Ice storm aftermath

 

A City plow and 2 sander trucks at work on the Terrace -- finally.

The City finally sent a plow and two salting trucks to work on the public roads within the Terrace this afternoon in the aftermath of the Wednesday/Thursday snow and freezing rain. 

However, once again it took a special request — this time with the intercession of Assemblyman John McDonald — to receive the service. This marks the second consecutive time the City has skipped us after a significant snowfall and needed prodding to do its job. 

Once the crew arrived, they made short work of the road ice and left us with clear sailing -- or, rather, clear walking and driving. Nevertheless, continued caution is recommended. (It's interesting to note that the crew also worked on the Moneta Overlook road after leaving the Terrace.)

As to our snow removal contractor, no work has been done and nothing has been heard from him since shortly after noon on Thursday despite repeated attempts to contact him. The Board has sent him a notice that he is in breach of a legally binding contract, and that we expect full compliance.

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They're baaack!

A flock of wild turkeys feeding on Hyland Circle.

We haven't had a turkey sighting on the Terrace for a while, but the big birds were out in force earlier this week before the snowstorm hit.

Judging by their appearance, they've been doing very well over the winter and appear robust as they near their annual mating season. So, we should be seeing plenty of them for years to come.

Interested in facts about wild turkeys? The National Wild Turkey Federation has it all online.

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City Hall to go dark on Monday

Troy City Hall will be closed on Monday, February 20, to mark Presidents Day, a federal holiday. All city offices will reopen the following day. 

The schedule for municipal garbage and recycling collection will remain unchanged. 

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In memoriam: Polly Hayward

• This is a copy of the official obituary from Legacy.com

TROY -- Pauline A. "Polly" Ruchel Hayward, 95, the wife of the late Robert E. "Bob" Hayward Sr., peacefully entered into eternal life surrounded by her family on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at Samaritan Hospital in Troy. 

Born in Fort Wayne, IN, she was the daughter of the late Herbert and Esther Kissinger Ruchel and was a graduate of Lansingburgh High School. Polly was a homemaker. Prior to raising her family, she had been employed at Montgomery Ward's in Menands. 

Polly took great pride and joy in volunteering for over 50 years at Samaritan Hospital where she is still remembered by many there for her many years of dedicated service. Polly was a faithful member of Faith Lutheran Church in Speigletown, and a member of Creative Threads, the church's weekly quilting group. She enjoyed golfing, traveling, and spending time with her family. 

Polly was the beloved wife of Bob for 73 years; devoted mother of Mark R. (Terri Antonelli) Hayward Sr. of Sarasota, FL, and Robert E. (Roberta) Hayward Jr. of Ballston Lake; cherished grandma of Jennifer (Greg) Salamone, Mark R. (Kristine) Hayward Jr., and Daniel R. (Stephanie) Hayward; adored great-grandma of Dominick Salamone, Madelynn Salamone, Cameron Hayward, Elena Hayward and Katelynn Hayward; mother-in-law of Janice Hayward; and sister of the late Caroline (late, David) Fries. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews. 

The Hayward family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the fourth floor nurses at Samaritan Hospital and also to Dr. John O'Bryan for the wonderful care that was provided to Polly. 

Relatives and friends are invited to visitation on Tuesday from 10 to 11 a.m. and to the funeral service beginning at 11 a.m., both in the Faith Lutheran Church, 50 Leversee Road., Troy, followed by her committal service in the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville at 1 p.m. 

Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Faith Lutheran Church or to The Samaritan Hospital and The Eddy Foundation, 310 South Manning Boulevard, Albany, NY, 12208, in memory of Polly Hayward. 

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted by the family to the White-Sanvidge Funeral Home Inc., 58 Leversee Road. (Route 40 in Speigletown), Troy. Please feel free to offer your online condolences at sanvidgefuneralhome.com.

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City begins street cleanup after mild winter (so far)

The Winter It Didn't Snow (much) is meandering its way toward Spring, which officially arrives in just 43 days.

While we still may get snowed on at some point, the City of Troy is taking advantage of the mild days to amp up street cleaning, pothole patching, and some other basic roadwork.

A City announcement supplies the details:

"The Sanitation Department has announced that staff will be taking advantage of the warmer weather this week, working to keep our streets clean. Residents can assist by moving their cars. Residents are reminded to follow the posted parking restrictions to allow street sweeping. Please move your cars according to the posted time and day restrictions to support the street cleaning efforts. 

"The warmer weather will also support road work and some pothole patching . Please slow down and give the crews space to take care of that very important task."

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Party time!

Ellie DeBonis hosted a desserts-and-bubbly get-together on Saturday evening. 

She reports that, "Our numbers were small, but we had a great time -- and Charlie has a new friend. He loves Ellen."

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It's time for trash talk

I don't know about you, but in recent weeks here at The Terrace Times' luxurious communications center we've been seeing a larger-than-usual amount of trash blowing around. 

While it's interesting to know some of our neighbors like Cheez-It Crackers, plastic-lidded takeout foods, and assorted tissue-wrapped items and newspaper flyers, it would be preferable not to find them stuck in our shrubs or on the roads after a breezy day on the Terrace.

Some of the refuse comes from recycling bins being too loosely packed or garbage cans so full the lids don't close. Some may well be floating in from outside the neighborhood. Whatever the source, please join us in policing the grounds when you see litter, and please take an extra few seconds to be sure your trash is secured from the elements.

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Our socks donations were well received

Those of us who attended the Terrace Holiday Luncheon in December were asked to contribute pairs of new socks to be given to Sidewalk Warriors. The community volunteer organization that helps the homeless in many ways had asked for socks which are among the most-requested item by their clients.

Well, we provided them. In abundance.

 Janice Dessingue, who coordinated the luncheon and donations, reports that Sidewalk Warriors were thrilled with our contributions and were able to create 100 "sock packs" (two pair each) to hand out.

So, thanks for being good neighbors once  again. And, if you would like to learn more about Sidewalk Warriors and how you can help their good work, just click on the link above

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Driveway repairs/replacements survey

Fellow Terrace Residents: 

Over the years, we have sporadically collaborated in getting best-pricing practices when it comes to driveway sealcoating, repairs, and/or replacements. But, it usually has been done on the spur of the moment. I'd like to improve that practice, to the financial advantage of all. 

To that end, I'd like to address such work well before we get to the warm months when companies are slammed with requests and can set virtually any price they like. 

If we are proactive, we should be able to get better-than-average pricing if we can guarantee such service providers a specific number of customers needing specific work that they can handle by moving in their crews and equipment fewer times. Bear in mind that finding workers is a problem, so having advance knowledge of consumer demand makes a big difference. 

In walking the neighborhood I have observed a number of driveways -- including mine -- that have been patched several times but are, realistically, now in need of full replacement. Several others can do with repairs. Many more are in need of sealcoating, something that should be done at least every three years. 

Such maintenance helps the appearance of the Terrace, and it also helps preserve the value of our homes. 

All that said, if you are interested in repair, replacement, or sealcoating, please respond to this email ASAP with what your needs are (and whether you have a single- or double-width driveway) and I will create a spreadsheet to present to prospective vendors to handle for us at an advantageous group rate. 

Once that is received, I will inform everyone who has responded and get a final "yes" or "no" from you so I can firm up negotiations with the vendor offering the best price. 

Thanks for your interest. I look forward to your quick response so we can proactively line up a service.

-- Bill Dowd

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Tree project latest grounds improvement effort

 

Upper pine limbs being removed before felling the tree.

The scheduled tree trimming and removal went off without a hitch early this morning despite a mix of rain and sleet falling the previous night.

A crew from the Davey Tree Expert Company, an employee-owned business a number of Terrace homeowners individually use, arrived just after 8 a.m. and methodically finished the work a little more than an hour later, complete with clean up.

They removed a nearly-dead, diseased pine tree from the planted area adjacent to the mailbox parking area to diminish chances of spreading the needle disease; trimmed broken and overgrown limbs and branches from the ash tree in the same area, and removed a storm-damaged branch from a pine at the edge of the parking area in addition to pruning off some lower dead branches.

I was on site during the work and did not notice anyone being inconvenienced as far as driving or walking in the area, so I thank everyone for their patience and heeding the caution issued some days ago about the work.

This is just the latest major step taken in the past six months by the THCA Board to improve the look and health of the common and private grounds of the Terrace. 

• In mid-September, we hired CW Sealcoating to repair and seal the mailbox parking area, Hyland Circle "eyebrow" parking area, and Hyland Court.

• In late September, we prevailed on the City of Troy to finally patch a series of potholes on the public roads located within the Terrace.

• In November we announced we had signed a two-year contract with Skyview Landscapes of Waterford to serve as provider of lawn care, trimming, etc., at a price less than we had been paying Vintage Landscaping. 

(You can click on any of those links to access the stories and photos accompanying them.) 

Meanwhile, here are a few more images I captured during today's work.

-- Bill Dowd

The pine tree stripped of all limbs.

Thinning out dead and cracked ash limbs and branches.

Pine trunk pieces being fed into the chipper.

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Alert: Tree work scheduled on the Terrace

A crew from Davey Tree Expert Co. is scheduled to arrive on the Terrace to do some tree removal and trimming work next Wednesday, February 8.

They will be working in the morning on the planted area between the street sign and mailbox gazebo parking area and on the edge of the lot. (Scroll down for post on details.)

Please exercise caution if you need to access that area for mail, recreational (or doggie) walking, or need to drive through while they are working.

Thanks for your cooperation.

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About that lead in City water ...

Some of you may have heard the latest periodic report from the City of Troy that high levels of lead have been found during routine testing at some homes in the municipality.

This is a report the City makes every few years, but its findings have never affected any homes on the Terrace. It primarily applies to much older homes -- usually those constructed before 1975. Since the oldest Terrace homes were built in 1995 and others in 1996 and '97 or so, they were constructed after regulations changed concerning use of lead-free water pipes, couplings, soldering, and so forth.

Here, for your reference, is the verbatim press release sent out from the City:

Drinking water quality monitoring conducted by the Troy Public Utilities department has found elevated levels of lead in some of the 60 homes and buildings tested around the City of Troy. 

Even thought the source of water for the City is free of lead, the test samples taken from inside representative residential homes show an exceedance of lead, possibly due to lead water services lines or interior lead plumbing. 

The City of Troy is committed to the removal of all lead service lines from our community. City officials request your cooperation. If you live in a home built prior to 1975 and have not had a water service inspection at your home by the Department of Public Utilities, you should contact the department as soon as possible at 518-237-0343. There is no charge for a technician to come to your home for an inspection. 

There are several actions under way to address the lead in drinking water concerns. 

• A postcard will be sent to city residents via mail this week with additional information and instructions. 

• A Public Utilities Committee meeting of the City Council will be scheduled, and the Council will set spending parameters for funding that is available to assist residents who need to replace lead service pipes. 

• In addition, residents who would like to schedule a technician who can inspect the type of water service going into your home, can call (518) 237-0343.

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Hitting below the snowbelt

 

Bill and Colleen Walsh dropped in on Paula Fox-Murphy and Bob Malphrus. 

Bob hadn't yet mastered the art of incuding himself in a "selfie," but he was there. Honest!

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Watch out for that broken tree!

Snow-damaged tree.

Despite the severity of the recent snowstorm, we came through it well in terms of property damage on community-owned land.

One exception is clearly seen on a large mature fir tree at the edge of the mailbox gazebo parking lot. A large limb broke under the weight of the wet snow (see photo above). Luckily, it is largely off the parking surface, but it does need attention.

To that end, we've called a tree service to give us an estimate for removal of the damaged portion and to see if any remedial work is needed to keep the tree healthy. In addition, we plan to have some other arboreal work done.

We also will have them check a large fir in the planted area (see photo below) that is dying and no doubt in need of removal. For safety reasons, we've been keeping an eye on it, and it did very poorly over the past summer.

So, please exercise caution when walking near those two areas while we get these items tended to.

Dying fir on parking area.

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Mail mixup? It happens, but you can help

Have you been receiving someone else's mail by accident? Several of us have, so we are asking everyone to be vigilant.

While few people would complain about not receiving junk mail addressed to them, in some instances time-sensitive items such as tax bills did not get to the correct addressee when needed; in others, personal correspondence went astray because not everyone checks their mailbox on a daily basis.

So, if you get something that wasn't addressed to you but its intended recipient is clearly marked, please do the neighborly thing and get the item(s) to the right people ASAP. (If you receive something not meant for you and not addressed to a Terrace resident, just drop it in the mailbox slot where you put outgoing mail. That will get it back to the USPS to re-sort properly.)

Thanks, as always, for your neighborly cooperation.

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A sign of the season

 

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The fallout from the snowfall flop

If anyone thinks we don't have a tight-knit neighborhood, all one has to do is check out what happened during the snow removal meltdown Monday and Tuesday.

Here's what neighbors did to help neighbors after our snow removal contractor dropped the ball by failing to clear all driveways and parking areas, and essentially ignored all walkways despite promises to adhere to our contract to remove snow from those areas:

• One couple sent an email message volunteering to help neighbors in need shovel out after they got home from work.

• Another neighbor got his snowblower out of mothballs and helped clear driveways for people who needed to get out to keep a medical appointment.

• Yet another person offered to drive a neighbor to a medical appointment if Hyland Court was not plowed. Fortunately, it was plowed late Monday night and the person was able to get out.

• Still another neighbor cleared access to the mailbox gazebo after the snow removal crew blocked it with bad plow techniques. 

• The THCA Board got into the action by not only haranguing the snow removal crew to return Tuesday night to clear what it had ignored, but to begin checking for alternative plowing services if the current provider does not step up his game.

Thanks from all the Terrace residents to all the other Terrace residents. It is this kind of community spirit that makes us a great place to reside.

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Just another day in paradise

 

It took several calls after we inexplicably were skipped on this morning's plowing schedule, but the City of Troy crew finally came through by mid-afternoon. Now our private plowing company can get to our driveways tonight.

Looking ahead, the National Weather Service calls for zero precipitation on Tuesday, but a 70% chance of more snow on Wednesday.

(See all the fun you're missing, Snow Birds?)

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When do we get snow removal?

This post is mostly for the benefit of newer residents of the Terrace.

The question: When does our contract kick in for snow plowing and walkway shoveling? 

The answer: When the National Weather Service (NWS) officially says at least 3" of snow has fallen in the Troy area.

That means light precipitations such as Thursday's mix of sleet and snow didn't qualify. However, your THCA management team stayed in touch with our plowing company, Bay Contracting, throughout the day on Thursday and that evening in case things changed despite the NWS and local media reports. 

As of midnight leading into Friday -- when your humble management went to bed -- the NWS said only 1.6" had accumulated and only 1.55" was expected in the next 24 hours.

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City Hall closed for MLK Day; trash pickups remain the same for the week

 

The City of Troy has announced that City Hall will be closed on Monday, January 16, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Offices will resume normal operations on Tuesday, January 17.

The schedule for municipal garbage and recycling collections will not be affected the week of the closure. The City also has issued a reminder that bulk pickups have been suspended until approximately March 31. The temporary suspension occurs annually to ease snow removal efforts.

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