Pension Costs Soar

The pension costs in Guilderland's 2012 budget are $2.1 million, up $1 million in just two years.

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Town Board meetings, generally held the first and third Tuesday of every month, are televised live on Cable Channel 17

Mark Grimm on Guilderland Town Board

Mark Grimm

Determined to prove one person really can make a difference, Mark Grimm upset two entrenched incumbents to win a Guilderland Town Board seat in 2007.

Fast Fact:

Mark is his party's top
vote getter in any Guilderland town board
or supervisor's
race since 1999

In his four years on the board, Mark's passion was to stick up for his constituents. He is a taxpayer champion and relentless advocate for more open, effective government.

Despite being in the minority, Mark's persistence led to a long list of accomplishments, many of which would not have occurred had he not been there. They include

    Taxpayer Champion

    - Successfully blocked a new $2,500 tax on new homebuyers in town
    - Granted tax break for homeowner improvements
    - Voted no on town's four percent tax increase
    - Approved new billing procedures for paramedic services that will save the town money
    - Never voted to raise his own salary

    More Effective Government

    - Approved West End water project after decades of delay
    - Cut onerous red tape for home businesses after exposing problems with town permits
    - Created cable competition in Guilderland for the first time
    - Cleared red tape for construction of Westmere fire house
    - Appointed Steve Oliver deputy highway superintendent
    - Shed much needed light on town operations in a number of areas

    Environmental Concerns

    - Got police tear gas training near the Albany CC relocated after people got sick from fumes.
    Help from Albany CC was invaluable.
    - Approved helpful flood remediation at Stuyvesant Plaza
    - Approved funding to address storm water problem at Blackberry Estates
    - Forced a move to dump Guilderland's trash at the Colonie Landfill because the previous trash consortium favored expanding the Rapp Road landfill
    - Added 191 acres of green space to the Pine Bush Preserve at no added cost to taxpayers

    Needed Restorations

    - Got funding restored to town paramedics that could save lives
    - Got funding restored to Community Caregivers
    - Restored funding for seniors’ bus transportation, including trips to the GHS play

    Quality of Life

    - Approved needed senior housing (Mill Hill) that the supervisor opposed
    - Strong advocacy led to badly needed improvements at some neighborhood parks
    - Strong advocacy was a catalyst leading to construction of sidewalks in some areas
    - Traffic calming and pedestrian/bike safety study on Dr. Shaw Road between Route 155 and Veeder Rd.
    - Killed a proposal to have chicken farms in high-density residential neighborhoods

    In 2011, citing commitments to his small business, teaching, and civic concerns, he voluntarily imposed term limits on himself and did not seek re-election. View Mark's closing remarks at his last board meeting.

    Listen to Mark's brief speech on citizens reforming government: