We are consistently working to improve our parks and budgeting for upgrades and maintenance annually. We also plan in advance for major projects in specific parks when needs necessitate a larger investment of funds. For example, earlier this year the Town Board approved funding for a redevelopment of Martin Jewitt Longkill Park off Longkill Road. The plan will result in new playground equipment, new basketball court, revamped parking areas and other amenities.
We are currently discussing ideas for improving the Mary Jane Row Dog Park which is accessible from Ray Road. Some of the ideas include new amenities for park visitors, new exercise equipment features within the fenced areas that can be enjoyed by our pets, improvements to the parking lot and park entrance and other possibilities. This post includes some examples of equipment we have been reviewing. Councilman Tony Morelli will be spearheading this effort with Parks and Recreation liaisons Councilwoman Walowit and Councilwoman Reid.
Please send your thoughts, ideas and firsthand experiences while using the park to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The information you share will be very helpful during our planning process. As we make progress with the planning process, we will offer options for further public review and comment. Thank you for assisting us with this endeavor.
For the fourth consecutive year, Supervisor Barrett, as Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services, announces a sponsorship opportunity for FREE American Red Cross Lifeguard and/or Water Safety Instructor training. With New York State funding from the Office of Children and Family Services, there will be 20 slots available for people 15 to 17 years old to obtain lifeguard certification and become employable for the 2026 summer season!
This program has assisted Clifton Park and other communities in increasing the number of certified lifeguards working in our communities following a sharp drop in numbers during the Pandemic. We consistently need more lifeguards in an effort to build back our team to pre-pandemic levels. The free training opportunity eliminates the barrier of training expenses and allows lifeguards to be certified in advance of the 2026 pool season. For general information regarding lifeguard opportunities, please contact the Clifton Park Parks and Recreation department at 518-371-6667.
CONTACT: Anthony Morelli 518-371-6651 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Food Collection Events for Local Food Pantries
The Town of Clifton Park has held food collection events for the benefit of local pantries and in partnership with people working to help people in other parts of the country affected by natural disasters. During and following the Covid Pandemic we held food drives that were very successful due to the incredible generosity of our community. The Town partnered with a Clifton Park family who was delivering food and personal needs to the people of North Carolina following Hurricane Helene to collect donations. When an apartment fire occurred earlier this year, a local business owner Chad Gregory, established a drop off point for donations and once again the outpouring of support ensured the people displaced by the fire had food, personal items and furniture during a difficult situation. The Town has held two Shredding Day events per year for many years. During these events, we collect food donations for the Helping Hands food pantry in Jonesville.
We are now asking for your assistance again.
This week we have heard from many people concerned with the government shutdown and its effect on food programs. The local food pantries can likely expect a surge in requests for food as funding for programs run out. Therefore, two collections will be held in the next few days. We will have volunteers collecting donations of non-perishable food, toiletries, pet food and other similar items families need on a daily basis.
Please drop off your donations on Sunday, November 2nd, from 1-3pm at the Clifton Park Senior Community Center on the Common. The Common is easily accessible from Vischer Ferry Road. For your convenience donations can also be made on Monday, November 3rd, 3-5pm at 1858 Route 9, Clifton Park, NY 12065.
The two locations available on different days provide additional opportunities and convenience in making your donations. We have several food pantries in town and all will benefit from your donations.
The Town of Clifton Park has approved a final 2026 budget. The budget includes significant investments in our infrastructure, parks and nature preserves, programs, services and many other important elements. Town budgets are structured utilizing separate funds and special districts in New York State. The General Fund is the budget for general town operations, and the Highway Fund is the budget for the Highway Department. The 2026Budget remains within the New York State Tax Cap restrictions.
The Budget for the General Fund is $24,786,423 and total spending for the Highway Fund is $7,623,470. The budget maintains no tax for the General Fund. The Highway Fund tax will increase from .327883 per thousand of assessed value to .33441 per thousand of assessed value resulting in a total tax of $36.12 for a home with a full market value of $300,000. The EMS tax will increase from .329383 per thousand of assessed value to .337073 per thousand of assessed value equating to a total tax of $36.40 for a home with a full market value of $300,000.
The Budget includes a 3.5% COLA for all Town employees. We are also balancing significant increases in healthcare costs and the mandatory annual contribution all government organizations are required to allocate for the New York State Retirement Fund. Per the NYS Comptroller’s statistics, Clifton Park ranks 911 of 931 Towns in the state in municipal property taxes. In addition, Saratoga County has the lowest property taxes and sales tax rate in NYS.
The Town Board has allocated $3.45 million for paving and construction activities associated with road improvements for 2025. A portion or all funds not spent by the Highway Department for paving in 2025 will be considered for allocation in the 2026 budget, adding to the $1,650,000 included in the 2026 Budget for paving. Currently, invoices totaling $1.921 million of the $3.45 million of allocated funds have been submitted.
The Town of Clifton Park has a multitude of programs for people of all ages. The programs and services we enjoyed this summer at our camps, pools and recreational facilities will continue to be offered in 2026. The 1500 members of the Clifton Park Senior Community Center as well as the people who use the Senior Transportation program will experience full support for these programs and activities in 2026.
Some of the improvements approved as part of the 2026 budget include:
Dog Park Improvements
Country Knolls Pool/Playground property: Burning Bush Boulevard-Roof replacement, Indoor Carpet replacement, Pave parking lot
Barney Road Pool Building: Roof Replacement
Whipple Bridge at the Vischer Ferry Preserve: Pave walkway
Celebration Events: funding for upcoming events celebrating our history
Basketball Courts on The Common: Resurface Basketball Courts
Pickleball Courts at Veterans Park: Additional fencing
Garnsey Park Improvements
Heritage Square Planning: plan for future of 3 properties owned by the Town including The Grange and Grooms Tavern
Senior Transportation upgrades
Public Building Security Upgrades
The Town Board continues to invest in our busy parks and recreational resources and facilities that, in some cases, offer multiple services to our community.The Town Board also approved a plan for significant redevelopment of the Martin Jewett Park off Longkill Road earlier this year.The project was formed through an extensive planning process, working with Longkill Park District representatives that began in 2024. Our Buildings and Grounds Department began removing old playground equipment in preparation for the project in 2026.
We have provided updates on several projects through the year involving roadway improvements and trail/sidewalk network expansion.Projects currently in stages of planning include:
Route 146/Tanner Road- Roundabout
Route 146/Waite Road – Roundabout
Clifton Park Center Road/Sitterly Road- Roundabout & Sidewalk extensions
Plank Road/Kinns Road- Intersection Redevelopment
Route 146 Trail/Sidewalk- Vistas Development to Shen Entrance (North side of Route 146)
Clifton Country Road- Sidewalk Expansion
Vischer Ferry Road- fill trail gap on East side of the road
Kinns Road/Farm to Market Road- Corridor study with Town of Halfmoon
As we look forward to 2026, the Town of Clifton Park continues to be in sound fiscal condition.New redevelopment efforts in the Exit 9 area through the years have increased our tax base, converted empty buildings into revenue generating opportunities, assured the school system is well-funded thereby lowering school tax increases and offered essential services close to home.
Twin Bridges will be conducting curbside yard waste pick-up for Clifton Park residents in 2026. The service will be offered beginning April 1st through the end of November, weather permitting.
Leaves, grass clippings, tree and shrub trimmings and other brush will be collected in brown paper yard waste bags only. The yard waste along with the bags are recycled through a processing system. No yard waste will be collected from garbage cans or any other containers. Small, bundled brush that is less than four feet long and three feet in diameter will also be collected. Bundles need to be tied to allow for easy pick-up and disposal.
Items that will not be collected include animal waste, garden debris, tree or shrub roots of any type, tree stumps or logs, waste products including household garbage, pressure treated wood, railroad ties, building debris, plastic, metal, or other foreign materials.
Twin Bridges will be working their way through the Town weekly. Residents are encouraged to have their yard waste ready for pickup by Sunday evening. At various times of the year when yard waste debris pick up is heavier than normal, sections of Town may take longer to collect. Please do not cover the bags with tarps. Bags must be visible on the curb.
The Town Transfer Station also accepts yard waste all year long during regular business hours from Clifton Park residents only. No permit is needed but an ID is required.
MILLERSBURG, OH (April 3, 2026) – The National Scenic Byway Association is proud to recognize the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway with a 2026 Byway Award for Outstanding Visitor Experience, celebrating a summer of Erie Canal Bicentennial festivities that brought history to life for thousands of visitors and locals across upstate New York.
In 2025, the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway honored the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal with a season-long celebration that engaged visitors, residents, and history enthusiasts in a variety of immersive experiences. From educational symposiums and scavenger hunts to canal festivals and senior bus tours, volunteers and community partners brought the stories of the Erie Canal corridor to life in memorable and accessible ways.
A highlight of the season was the Canal Day Festival on October 11 and 12 in Clifton Park, where hundreds of attendees enjoyed historic craft demonstrations, wagon rides, and walking tours led by costumed re-enactors. On October 15 and 16, communities along the byway gathered to salute the Seneca Chief — a replica of the canal boat that Governor DeWitt Clinton sailed to inaugurate the original Erie Canal in 1825. The replica’s passage through the corridor was met with cannon fire, ceremonies, and deep community pride.
“Our bicentennial celebrations gave us an extraordinary opportunity to share the Erie Canal’s legacy with people who may never have thought of it as part of their own story,” said Eric Hamilton, event organizer for the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway. “When you see neighbors cheering for a canal boat replica and kids learning about a 200-year-old waterway, you know something special is happening.”
“The Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway’s Summer of Celebration is a shining example of how history can be a vehicle for community building and tourism,” said Sharon Strouse, Executive Director of the National Scenic Byway Association. “By centering their programming around the Erie Canal Bicentennial, they created moments of shared pride that will last long after the celebrations have ended.” Learn more about the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway at mohawktowpath.org.
The National Scenic Byway Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving as The National Voice of Scenic Byways and Roads, dedicated to strengthening Byways through education, training and shared expertise. It is the vision of the National Scenic Byway Association that our nation’s designated Byways will be recognized and valued worldwide for their distinctive experiences, stories, and treasured places. For more information visit www.nsbfoundation.com;www.travelbyways.com; or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
There are openings in the Clifton Park GREEN Committee's Food Scraps Composting program. You must be a Clifton Park resident, and the drop-off location is at the Town Transfer Station. Sign up today!
For questions or more information, please use the signup form.
