oo N. o·r CIRCULATE ~. _· t:.M pusuc ueRARY. · G'land trashes Rapp R~~dt~====·- ' 4SlDELAWARE:3042 Town in talks with Colonie to use landfill on Route 9 See Page 10 ~~~~lululullolluulnl"l'~lo!ul In this • ! . week's issue I . ~ ..... Spotlight onthe400th Bethlehem This month's installmeni of The Spotlight's nine-part series of historical features on the ·gets final hamlets of Bethlehem in com­ memoration of this year's Quad­ ricentennial focuses on Selkirk's role in the American War of In· 20/20 report dependence. Committee of town development and current plan­ ning board chairman, George leaders and residents Leveille, gave the presentation, tells board of future while former town supervisors Ken Ringler and Theresa Egan financial hardships also fielded questions and gave recommendations on behalf of Students and staff break ground lor districtwide renovations of the ----~--·-By JARI'lETT CARROLL the committee as its co-<:hairs. Guilderland schools on Monday, June 22, at Guilderland High School. [email protected] The committee's report focus­ · Submitted photo "' . - _,_ es "primarily on our capital needs The report is in on Bethlehem for the town," and "key value~." said Leveille as he gave an outline 'la. n·. d. p!aygrn1111Jl11.,l§.·V lUI. qji headingalthough intotl1e thereport.cites year 2020, many and on the report. He said tl1e town G needs to be adaptive and evolve 1 things working in the town's fa· A Titanic' event vor, there is also a pending finan· with its needs. ) . 'The needs of our cofiununity The Family Players of North· close for summer ~:n~~~~ that needs immediate in 2020 will be different than in r eastern New York put on the first "d will include improvements for The Bethlehem Town Board 1970 or 80 or 90," Leveille said. performance of "Titanic: The Oistrictwl e . each school in the district except listened to a presentation by the ''What's good in 2002 might not Musical," Wednesday, July 8, at projeCtS expected Farnsworth Middle School. c<K:hairs of the 20/20 Commit· be good in 2012." Tawasentha Park in Guilderland. t h 201 "' The proJ·ect is expected to be tee on Wednesday, June 24, and The bad news came in the 0 th u accepted a final draft report of 18. form of financial predictions. The show runs through Sunday, run roug completed by November 2010. The tax impact of the build- months worth of work by the vol· 'The town's tax base is pri­ July 12, with performances at By DAN SABBATINO ing project is approxinlately unteer group. marily residential," he said:.'The 7:30 each night. [email protected] 16.2 -cents per $1,000 assessed Former director of economic 0 Report Page 19 See story on Page 20. value. For district residents own­ As a result of districtwide con· ing property with an assessed struction projects in Guilderland, value of $180,000, ilie average in the playgrounds at Altamont and · Guilderland, the estimated tax Beth ·BOE begins Westrnere elementary schools. increase is $2.43 per month, ac­ will be off limits for the duration cording to the district's Web site. of the summer. The district is borrowing $22.4 The other elementary school million over 15 years at an interest a new year playgrounds will have limited rate close to 4.75 percent. New York .,. access, according to· the district, state building aid is reimbursing 60 however, the extent of the work School board jumps Bethlehem Central School Dis­ percent of that amount. EXCEL aid trict spokesman Matt Leon said at Altamont and Westrnere has will offset $1.78 million, and the right in with a new bud- . shut them down completely. the board unanimously voted for Capital Reserve Fund will contrib­ get, new board member vice president James Dering to "AES is slated to receive ex­ ute $750,000. Also $2 million will tensive renovations throughout serve as the board's new presi­ ·be used from the district's fund bal- dent and board member Lisa AI· the duration of the 18-month ance. Taxpayers' will be responsible building project. For that rea­ By JARRETT CARROLL lendorph as vice president. for the remaining $9.4 million .. [email protected] Dering will replace former . son, summer will be a very busy The district held a ground· time for contractors within the President James Lytle, who did breaking ceremony at Guilder· Even though graduations have not seek another term this year. 1 building. Due to the scqpe of the land High School on Monday, just wrapped up, as of the begin· 8uzz'ing with work scheduled to take place in Dering was elected to the June 22, to kick off the projects.~ · ning of July, the 2009-2010 school board in· June of 2005 and will July and August, no one will be The high school is undergoing · Year has officially begun. excitement allowed in the building or on the be serving his current term until several major renovations incll!.d' · The Bethlehem Board of Ed· 2011. He grew up in Bethlehem World Team Tennis defend­ school playground over the sum· ing the relocation of the FOCUS ucation held its organizational mer recess. This includes district and is an alumnus of the district. ing champions New York Buzz classrooms; renovation of the meeting Wednesday, July ~. to Dering holds a bachelor's degree took to the courts at University staff members," according to an technology e(iucation class- welcome its newest member and update released by the district. in business management from at Albany's SEFCU Arena for its rooms; infrastructure upgrades vote for officers. Ithaca College and a law degree In addition to work at West­ for the technology systE;ms; rna· Elsmere Elementary's Parent 2009 season home opener on mere and Altamont, districtwide from Albany Law School. sonry chimney repairs; a roof Teacher Association President He is currently the acting · Friday,July 3. improvements are expected to replacement; radon remediation; Charmaine Wijeyesinghe won run through the fall of next year. deputy bureau chief of the office . See story on Page 36. lighting upgrades in the new and her first th·ree-year term on the of the state's Attorney General's District voters approved the old gyms; and construction work board in May in a five-way race $26.97 million capital project that Health Care Bureau. Before on the new classroom addition. for two open seats. She won her that, he served as a deputy gen­ seat along with long-standing eral counsel of the state's Depart­ board member Lyi:me Lenhardt, ment of Health and as a p~rtner in 6 F- www.Spotli_ghtnews.com· who win serve her eighth three- THE SPOTLIGHT$.75 0 BOEPage 19 ~:::·===~~~=~================:::: J year term. ,.,. , ... .. ~ Page 2 • July 8, 2009 The Spotlight , Police Blotter Two men charged in OWl crash at Hamagrael Police have arrested two men in possession an open container of two men and transport them to of 0.18 percent or greater; DWI; stated "he had a few beers at his connection with an alcohol-related alcohol. Albany Medical Center "due to their and operating a motor vehicle with friend's" and was driving home property damage aut()-accident at Bethlehem police said Fellows intoxicated state." a BAC of 0.08 percent or greater when he got ·the flat tire. Balloni the Hamagrael Elementary School with Herman as his passenger' Police said Fellows refused to --'-all misdemeanors. failed three field-sobriety tests in Delmar. · "intentionally did strike th~ submit to a chemical test twice. Bethlehem police said they and tested positive for alcohol Stephen R Fellows, 26, of24522 mailbox" at two homes on ParkwYn Hamagrael and its surrounding , received a call of a property damage before being taken into custody 5th Ave., apartment 1, Troy, and Drive before crashing into the neighborhood has been the scene aut()-accident and arrived on the and transported to the Bethlehem Craig Herman,26, of44 Huntersfield brick wall of the nearby Hamagrael of a rash of recent vandalism. Police scene to discover Balloni with a Police D~par~ent for processing. Drive, Delmar, were both charged Elementary School. were called to the area several vehicle that had a flat front tire· . A!ter consenting to a chemtcal by Bethlehem police on June 6, on Police ·discovered the two men times in late May and June, two while the vehicle was running with test, Ballom's BAC was.fo~nd to be ParkwYn Drive after officers found at the school while investigating times directly forvandalized school the keys in the ignition. over double the legal li~t of 0.08 them at the scene of the crash into the mailbox incident and found property, prior to this incident. Balloni reportedly told police percent, accordmg to pohce. the elementary school building. Fellows, who verbally identified .Bethlehem Superintendent that he "nee_ded help changing Balloni's vehicle was .towed Fellows was arrested for fourth- himself, on the ground outside Michael Tebbano said the school's a flat tire and he called 911 for and he was released on hts own degree criminal mischief; DWI; of his car, according to the arrest maintenance staff and police l)ave assistance," after driving east on recognizance after being issued DWAI of drugs; third-degree report . been working together to combat New Scotland Road by himself and appearance tickets, the report aggravated unlicensed operation of When asked who was driving the issue. pulling into a nearby parking lot states. a motor vehicle; leaving the ~cene Fellows stated, "Me," the report soon after getting the flat tire.