Glenville residents want Indian Kill Field to be designated parkland
Residents continue to petition County Legislators to designate the field next to the Indian Kill Nature Preserve as parkland to stop any future development from changing its natural beauty.
During the County Legislature meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 14, Glenville residents of Cedar Lane questioned why legislators hadn’t voted to preserve the Indian Kill Field after reports of the county purchasing an additional 12 acres to expand the Plotter Kill Preserve in Rotterdam. Also on the agenda was a resolution to call a public hearing to designate a parcel of .155 acres as parkland in Duanesburg, with the county owned property given to the town.
`I thought this was very encouraging,` said Raymond Collar, Glenville resident, about the County expanding Plotter Kill. `It was also very frustrating to read that, because we have been trying for over five months to get the ‘Indian Kill Field’ preserved as open space or made into park land.`
Controversy began in July over the potential development of land behind the homes of Cedar Lane residents when surveyors put out stakes into the field next to the Indian Kill Preserve as part of the initial stages to construct a new Glendale Nursing Home. In response, residents formed a community group, Friends of the Indian Kill Field, to help raise community awareness to protect the land, which also includes the `sledding hill` many residents use during winter months.
On Aug. 24, Chairwoman of the County Legislature Susan Savage said in a statement to
The Spotlight
that the new Glendale Nursing Home would not be built on the Indian Kill Field, because the site has `inadequate space and difficult and costly engineering challenges.`
`People are here doing this, because this is important to them,` said Collar. `I don’t know what more it takes? What more do you need to do this?`
Kathy Sen, fellow Cedar Lane resident, echoed Collar’s concerns and said residents are frustrated by their inability to move the process forward and get the land preserved.
Kathleen Collar also referenced legislation drafted by Savage, D-Niskayuna, and questioned why residents haven’t seen any progress on the issue for months.
`Once the election was said and done we haven’t heard anything about it,` she said referring to Savage’s bid for the state’s 44th Senate District seat against incumbent Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna, which she lost. `I hope that that legislation wasn’t drafted for political gain.`
Savage said all parkland created in the county is a process that takes place over time, because there are many questions that come up and must be answered.
`Although I am very supportive, I would like to move my resolution in the future and I will continue to work toward that. I was called by residents of Cedar Lane and asked to put in [a resolution] this summer, which I promptly did,` said Savage. `Although I expect to be moving my resolution in the future, there are a few more steps that have to happen before we can do that in a way that will positively affect the County of Schenectady and the residents of Glenville.`
Minority Leader Robert Farley introduced an amendment to the proposed local law public hearing for the parkland in Duanesburg to include the area in Glenville to be designated as parkland.
`It is time that we do this ` we need to get this done, hence we would be delighted to support legislator Savage’s legislation on this, but it has laid foul for five months,` said Farley, R-Glenville. `I think the time has come to do it tonight and to not waste any more time.`
While James Buhrmaster, R-Glenville, voted in support of the amendment the remaining legislators voted down the resolution.
Deputy Chair Vincent DiCerbo said he hasn’t decided yet if he would support the land being designated as a park, because the Glendale Nursing Home project is still weighing in on his decision.
`As far as I’m concerned, that parcel in Glenville is still a contender for the nursing home,` said DiCerbo. `I have never said otherwise and I will not say otherwise until I make a final decision and on that basis it would be absolutely irresponsible of me to support this resolution.`
Legislator Brian Gordon, D-Niskayuna, shared DiCerbo’s concerns about designating the area as a park before plans for the Glendale Nursing Home are finalized.
`I think that to go ahead and to make an area parkland at this juncture is premature,` said Gordon. `My concern is what to do in a proper fashion for the elderly persons in this community that need care and in order to do that in an appropriate fashion we need to have an appropriately designed facility, which we have been working on for over the last three years.`
Earlier during the meeting Cedar Lane resident Audrey Hughes said the County Legislature should act in a more responsible manner.
`I will be truthful in saying to you that the citizens of Schenectady County, not just on this issue but on many issues, are disillusioned with county government for its lack of openness, its game playing and its non-accountability,` said Hughes.
Glenville Supervisor Christopher Koetzle said after the meeting that the nursing home needs to remain in Glenville, but the land that is currently not built upon should remain open space and be preserved.
`I am confident that the county could figure out a way to modernize the facility or build on that footprint without too much disruption to the occupants,` said Koetzle. `Whatever it is that option has not been explored by the County.`
Koetzle said he hasn’t seen any study done about the possibility of modernizing the facility or building on the current site.
`I’m confident we could do a retro-build on that footprint,` said Koetzle.“
