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Image provided by: Guilderland Public Library
The Mta^niEni\i^mA-^ui^day, Fji&m£iy,\23r.-2i)06 Editorial \Something grand and inspiring\ \History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquity.\ — Marcus Tullius Cicero, De Oratore If you drive towards Altamont on Route 146, just before Gun Club Road, at the gateway to the village, you can't miss a derelict house perched on a hill by the road. Bright tape cautions would-be visitors from entering the falling-down porch. Who would have interest in such a wreck? The town of Guilderland and the village of Altamont plan to buy the old house and the corner property for back taxes—about $45,000. We believe it's a good plan. Why? If you peer past the cautionary tape, you can see a magnificent doorway, highlighted with Federal-era sidelights and transom. If you peel away, in your mind's eye, the 20th-cen- tury siding, and the Victorian add-on porch, you can see the clean, solid 1830's structure and imagine the hand-hewn post-and-beam construction within. Earlier this month, both the village and town boards passed resolutions asking Albany County to give them the property for payment of back taxes. Altamont and Guilderland plan to split the costs evenly and will be co-owners of the property. Last week, Guilderland Supervisor Kenneth Runion told us the municipalities intend to use the property for community functions — youth or senior programs, for example — or as an information center for town and village residents. Runion has been a proponent for securing parkland in his fast-growing suburban town, a wise move as open space becomes limited and recreational places improve quality of life. The \and alone at the gateway property is worth more than the back taxes. We were heartened last week by Runion's statement, \If the building can be used, we will use the building.\ Certainly, if it's structurally unsound or would cost much to repair and make safe, it would be unwise for the municipalities to in- vest in saving it. But, Altamont's mayor, James Gaughan, described the building's condition as \fair to good.\ If this turns out to be true, saving the house would be worthwhile. Most of Altamont's beautiful old buildings are from the Victorian era. The village blos- .samed then, when the railroad pushed its way out from the city. But the house at the corner of Gun Club Road is much older. It was built in 1833 by Dr. Frederick Crounse, who died there sixty years later. So the building has both architectural significance and is associated with the life of someone important to the community. The late historian Arthur B. Gregg saw the value in preserving history, and was respon- sible for getting many Guilderland buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He also researched and wrote about the history of local places, including the Doctor Crounse House, on the pages of our newspaper; his columns were later compiled into a book, Old Hellebergh: Scenes From Early Guilderland. Dr. Crounse's father, Jacob, had left Guilderland to seek his fortune in \the West,\ Schoharie County, so Frederick was born there in 1807, Gregg writes. After graduating in 1830 from Fairfield Medical College, predecessor of the medical school at Syracuse University, Dr. Crounse came to Altamont\ long before the village was called that. There, he built the house on the corner of Gun Club Road, and married Elizabeth Keenholts, the daughter of \the wealthiest man in the district;\ Gregg writes. During the Civil War, the 134th Regiment camped in front of Dr. Crounse's house as he stayed up all night, Gregg writes, helping the regiment doctor with the sick and wounded soldiers. Gregg writes with admiration of Dr. Crounse, who, he says, brought more of the region's inhabitants into the world than any doctor before or since. \In sickness or in trouble, the panacea was 'Go see old Doc Fred,'\ Gregg writes. \There is something grand and inspiring about his life from beginning to end.\ His house embodies that life. Each time an old building is torn down, we loose a piece of our past. Over the years, we've written of historic build- ings in need of preservation. At the dawn of the new millennium, in 2000, we wrote about an- other early 19th-century building on the same road — the Fruitdale Farmhouse —just west of Guilderland Center. It, too, had been vacant for years, so that its owner called it an \eyesore\ and \an'attractive nuisance.\ He tore it down, which he had every right to do. We urged at that time that our towns develop master plans for historic preservation and in- terest citizens in the worth of the old buildings that surround them, lest we lose our heritage one building at a time. Old buildings — even if we have only a nod- ding acquaintance with them as we drive by on our modern highways — remind us where we came from and who we are. They distinguish our community from all the others. They give us a living link with history, particularly if they are available to the public for community functions, as envisioned now with the Doctor Crounse House. Keeping history alive informs and benefits us all. As Cicero wrote, it illumines our reality and provides guidance in our daily lives. Do we want to deprive the next generation of that? If school board wants community thoughts, it should hold a public forum To the Editor: I thought your article on the board of education meeting at Voorheesville Central was fair and unbiased. I would like to respond, how- ever, to Mr. Pofit's assumption that, since only a few people commented at the meeting, the conclusion can be drawn that the rest of the community agrees with the board. I don't think this is true. I think the only conclusions that can be drawn are that the people of Voorheesville are very polite, civilized, and willing to listen. Mr. Pofit started the meeting by requesting that the public speaking not repeat comments that had already been spoken by someone else. From that, it would be possible to draw the conclusion that the majority of the people at the meeting agreed with Mr. Burns or myself. That might not be true either. I think the majority of the people came to the meeting to hear what the board had to say and to show support for Mrs. Winchell. This meeting was not announced to the community as a community forum but was instead a board meeting with a time for public comment. To come to a meeting with questions and then be faced with a microphone and an array of television cameras is very daunting. People were expected to walk the entire length of. the auditorium, speak their case into the microphone and then try to listen to responses from the board, who were not miked. It can be very intimidating, especially if one is unprepared. If the board truly wants to know what the .community thinks, it should hold a true pub- lic forum, with a time for people to ask questions and a time to discuss the'issues. Portia Hubert Voorheesville ZBA right to turn down IAA To the Editor: Congratulations to the Guil- derland Zoning Board of Ap- peals for turning down the Insurance Auto Auctions request to store wrecked autos at the Northeastern Industrial Park. Aside from preventing a com- munity eyesore, the denial was a victory for residents concerned about the environment. For the time being, the town has diverted another threat of potential pollution to our drinking water. We must always keep in mind that a source of plentiful,*potable drinking water is the lifeblood of our com- munity. It must; be protected at all times and at any cost. Charles Rielly, Co-chair Restoration Advisory Board Guilderland Town code should allow temporary signs To the Editor: I am writing in an effort to bring to public attention a variety of issues affecting small businesses in Guilderland. Our company recently formed a group called the Coalition for Guilderland Small Businesses (CGSB). The group was founded to bring together the businesses of Guilderland and to address a variety of issues that hinder the growth of small busi- nesses in Guilderland. Our first initiative is to address the Guilderland Town Board with regards to its policy pro- hibiting businesses from placing temporary or sale signs in front of their businesses. Several months ago, I placed a sign up in front of my store advertising that we were having a sale on Dell computers. I placed the sign up each Satur- day for eight hours. Within weeks, my business nearly doubled. The results of the increase in business enabled me to hire two new employees, both residents of Guilderland. In addition, I am opening a second location. The growth as a result of this one sign placed eight hours a week has been phenomenal. Then Rodger Stone, a town of Guilderland code enforcement officer, advised me in writing to discontinue placement of the sign. The letter indicated that if I did not comply a warrant would be issued for my arrest. Many other businesses in Guilderland have received similar threats. I explained to Mr. Stone that this sign was a powerful re- source for us. The increased sales from the periodic place- ment of the sign contributed to me being able to hire two new employees, both town of Guilderland residents. Mr. Stone advised me to apply for a permit, but added, \The town board has never approved a permit for this type of sign.\ They accept your $35 non- refundable application fee knowing the permits are always turned down. This seems like fraud to me. I did apply and was turned down, told the sign was not allowed. No further explanation was given and my only recourse was to appeal for what Mr. Stone called \an interpretation of the code.\ This involves going before the board and them reading to you the town .code, stating that temporary signs are not allowed. Our goal is not to turn Western Avenue into a neon jungle; we just want the code to allow for temporary signs such as those advertising a sale for a business. I have already felt the affects of not being able to place the sign up for eight hours a week. My sales are down. As a result, I may have to move my business to Albany, a city that is more pro-business than Guilderland. Other businesses have had similar treatment. Audrey Yamaguchi from Miyako Steak- house had a \now hiring\sign cut down by the town. The Nextel dealer next to her was told he could not park his van in front of his business because it had his logo printed on it. Susan Dura of Fancy Schmancy, a women's boutique, received the same threat of court appearance or arrest as I did. It has gone too far. Mr. Stone stated to me in a recent inter- view: \There are two things he can not stand, people who put signs up and people Who park unregistered vehicles on their property.\ I ask the town why our tax dollars pay for someone to drive around, cutting peoples signs down and telling people where they can and can't park their vehicles on their own property. My efforts are not to wage war against the town. But it is time we, as small business owners, are heard. Many have tried to fight the town alone on this issue and lost. Perhaps together, as a coalition for small businesses, we can initiate posi- tive change in the Guilderland business community. We simply want the town to recognize how important the success of small businesses are to the town of Guilderland and its taxpayers. Businesses interested in join- ing me in my efforts to appeal for positive change to the town may visit a website I have created for more information. The address is http://www.- forguilderlandbusinesses. com. I hope that exposure to this issue affecting many businesses on Western Avenue can be brought to light and the public made aware of how their tax dollars are spent on the salaries of power-hungry zoning offi- cials such as Don Cropsey and Rodger Stone as well as a town board which refuses to listen to the business owners of this town.... Many business owners in this town have lost the battle alone. Together perhaps we can make positive changes which will encourage new businesses to move into Guilderland and bring their products and services closer to Guilderland residents. James B, Ryer President Techniconsults Corporation Guilderland A Editor's note: See related story.
