place in the Interior Remodel Category for enhancing the quality of life in and around Colonie with their renovations in Menands.
• Annual Father Daughter Valentines Dance was held.
• Menands Public Library shares story time and movies, offers homework help and technical advice, and hosted an ice cream social.
• The 2017 Summer Concert Series was well attended and music by local bands was enjoyed by all.
• Village Historian, Kevin Franklin received the Citizen of the Year Award and resident Jenna LaFleur was awarded the Service Above Self Award by the Hudson Shores Rotary Club.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN 2018:

• There are new projects in the works for this year and we look forward to working with the developers to ensure a smooth transition to Menands.
• We will continue to reach out to new and existing businesses while maintaining a business-friendly environment and continued economic growth in our Village.
• We are continuing to work with our Village engineer on grant opportunities to continue with necessary infrastructure work.
• Additional streets will be paved this paving season and residents of those streets will be notified of scheduling.
• The SUNY project on a Village Comprehensive Plan will conclude this semester and we look forward to the results of their efforts and continuation of seeing the Plan to fruition.
• Community events that are posted in the Menands Activities, the Village Website and Village Facebook page.

With the length of this end of the year review, I think it shows just how special our community is. With the services provided by our departments to keep us safe, the wonderful community events, fundraising efforts to support those in need, programs for our youth and seniors and our great school district, it is no wonder that Menands continues to grow as a place to live and do business.
Without the support from our Village Board members; Deputy Mayor Aileen Nicoll and Trustees Seth Harris, Steve Boulet and Diane Foley and our dedicated staff, all that has been accomplished this past year would not be possible. I cannot extend enough thanks for the hard work of our Village employees and members of our departments, as well as the volunteers who make Menands a unique place to live.

Until next time,
Mayor Meg

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