Editor’s Note: The following is a recap of news in the town of Bethlehem from the last six months of 2008. A recap of the first half of 2008 appeared last week, Dec. 26. To view Spotlight Newspapers’ Year in Pictures 2008, click the link below
https://www.spotlightnews.com/gallery/view_all.php?category=In%20Your%20Community
July
At its first meeting of the new school year, the Bethlehem Board of Education unanimously votes to reinstate James Lytle as its president and James Dering as its vice president. The meeting is also the first for Michael Tebbano as the district’s new superintendent.
Tebbano was the district’s assistant superintendent and took over the spot from longtime superintendent Les Loomis, which in turn created an opportunity for several Bethlehem administrators to move up the ranks. The district names former Middle School Principal Jody Monroe as assistant superintendent to fill Tebbano’s vacancy and Assistant Middle School Principal Sandy Morley to fill Monroe’s.
Newly elected board of education members Laura Ladd Bierman and Matt Downey were sworn in and introduced at the meeting as well.
Lafarge North America, Inc. announced major plans to upgrade its cement plant in Ravena in order to modernize its upstate facility.
The announcement, made on Wednesday, July 9, came on the heels of a federal Toxic Release Inventory report released in February that stated the Route 9W plant across from the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk school released 400 pounds of mercury in 2006.
It was the first of many steps Lafarge is taking in the New York regulatory permitting process that could result in an investment to modernize the Ravena cement plant.
The plans proposed included a modernization project that replaces the existing 46-year-old cement plant’s equipment with state-of-the-art cement manufacturing technology.
Bethlehem Comptroller Judith Kehoe announces she is leaving Town Hall and moving down the road to work at the Bethlehem School District as treasurer/school business administrator starting Sept. 1.
The task force created to assess Bethlehem’s need for a noise ordinance unanimously votes to recommend a new noise law to the Town Board.
Albany County Comptroller Michael Conners releases the findings of an audit on the Albany County District Attorney’s Office and states there are several financial discrepancies involving the office’s petty cash fund, as well as other bookkeeping errors.
In response District Attorney David Soares said he `emphatically disagree(s)` that his office has misused or misappropriated any of its funds.
August
Former Republican challenger Roger Cusick announces that he will seek a rematch against District Attorney David Soares in November.
He says he will run on a newly formed third-party line called the Integrity Party line, as long as he gets the needed 1,500 signatures by Tuesday, Aug. 19, which he does.
Cusick, 58, an attorney and political science professor who ran against Soares in 2004, states that Soares has not made good on his vow to fight public
corruption.
The Bethlehem Police Department holds a swearing-in ceremony at Town Hall on Monday, Aug. 18, for its newest police officer Michael Malatino and the promotions of his fellow officers.
Police Master Sgt. James Kerr was promoted to the position of first sergeant; Officer Regina Cocchiara was promoted to patrol sergeant, the town’s first female police sergeant; and school resource and DARE Officer Chad Rice was promoted to police detective.
Former Feura Bush resident and 1960 Bethlehem Central graduate Dan Dryden was killed on Lake Izabal in Guatemala on Sunday, Aug. 10, while defending his wife and his sailboat from four machete-wielding assailants.
The Dryden family reported that on Saturday, Aug. 9, at around 9:30 p.m., they received a call from a woman in Guatemala informing them that Nancy Dryden was in the hospital and that Dan Dryden, 66, was dead.
A packed Bethlehem Town Hall plays host to the final Democratic candidate debate for the 21st Congressional District before the Sept. 9 primary.
Four out of five of the Democrats vying for the seat of retiring Congressman Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, attended the debate.
Town officials confirm that Bethlehem Court Clerk Patricia Parsons has left her position and returned to her job with Albany County after less than two months at the post.
Longtime Court Clerk Barbara Hodom, who recently retired and was training Parsons as her replacement, continues working for the town until a new replacement is chosen. Supervisor Jack Cunningham did not specify the details surrounding Parsons’ departure.
The town’s two judges, Bethlehem Justice Ryan Donovan and Justice Paul Dwyer, are the ones who appoint the town’s court clerk, a post with pay that starts at $58,000 a year.
Albany County Executive Michael Breslin announces the county is seeking approval to buy the Canadian Pacific Railway property and turn it into a 9-mile pedestrian pathway from Voorheesville to the Port of Albany.
Bethlehem fires Albany County Sheriff’s deputy Gary Fish after he served 12 years as a part-time patrolman for the town’s water supply.
Fish claims he was fired after he spoke out about the mercury spill at the town’s water plant, but town officials said he was fired because of repeated scheduling conflicts and would not comment further because the incident is a `personnel matter.`
Fish alleges he was terminated after talking to Town Attorney James Potter about what he called inaccuracies in the report given to the public by Public Works Commissioner Josh Cansler in February regarding the mercury spills.
Fish said more mercury was released inside of the water plant than what was reported and that workers were constantly put at risk by `having to track through mercury for two years.`
Fish also said that mercury-tainted sludge was routinely `hosed down` past the plant’s clear well and into a `sludge pit.` The clear well contains treated water that is pumped directly into the town’s water system.
`We’re in full compliance with the DEC,` responded Cunningham. `DEC has been out there, and they looked at the entire situation and they issued a report and they have given us a letter of requirements and we’re working very closely with them.`
Cunningham reiterated there was no wrongdoing on the town’s part in Fish’s termination, but said he is legally unable to respond to the accusations.
A group of Selkirk residents appear at Town Hall and submit a petition with 440 signatures against a proposed Selkirk Bypass.
September
Van Dyke Spinney developers drop its original Dutch design and opt for a `Craftsman look` for their proposed 216-unit retirement community.
Updated plans for the project, which is slated for construction off of Van Dyke Road and Meads Lane, are presented to the Bethlehem Planning Board on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
The Bethlehem School District opens the doors to its newest building, Eagle Elementary, on Sept. 2 to hundreds of gathered parents and students.
Local lawmakers and school officials help commemorate the district’s first new building since the 1950s.
The Albany County Legislature approves a proposal to purchase a 9.2-mile former railway from Voorheesville to the Port of Albany. The legislature unanimously supports the request to enter into a contract on Sept. 8.
The Bethlehem Town Board unanimously appoint Suzanne E. Traylor as the town’s new comptroller during on Sept. 10. Traylor replaces former comptroller Judi Kehoe who took a job with the Bethlehem School District.
As recommended at a previous town board meeting, the Noise Ordinance Task Force was expanded from five members to nine by the town board as the group prepares to start drafting a noise law.
The board unanimously approved the addition of one town board member, and three residents. Councilman Mark Hennessey was the board member added to the task force, which is headed by fellow Councilman Sam Messina.
Democrat Paul Tonko and Republican Jim Buhrmaster win their respective primary elections on Nov. 4 for the 21st Congressional District.
Former assemblyman and New York State Energy Research and Development CEO Tonko beat out four other Democratic contenders for the Democratic nod, including Tracey Brooks, Phil Steck, Darius Shahinfar and Joseph Sullivan. Tonko took the race with 14,827 votes.
Buhrmaster, a two-term Schenectady County legislator and businessman, won with 7,673 votes over Steven Vasquez, who received 3,404 votes.
A small eight-lot subdivision near Five Rivers State Preserve gets stalled in the Planning Board because of concerns of having `landlocked property` transferred to the town.
In April, Carol Richards proposed to divide her property off of Fisher Boulevard into seven lots next to the Five Rivers State Preserve. The board asks to have a 20-foot access point off of Fisher Boulevard but Richards states there is access on New Scotland Road.
The biggest development deal in both Bethlehem and New Scotland announces it’s ready to break ground, after plans from the developers of the Vista Technology Park in Slingerlands are revealed.
Developers said they pieced together a plan for the first phase of construction after three years of preparation.
Representatives of the tech park told the planning board on Sept. 16 that construction on Vista Boulevard would begin this fall and ground breaking could commence in the spring.
The Bethlehem Central School District said it would change the way it does business.
Superintendent Michael Tebbano said the district will begin the budget process in January and will hold a series `town hall`-style meetings to allow residents to ask specific questions about academic programs, district spending and the tax rate.
Bethlehem agrees to pay more than $22,000 to Clough Harbor and Associates to help replace all of its mercury flow meters at the town’s Voorheesville water plant, following a consent order signed with the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation earlier in the year.
The Town of Bethlehem unveils a $38.67 million spending plan for next year during its Wednesday, Sept. 24, meeting.
October
The Jonathan Carey Foundation held its second Jonathan Carey Walk at the Elm Avenue Park on the warm and sunny fall morning of Saturday, Oct. 4.
Carey, who was autistic, was 13 years old when he died in 2007 while being restrained by O.D. Heck employees in Colonie. His parents, Michael and Lisa Carey attend the event along with area politicians and residents.
Albany County Comptroller Michael Conners and District Attorney David
Soares are at odds over what Soares calls a politically motivated audit of the District Attorney’s office.
On Oct. 6, Conners releases a scathing audit of Soares’ accounting practices, stating money was missing and that his office lacked `proper documentation and internal controls for expenditures.`
The Bethlehem Town Board unanimously votes to amend the language to the town’s zoning law and subdivision regulations, and made some key changes and amendments to amateur radio communication tower regulations Oct. 8.
Also included in the vote was the prohibition of all temporary advertising banners in town.
Bringing the Five Rivers State Preserve into the town of Bethlehem and connecting to it with a pedestrian access is the goal that was discussed at the town’s Tuesday, Oct. 7, planning board meeting.
However, a 20-foot strip of land continues to hold up the deal.
The Bethlehem Central School District announces that it would be initiating a `non-essential spending freeze` and the elimination the majority of field trips in the district.
Superintendent Michael Tebbano said the school would take a series of precautionary measures to limit spending and identify areas of savings and cost avoidances because of economic woes.
Tebbano said the district is putting a freeze on additional hiring and certain supply requests, as well as discontinuing professional programs outside of the district and holding other professional programs after school hours so that substitutes will not have to be used.
The Bethlehem Police Department announces it has arrested an Albany man in connection with a Saturday, Oct. 11, robbery that occurred at the Delaware Plaza Key Bank.
Police charge James L. Eleby Jr., 40, of Wellington Avenue, Albany, with first-degree robbery, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree grand larceny` all felonies.
The community presents Parker Mathusa with a heartfelt thanks and a bench in his honor for his years of dedicated service to the town of Bethlehem.
During a special presentation at Town Hall, residents and town staff filled the auditorium and took a few moments to honor Mathusa, the town’s planning board chairman and go-to guy on everything Bethlehem.
He was given a proclamation and a bench with a placard dedicated to him that was placed in the Henry Hudson Park.
November
Sen. Neil D. Breslin, D-Delmar, handily defeated challenger Charlie Voelker, a first-time candidate, in the 46th Senate District.
Democrats continue to hold onto the 21st Congressional Seat after 50 years. Paul Tonko defeated Republican Jim Buhrmaster by a large margin in the race to replace retiring Congressman Michael McNulty, D-Green Island. Tonko came in with 149,377 votes, versus Jim Buhrmaster’s 89,502 votes.
After a contentious campaign against a former opponent, Albany County District Attorney David Soares scored a big win in Albany and was overwhelmingly re-elected to another four-year term.
Challenger Republican Roger Cusick ran on the Integrity line against the Democrat and netted several big endorsements by the local service unions but ultimately lost the race by 29,128 votes to 80,441 votes.
Tim Gordon goes back to the state Assembly for another two years after besting his Republican challenger Steve McLaughlin on Election Day.
Gordon, who is the state’s only Independence Party assemblyman and Bethlehem’s Independence Party chairman, got 34,289 votes to McLaughlin’s 22,610 votes. Gordon, who is finishing up his first term in office, campaigned on his record and said there was more work to be done with his Democratic caucus.
Parker D. Mathusa, a friend, mentor and community leader to many, dies after losing his battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, on Sunday, Nov. 16, at his Delmar home.
Gov. David Paterson proposes a series of measures on Wednesday, Nov. 12, to close the state’s projected budget deficits, including an across-the-board cut in aid for school districts. After inaction during a special legislative session, the mid-term cuts are not acted upon.
The Bethlehem Town Board unanimously approves its proposed 6.89 percent town tax increase on Wednesday, Nov. 12, which worked out to a tax increase of $17.45 per $1,000 of assessed home value.
Debate over a 20-foot access on Carol Richards’ property ended in a planning board vote on Nov. 18, of 6-to-1, with board member Katherine McCarthy the sole dissenter. According to Richards’ lawyer, Terresa Bakner, the vote effectively killed the proposal because of Richards’ frustration over the matter.
December
Bethlehem holds its second holiday parade on Dec. 5. Starting at Town Hall, the parade went up Delaware Avenue to the Kenwood Avenue intersection where there was a tree-lighting ceremony.
National Grid lists Albany County as one of the hardest-hit areas in New York, as residents deal with power outages and snow removal issues after the Thursday, Dec. 11, and Friday, Dec. 12, storm that brought sheets of freezing rain.
`It is clear that full power may not be restored for several days,` National Grid Representative Steve Brady said on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Gov. David Paterson releases his budget plan for the 2009-2010 fiscal year on Wednesday, Dec. 17, which included some layoffs of the state work force and about $698 million in cuts to school aid statewide.
Bethlehem Superintendent Michael Tebbano said that under the proposed budget, the district would have a significant loss of state funding that could reach close to $2.2 million. That figure is more than 9 percent of the district’s total state aid package in the current year.
SABIC, the company that bought the GE Plastics plant in Selkirk, announces it is considering moving a polymer lab to Selkirk from its Pittsfield, Mass., location. The company is currently in talks with both Bethlehem and Pittsfield officials. “