The Highway Superintendent recently disseminated information publicly that was completely incorrect, necessitating a correction to the record.

The most recent example of incorrect information from the Superintendent involves a social media post on August 2 which claims that on July 3, 2023, “the Town Board” had increased fees for such things as opening a road for access to flooding toilets, drains or broken lateral lines for sewer or utilities. The Superintendent claimed that the Town Board raised fees for individual residents and decreased them for telecommunication providers and other corporations. The exact opposite is true.

The Town Board’s Local Law No. 5 adopted on July 3, 2023, specifically exempted all individual, or residential, applications from permit fees of any kind.

176-11 newly enacted local law provides:

176-11.

Permits, for Residential Driveways, Culvert Installation, or the installation of lateral lines for individual service for water, sewer or utilities or communications facilities:

A No person, other than a duly authorized Town officer or employee, shall make any openings or remove any pavements or paved trails in any street, avenue, alley, curb or public place in the Town of Clifton Park without a permit from the Superintendent of the Highway Department.

B Residential Driveway or Culvert Installation permits shall be issued by the Highway Department without fee.

C The Highway Superintendent shall keep and maintain records for all individual permits for Driveways, culverts or other installations for individual properties within the Town, including:

A. The date each application was received by the Department, the date of the disposition of each such application, and permits issued, or denied, including all drawings, sketches, and descriptions of the work requested and any necessary restorations to the public roads, right of Way or property.

B. If the Highway department does not make a determination to grant, modify or deny and such application within 30 days, a written explanation for the determination shall be maintained by the Department.

C. All such records shall be maintained for 6 years, on an annual basis.

•   pdf Local Law 5 of 2023 Street Opening Permit amendments(79 KB)

Within the resolution adopting these amendments, the Board updated and modernized an outdated fee structure with fees more commonly experienced by corporate entities with a business purpose to excavate and occupy space in the Town’s right of Ways. In fact, the introductory paragraph to the July 3 enactment specifically provides that:

“This Section applies to all utilities, communication and transportation companies and contractors wishing to excavate, cut or perform construction activities within Town Roads, Streets, Highways or Right-of-Way for the purpose of laying pipe, conduit, or other infrastructure within the Town right of Way.

A report submitted by a CPA firm related to the issues uncovered, while attempting to work through this process with the Highway Department has been posted on Cliftonpark.org and can be found here:  pdf AUP Report Final(155 KB)

Within the resolution adopting these amendments, the Board updated and modernized an outdated fee structure with fees more commonly experienced by corporate entities with a business purpose to excavate and occupy space in the Town’s right of Ways. In fact, the introductory paragraph to the July 3 enactment specifically provides that:

“This Section applies to all utilities, communication and transportation companies and contractors wishing to excavate, cut or perform construction activities within Town Roads, Streets, Highways or Right-of-Way for the purpose of laying pipe, conduit, or other infrastructure within the Town right of Way.

At the September 5^th Town Board Meeting Supervisor Barrett and the Town Board unanimously approved three projects that will dramatically increase safe walkability for residents around town.  The new sidewalks and bike paths will be added to the 17 miles of new trails that have been constructed since 2000 when the new program began to build a trail network.

The first of these projects will provide pedestrian access to the hamlet of Jonesville from Dutch Meadows and Country Knoll neighborhoods, as well as pedestrian and non-motorized access to Hatlee Road, Main Street and MacElroy Roads, and connections to existing multi-use trail networks within the Town.  The Town will utilize grant funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for this project.  This project will help to connect pedestrian access to the northern areas of the Town.

Supervisors Barrett and Schopf along with the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors have advanced the initiative to celebrate the 250^th Anniversary of the Battle of Saratoga.  For upcoming events, video and other important information please visit the link.  As we build up to the 250^th Anniversary, this will be an international tourism event.  Supervisors Barrett and Schopf thank all the partners involved working to make this initiative a success!  

The Battles of Saratoga | America's Turning Point | 250th Anniversary (saratoga250.com)

Town Center Walkability Project

At the September 5^th Town Board Meeting Supervisor Barrett and the Town Board unanimously approved three projects that will dramatically increase safe walkability for residents around town.  The new sidewalks and bike paths will be added to the 17 miles of new trails that have been constructed since 2000 when the new program began to build a trail network.

One of the major goals of the Town Center Plan was to make the Town Center and Exit 9 more walkable and connected for people who live in and visit the area. Several ADA accessible crosswalks have been installed in the Exit 9 area.  The Town Center Walkability Project will now result in a trail/sidewalk system on both sides of Clifton Country Road along the entire length of the road.  Clifton Country Road intersects the Town Center Area which will provide additional pedestrian access throughout the area.  The Town will utilize funding by the Transportation Alternatives Program to help pay for this project.

There was recently a question regarding the extension of sidewalks along Sitterly Road. We ensured pedestrian access was developed as part of the plan for bridge replacement and have also proactively taken steps to plan for future improvements.

When it became clear that the Sitterly Road bridge would need to be replaced after it was damaged by a tractor trailer the Town began working with the Department of Transportation on including pedestrian access in the new design.

The Town Board passed a resolution on April 10, 2023 engaging the services of MJ Engineering to prepare a Sidewalk Feasibility Study for the Town of Clifton Park to assess pedestrian traffic and safety improvement opportunities along Sitterly Road. This study produced a plan that includes installation of ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks and pedestrian curb ramps, signage as needed, cast-in-place curbs, curb ramps, and crosswalk stripping within the study limits.

The proposed sidewalk will match the existing roadway and shoulder profile. The existing sidewalk on the northern side of the newly constructed bridge crossing over I-87 will be left undisturbed, except for removing the existing ADA ramps and sidewalk panels on the bridge approaches so that the proposed sidewalk can match the width and grade of the existing sidewalk. Through our long range planning efforts, we have also identified an opportunity to couple the results of the sidewalk extension study to plans for intersection improvements at Sitterly and Clifton Park Center. The overall improvement plan will complement the large scale project completed on Sitterly Road a few years ago. That project improved the intersections at Sitterly/Woodin and Sitterly/Crossings Boulevard and also included extending sidewalks for pedestrian access. Final design and construction authorizations for the new plan are contingent upon successfully obtaining TAP/CMAQ grant funding assistance. All trail and intersection improvement projects are extremely expensive, therefore we have always sought and thankfully been very successful, in securing millions in grant money to offset the cost of our trail/sidewalk network for Clifton Park.

Upon securing the necessary funding for this project the Town will move forward with making this idea a reality and continue extending the sidewalks and trails available for pedestrians to use.

At the September 5^th Town Board Meeting Supervisor Barrett and the Town Board unanimously approved three projects that will dramatically increase safe walkability for residents around town.  The new sidewalks and bike paths will be added to the 17 miles of new trails that have been constructed since 2000 when the new program began to build a trail network.

The final of these three pedestrian access projects will expand bike paths and sidewalks on Route 146, Route 146A and Vischer Ferry Road.  The new paths will create a more complete trail system on both the north and south sides of 146 from School Drive to Vista Drive and on the east and west sides of Vischer Ferry Road from the traffic circle to the Clifton Common alleviating the need to for pedestrians to cross the road to continue safely on a paved sidewalk.  The project will include the addition of two new rapid flashing beacons to be added to existing crosswalks and improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of Route 146 and School Drive with push buttons and countdown timers being added to the crossing beacon.

These additions to our town roadways in this heavily traveled area will allow for safer pedestrian and cyclist travel and will help connect our neighborhoods to shopping areas on both sides of 146. The Town will utilize funding from the State Marchiselli Program to assist in completing this project.

Supervisor Barrett as Chairman of Saratoga County Health and Human Services met with families who have lost loved ones or have family members struggling with addiction. The meetings have assisted the County in establishing priorities to help our communities fight the scourge of addiction.

One of many new initiatives implemented is having accomplished speakers who have suffered from addiction tell their story and connect with teens and people of all ages. The first speaker that will be speaking at schools in Saratoga County will be Chris Herren. Supervisor Barrett and his colleagues on the County Board of Supervisors hopes the speakers will spur conversations at home as well as a general community conversation. 

SARATOGA COUNTY BRINGS BASKETBALL LEGEND CHRIS HERREN TO AREA SCHOOLS TO EMPOWER STUDENTS TO RETHINK ADDICTION

Presentations made possible as part of Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Comittment to Addressing the Opioid Epidemic Through Prevention, Education, Treatment, and Response Efforts

BALLSTON SPA, NY – Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. today announced the Board is providing area high schools with a special presentation by basketball legend, Chris Herren. Herren will speak to high school students about his life, addiction, and how they can be empowered to rethink the disease of addiction.

Herren will speak to Shenendehowa High School students on Wednesday, October 18 at 12:30pm. He will speak to students at South Glens Falls High School and Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake High School on Thursday, October 19 at 8:30am and 12:30pm, respectively.

Shenendehowa will also host a community presentation, open to the public, on October 18 at 6:30pm at the High School East auditorium.

Chris Herren, a basketball legend from Fall River, Massachusetts, was an All-American, broke scoring records and was recruited by the nation’s top colleges. Herren realized his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA when he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1999 before losing his career and almost his family to the disease of addiction. Alcohol and drug-free since August 1, 2008, Chris has spoken to over one million students nationwide with the goal of sparking honest discussions and making a positive difference in their lives. Through inspiring presentations Herren empowers the audience and guides students to rethink how we look at the disease of addiction, from the last day to the first.

Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. (Moreau), Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman said, “In Saratoga County, we’ve made addressing the opioid epidemic one of our top priorities. Bringing Chris Herren to our high schools for an honest discussion about addiction is just one of several initiatives the County is taking to help bring an end to the opioid epidemic in our communities. I thank our participating schools for allowing us to provide this thought evoking presentation to Saratoga County teens.”

Supervisor Phil Barrett (Clifton Park), Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Health and Human Services Committee said, “Combating the opioid epidemic starts with prevention and education. Chris Herren offers a true life, powerful story that we hope students will take to heart. As Health and Human Services Committee Chair, I am proud to bring this important presentation to teens and families throughout Saratoga County.”

Becky Carman, Director of Policy and Community Development at Shenendehowa Central School District said, "Shenendehowa Central School District is grateful to be able to host this inspiring event for both our students and community members. Learning about someone's personal struggle with addiction fosters empathy and compassion, while empowering students to stand up and make a difference. It helps students and adults to understand the complexity of addiction, along with its impact on individuals and the community as a whole. October is mental health awareness month, and having a presentation such as this one provides insights into the mental health aspects of addiction. Students and community members can gain a better understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges individuals face, which is essential for holistic mental health education."

Saratoga County is utilizing a multi-department approach to address the opioid epidemic through prevention, education, treatment, and response efforts and continues to make investments in a wide range of programs, equipment, and professional personnel to help communities battle the harmful grip of drug addiction that affects every municipality.

Some initiatives to address the opioid epidemic include:

• Meeting with families and advocates to better understand their needs and priorities, which has aided in developing programs and services for County residents. 

• Establishing Family Navigator and Certified Recovery Peer Advocate positions in partnership with the Prevention Council. 

• Conducting 21 Naloxone training events throughout the County, distributing more than 5,000 Narcan Rescue Kits and training more than 1,000 individuals.

• Distributing Naloxboxes throughout the County in areas with a higher need for Naloxone as identified by the County’s Substance Use Surveillance Dashboard.

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Supervisor Barrett and the Town Board have released the 2024 Preliminary Budget for review by the residents of Clifton Park.  The Town remains committed to maintaining the status of having no General Fund Town Property Tax, while making significant investments in recreation, social services, public safety, infrastructure, programs and activities for all ages and many other important elements of serving the Town. 

The General Fund spending is currently projected to be $21,380,016.  The Town Board continues to invest in the parks and recreation of the Town.  As 2023 enters the fourth quarter, 10 new Pickleball Courts are under construction, the new Project Adventure Course at Collins Park is being mapped out on site and a new playground on The Common has been completed.  A significant investment was made to the Country Knolls Pool with a liner replacement project as work occurred over two seasons.

We have included funds in the last two budget cycles for the Veterans Monument Walkway Improvement Project.  Hundreds of bricks identifying Veterans have been sold and the project has made tremendous progress the last couple of weeks.   

The membership levels for the Clifton Park Senior Community Center continue to recover and are approaching numbers reached prior to the COVID Pandemic.  The Town assumed operation responsibility of the CPSCC at the end of 2016, and membership grew from 620 to 1500.  We expect to reach 1400 members in 2023, which is a tremendous increase since the pandemic.  We will continue to improve and add to our offerings of activities, classes, informational sessions, trips and much more.    

The Town, like every other organization and household, has been challenged by inflation throughout our operations.  We believe despite the increased investment in our Town and inflationary pressures, the Town will not need to break the Tax Cap.  We are continuing to consider and investigate personnel requests that have been submitted for consideration for the 2024 budget.  As the budget process continues, we will have more visibility on any proposed changes and the effect additional spending may have on the Town’s position in reference to the Tax Cap.  As a municipality with very low taxes, the increase Clifton Park is allowed annually is therefore a small number related to the Tax Cap.  An allowable increase on a small number is ultimately a small number.                

The Highway Fund budget for 2024 is $7,156,524 which is a 7.71% increase over the 2023 adopted budget. For a home with a full market value of $300,000, the total 2024 Highway Tax will be $37.69.   The Town continues to invest in infrastructure, vehicles, and equipment annually to ensure personnel is equipped to handle daily tasks and respond to timely situations. 

As we have identified, discussed, and publicized earlier this year, there has been a significant amount of money for paving and infrastructure allocated by the Town Board in recent years that was unspent by the Highway Department.  The Town Board recently allocated an additional $300,000 from the Highway Surplus, to pave roads in the Exit 8 area.  The funds were initially allocated for paving and several additional roads and courts were able to be paved in 2023.  The Highway Budget for 2024 includes an additional $400,000 of these surplus monies that will be moved to the paving line, which now totals an increase over 2023 to $1,066.000.  The budget also includes $467,000 for paving through the CHIPS program.  The Town Board also allocated additional paving and stormwater maintenance funding in 2022 from the ARPA program.  Currently, there remains $288,487 in paving money that has been unspent and $166,216 in money for stormwater improvement that has also been unspent from the 2022 allocation.  Therefore, additional funds for paving are available in addition to the money detailed in the 2024 Preliminary Budget.   The Town Board also recently utilized $60,000 in funds allocated two years ago for the Highway Department to conduct a study on the replacement of the gas pumps next to the Highway Garage.  These pumps are connected to a generator and are integral to our emergency response efforts.  Many community partners such as first responder organizations use these pumps.  The study and money was never initiated by the Highway Department so the Town Board took over the project and engaged with an engineering firm to move the planning process forward.      

The Town will continue to partner with local organizations for EMS Services.  For a home with a total market value of $300,000, the total EMS tax will be $36.75.  

The 2024 budget continues the Town’s strong commitment to maintaining and improving its infrastructure. Significant funding for stormwater, road repair and sanitary sewer maintenance remains in the 2024 budget.    

The Town offered a Bulk Waste Pick-up Service annually for many years.  When we experienced falling participation, we moved the program to every other year.  There is funding in the 2024 budget to offer the service in the Spring.  More details will be released in the first quarter of 2024, after we complete a bidding process.  Funds are also included in the 2024 budget to continue the free Yard Waste Pick-up Program. 

The Full Market Value of the Town has now surpassed $7 billion.  The Town Center Planning process has led to a growing tax base, a diverse economy, a plethora of services close to home and success in the Exit 9 Commerce Area, that helps fund Town services and our school system.   

Please note the information in this release reflects the details included in the 2024 Preliminary Budget.  Several weeks of the budget process remain and the final budget will be approved in November.  We will provide updates as new information becomes available as we work through the lengthy budget process.