School Vote Coming Up

 

Dr. Gianleo Duca, superintendent of the Ballston Spa School District, made a pitch at our meeting Thursday for a $61.8 million capital project that will go to voters next week, on Tuesday Dec. 9. Malta residents who live in the school district can vote at Town Hall from 7 am to 9 pm.

While $26 million of the cost would be borne by local taxpayers, Duca said, the district has saved almost $8 million to partly offset that burden. The last capital project, he said, was focused on "academic spaces," but this one is more about infrastructure, including roofs, drainage, HVAC, parking and traffic, along with athletics, arts and music. It includes renovation of the high school auditorium and middle school cafeteria, library improvements, laying down artificial turf, and expansion of air conditioning. The projects should take about five years to complete, if approved by voters.

Also present were students and staff associated with the Rotary Interact club at the high school, which is connected with the Ballston Spa Rotary Club. The school club has about 40 members involved in activities such as helping with blood drives and holiday season projects.

Revolutionary Malta

 Malta Town Historian Tom Williams, our speaker last Thursday,  has been researching who from the town was enrolled in the Patriot forces of the American Revolution. It is a timely inquiry, as the nation prepares for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year, and the county prepares for the anniversary of the crucial Battles of Saratoga, which were fought in 1777.

One complication is that the town of Malta did not yet exist at the time, being part of Stillwater. Nor did Saratoga County, being part of Albany County. Hence most of the men who served were in the Albany County Militia. And the Saratoga battles were fought primarily by the regular Continental Army, with militia troops held in reserve.

Tom estimated the population of the area now defined as Malta was about 700 in 1775, about 200 of them "fighting-age men." Some fled south to avoid the British army advancing under Gen. John Burgoyne. Others, loyalists, fled north to Canada before or after the British invasion.

Prominent among the local militia members were Captain Michael Dunning and his sons, whose property was on what is now Dunning Street east of Northway Exit 12. Captain Dunning is among those buried at the cemetery on the north side of the road, where he used to live. The militia trained nearby at what is now Parade Ground Village.

Quilt and Food at Harvest Craft Fair

 

We'll be raffling this at the Harvest Craft Fair tomorrow (Saturday) from 9 to 3 at the David Meager Community Center in Malta. Thanks to Susan Kipp for making and contributing it. We'll also be providing food there, so stop by, say hello and get a bite to eat.

At Thursday's business meeting, we decided to restructure our scholarship program to focus on students attending Hudson Valley Community College, which has a campus in Malta at the Luther Forest Tech Park.

The speaker at our meeting next Thursday will be Town Historian Tom Williams, who will tell us about Malta's role in the Revolutionary War. All are welcome.

Food Security

 

Bobbie Kenney, our speaker last week, holds up the book she uses to keep track of Meals on Wheels volunteers as part of her job for the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services. She is a Malta resident, and volunteers with the Malta Ridge Fire Department and the Ballston Spa Elks.

The Meals on Wheels go out from eight sites across the county from Monday to Friday, with most of Malta's deliveries coming from Milton. There is always a need for volunteer drivers, she said, especially as there is an annual loss of about 15 at this time of year, as snowbirds move south. 

Her talk led to discussion about the growing needs of poor people in our area, especially because of the political deadlock in Washington which led to temporary suspension of SNAP benefits from Nov. 1. Town Supervisor Cynthia Young said demand is rising at the food pantry in the Community Center, and members pledged to support it with immediate donations of gift cards and in a food drive starting Nov. 6.

Saratoga Bridges

 

Brian Dwyer (at top right of photo), chief financial officer of Saratoga Bridges, was our speaker last Thursday. He said the goal of Saratoga Bridges is to have the developmentally disabled in the community, not institutions. This involves job training, housing, and various levels of support. Most of its funding comes from Medicaid, and rates are set by New York state. Volunteers can help with fund-raising projects, as listed on its website.

Rick's Life

 

Our member Rick Handley was the speaker this morning, interviewed by Bob Bonney. Rick is chairman of the Malta Democratic Committee, but he didn't talk about politics. He told us about his past life in Oneida County, his wife and family in Malta, working for the state energy office, his interests in baking and harness racing. He has an idea for a "porchlight project" to check up on seniors living alone, and mentioned the upcoming food concession we'll be operating at the Nov. 8 Malta Harvest Craft Fair. 

He also spoke about some recent health issues, when he had trouble breathing, was referred to a cardiologist's office, and after testing was told "You can't go home". 

A heart bypass operation at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany was successful, and now "I can breathe again."

Asked whom he would invite, living or dead, to a dinner party, he said Kurt Vonnegut, Albert Einstein, and his father's father who "was born on a canal boat on the Black River Canal."

Also joining us this morning were new members Donna Gizzi and Melanie Delaney.

On the left of photo (and mirrored on right) you can barely make out Brian Farrell, who will be playing in a benefit concert tomorrow (Friday) evening in Rensselaer County. See Upcoming Events or here for more details.

From Army to Pub; and Local Events

 

 Jim Cahill, left, was last week's speaker, seen here with our member Brian Farrell. They are friends from Power's Pub, the historic tavern and restaurant on Route 9 and Farm-to-Market Road a few miles south of Malta. Cahill is manager of operations there.

But he spoke mostly about his 36-year career in the US Army, which he joined as an enlisted man in 1985 and retired from as a National Guard colonel in 2021. His service included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He and his wife have a 12-year-old daughter who is a student in the Shenendehowa School District.

Brian, a contractor, is also a drummer, sometime singer and songwriter in the band Enjoyous, which is putting on another concert to benefit St. Paul's Center in Rensselaer, which shelters homeless mothers and children and provides supportive housing for seniors. It will be held on Friday Oct. 10 from 7 to 9 pm at Hope Lutheran Church, 470 Winter Street Extension, North Greenbush, with light refreshments, raffles and a silent auction.

The event is connected to the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary, and tickets can be purchased for $15 at the door.

Speaking of gatherings, some Malta Rotarians were at the forefront of this regional event last week at The Parting Glass in Saratoga Springs.