This past summer, the Town of Bethelehem had announced they were constructing a new playground for Elm Avenue Park with capital funds I was able to designate last year.

This week, I joined the Town in the formal opening of the new playground. This was helped made possible through $155,000 in state capital funds I secured, along with additional funding by the town's Parkland Set Aside Fund. This state of the art playground was also made possible through the tremendous efforts of dedicated volunteers and the Bethlehem Recreation Department.

Register for Smart Cities Forum. You’re invited to my upcoming Smart Cities Legislative Forum: Savings, Safety, and Innovation for Tuesday, November 15 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the New York State Capitol’s Assembly Parlor.

Cutting-edge technologies such as smart street lights and next generation high-speed connectivity are the wave of the future. Municipalities across New York State are discovering how these can be used to improve quality-of-life for residents while producing needed savings and increasing safety. In coordination with the New York Conference of Mayors, the event will feature several mayors and municipal leaders, including Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy. I will be joined by my Capital Region colleagues Assemblymembers: John McDonald, Angelo Santabarbara, Phil Steck, and Carrie Woerner.

Also speaking at the forum will be Public Service Commission Chair Audrey Zibelman and retired General Electric Chief Technology Officer Mark Little, in addition to other notable business and community leaders including Capital Region Chamber President & CEO Mark Eagan.

The forum will focus on efficiencies, barriers, and solutions for cities to fully integrate smart technologies. The event is free to attend, but pre-registration is required due to limited capacity. Register via Eventbrite.

Below are a few other notes and highlights that I’d like to share with you.

Groundbreaking of Albany High School pool. It was great to be part of the groundbreaking for the Albany High School pool and see updates on the high school rebuild project with Senator Neil D. Breslin and Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. Thanks to Albany City School District Interim Superintendent Dr. Kim Wilkins for including us.

Guilderland recycling event at Farnsworth Middle School. The Town of Guilderland will be hosting a recycling event at Farnsworth Middle School on Saturday, October 29. This community-wide event is open to both residents and non-residents of the school district. No certificate of residency is required and all items are dropped off at no charge to attendees.

New York State Archives Partnership Trust Events. The New York State Archives Partnership Trust has announced that Ron Chernow, author of the Hamilton biography which was used to help create the hit Broadway musical, will speak on Wednesday, Nov. 2 and on Thursday, Nov. 10, a discussion on the History of the Constitution. Additionally, The Path to Statehood exhibit opens on Tuesday, Nov. 8. More information can be found via the Archives Partnership Trust website.

Albany school district job fair. The City School District of Albany's Office of Human Resources will be hosting a job fair on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon at Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School in Albany. Immediate full-time, part-time and substitute opportunities are available. Interviews will be conducted on-site and job offers will be made to qualified candidates.

Job Opportunities: New York State has setup a new job portal entitled Jobs Express, where thousands of private and public sector jobs are listed. Visit jobs.ny.gov for more information on how to apply for these opportunities.

As always, for the latest news or for upcoming events, please visit my office online, on Facebook, on Twitter, or my Times Union blog. If you would like to reach my office, please feel free to send us a note.

Sincerely ---

Pat