Menands Activities June 26, 2009

VILLAGE BOARD MEETING

The July 6th Village Board meeting has been cancelled in conjunction with the 4th of July Holiday.  The next Village Board meeting will be held  at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 20, 2009.  All meetings are open to the public and are handicap accessible.

VILLAGE OF MENANDS

The Village Office, Court Office and D.P.W. will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2009 due to the holiday.

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

A public hearing will be held on Monday, July 6, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. in the Village Municipal Building for the purpose of considering the following application for a variance:  Mancini’s Pizza and Deli, 335 Broadway, is requesting a variance for a building sign to be put on the building facing the road.

Such public hearings are open to the public and are accessible to the handicap.  All are encouraged to attend or to present comments in writing.

                                                       John Bassett, Chairman

VILLAGE WATER/SEWER INVOICES

Keep an eye out for your water/sewer bills.  They will be mailed out on July 1, 2009.  If you do not receive them call the Village Office at 434-2922.

Please call the Village Building Department at 434-2922 if you are planning any construction, pool, roof or shed installation, etc.  Be advised it takes approximately one week from receiving an application to the issuance of a building permit.

MENANDS FARMERS MARKET

The Farmers Market in Menands, is located on Broadway just south of Route 378. The Retail Market is open Saturdays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays Noon to 4 p.m. The Market’s special event for July 11th  is Senior’s Day and a Corn Festival is on July 25th .  For more information on the market visit their web site at www.CapitalDistrictFarmersMarket.org or call them on 465-1023.

MENANDS  H. S. SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

For 2009 Melissa Grenier of Brookside Avenue and Sara Knowles Anostario of Amsterdam Avenue are the Rotary club’s winners and each receive a $500 award.  Melissa will be going to Villanova University this fall with the intent of going on to medical school.  Sara is going to Hudson Valley CC and is interested in the health sciences, as well as mathematics. They will be recognized at the Menands School Graduation and certificates will be presented at the Rotary’s Annual Appreciation event on July 15th. The Menands Rotary offers annual scholarships to high school seniors and residents of the Village who are going on to college. The criteria for this award is: services to others, holding part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, need for scholarship, plans for use of scholarship and academic achievement.

SPOTLIGHT ON MENANDS BUSINESS – JUNE, 2009

Our feature for June is an update on developing and maintaining good relationships with our business community.

The Village Board hosts a semi-annual Business Breakfast to which all of the more than 250 businesses in Menands are invited.  Also, we invite commercial property owners and developers, representatives of other governments and business promotion groups.  These events are held in the Spring and Fall each year and provide an opportunity for the Mayor and the Village Trustees to spend time with these individuals in order to get to know them as well as their businesses.

Our Business Breakfast was held on June 17 and was attended by over 50 persons.  The highlight of this event was a presentation by Mr. Rocco Ferraro, Executive Director of the Capital District Regional Planning Commission and Chair of the Menands Planning and Economic Development Work Group.  The presentation concentrated on the recommendations to the Village Board by the Work Group.

The Work Group was formed by the Village Board in December, 2007 and was directed to “proactively pursue the revitalization of the Broadway Corridor which provides a vibrant economic base and quality environment for the Village”.  Over the past eighteen months, the Work Group has met monthly to develop a set of recommendations in five specific areas.  These include land use and zoning, redevelopment of key parcels, transportation and streetscape improvement, marketing and management and implementation.

The Final Report, which will include the recommendations of the Work Group as well as supporting materials, will be submitted to the Village Board by July 1.  The Report will be available in the Village Office as well as on the Village website after acceptance and approval by the Board.

MILITARY APPRECIATION PICNIC

A very special thank you to all the Village organizations, businesses & residents who sponsored and supported the Military Appreciation Picnic.  It was a great success and donations for the USO exceeded $600.

                                                         Gail, Maureen & Meg

MENANDS FIRE COMPANY #1

The monthly meeting of the Menands Fire Company will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. at the Fire House.  All Fire Company members are urged to attend. The Menands Fire Co. is always looking for volunteers to join the Fire Company.  For an application, stop by the Menands Police/Fire Dispatcher.

BOTTLE DRIVE & BREAKFAST

The Class of 2010 of Menands School will be holding a Bottle Drive on July 11th and 12th.  Arrangements for pick ups and drop offs can be made by contacting the committee chair Paul DeDominicis at 365-3388 or mailto:pdedominicis@clarkmovingofalbany.com.

A breakfast is also going to be held at the Latham Knights of Columbus on August 2nd from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.  More details will follow in the Menands Activities.

MENANDS PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Library is proud to announce their participation once again in the New York State Summer Reading Program.  We will be having lots of great programs for youth of all ages, for kids from preschool to grade 5 there will be activities and events under the theme “BE Creative @ your library” and tweens and teens programs will center around the theme “Express yourself @ your library”.  Look for listings here, stop at the library to pick up a flyer or google us next week. Our new website is: www.menandslibrary.org.

Join us for our Annual Ice Cream Social – Saturday, June 27th  from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  We’ll have free fun family entertainment with Mr. Magicman at noon, ice cream of course and kids and teens can register for the Summer Reading Program which this year will have an online reporting system!

Tween/Teen Game Night – Thursday, July 2nd from 7 – 9 p.m. at the firehouse.  Kick off Summer the teen way, with a night of video game fun.  Wii, DDR, Rock band and snacks.

Pond Ecology – Monday, July 6 at 7 p.m.  Be a scientist!  Join environmental educator, George Steele, as he takes us on a water exploration.

Flip Flop Fun – Spend your summer in these comfy sandals?  Come create a new pair that screams YOU! Thursday, July 9 at 7 p.m

MORE SENIOR CITIZEN NEWS

July 2nd will be a fun day for our ice cream social.  Be sure to try to make it!  We should have our WII game and digital camera by then.  More details to come later. Reservations are being taken for our annual Mystery Trip in July.  Call Diane 465-3771 or Arnold 869-3020.  Also come join us for a cruise on the Spirit of Boston ship on August 5th.  See Boston on the water and other treats.  Event opens June 25th. Cost is $40. Deadline is July 2nd. 

BOY SCOUTS

Menands Troop 99 needs Scouts between the ages of 12 to 18 years of age.  The Boy Scout Troop meets Wednesday nights at Littles Lake and is sponsored by the Police Benevolent Association.  A Scout can learn great leadership training as well as many outdoor activities and a super summer camp program. If you are interested, please call Frank Blake at 429-5141 or 869-7714 for information.

BASKETBALL CAMP AND LESSONS

Ed Malone, Menands Youth Basketball Director, is running a Basketball Shooting Camp for boys and girls 9 – 15 years old.  The Camp is August 17th thru the 21st  from  6 - 8:30 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran School in Albany (2 minutes from Colonie Center).   The Camp will feature shooting drills, competition and fun.  Private and semi-private lessons are also available.  To reserve a spot, call Ed at 462-9433 or www.basketballLessons.net.

LOST

Ladies Citizen Watch in the vicinity of Wolfert Avenue, gold-toned band with mother-of-pearl face.  Sentimental value; call Diane at 253-4925.

THANK-YOU

We would like to thank the Menands Police Dept. and the Menands Fire Dept. for their quick response to the cars and garage fire at Glenwood Road.  Everyone was professional, kind and concerned for the loss.  Special thanks to the fire department volunteers for their commitment and dedication. We are proud to have these departments where we live.

                                                    Nick and Donna DiNovo