Putting Y in Center City as absurd as closing library for 18 months

Two front-page stories in the May 1 issue concerned me deeply: Schenectady County’s main library would close in June or July for at least 18 months, to allow for needed refurbishing and expansion of the facility, and the Capital District YMCA is itching to relocate the Schenectady YMCA to City Center, across from Proctors in the heart of downtown.

The library project was launched three years ago, but amazingly, at this late date, the bidding process has not been concluded. Schenectadians remain in the dark as to which firm or firms will undertake the library project. With that question unanswered, it cannot be credibly said that the timetable for completion of the library project is settled. Nor can it be credibly claimed, by any public authority in Schenectady County or any other interest, that no accommodations can be made to ensure that different parts of the main library are worked on by the contractor(s) in ways that will allow it to continue delivering myriad services to a deeply appreciative community.

The branch libraries are ill equipped to substitute for the main library in this regard, whether or not the county, facing budget stringencies in 2009, seeks to cope with that problem by, among things, closing library branches and reducing non-mandated services.

The gems of public cultural and intellectual life in Schenectady County are the main library and the community college. The community at large would suffer grievously if either of them ceased functioning for any considerable time.

From the article, it appears that the primary interests with regard to relocating the Schenectady YMCA to the City Center site are those of the Capital District YMCA, as represented by its president and CEO, J. David Brown, and the Galesi Group, which owns City Center. The article makes no reference to key questions of public policy that ought to weigh in the balance: Is it good public policy to site a large YMCA, which serves diverse program needs, among others, in the strategic middle of a downtown area whose revival is keyed to a mix of cultural, entertainment and small-scale commercial development?

Might the public interest be better served by relocating the Schenectady Y somewhere along Erie Boulevard, to upgrade and vitalize that major artery? Or to some area of the city away from downtown, to give impetus, at last, to neighborhood development?

Alvin Magid

Niskayuna

What’s the big fuss over an ice cream parlor?

Beware: Big Ice Cream is coming to town.

An April 21 letter by Virginia Newton asserted the opening of an ice cream parlor at the corner of Route 50 and Lakehill Road would be a kid magnet and subject our kids to harm. A key line was “Greed should not be allowed to take precedence over the safety of our kids.”

The town should, and will, take safety into consideration, but the letter is full of errors. First, we are given no particular reason for reducing business to greed. Many people work very hard to provide for their families. Reducing business to greed is simplistic and insulting.

Second, did the writer ever patronize the Old Homestead, CVS or Dunkin’ Donuts? These businesses were, or are, magnets for families. My wife and kids are hoping the ice cream parlor opens.

Third, an ice cream store open part of the year is better than a gas station that is closed, and the former Old Homestead that is boarded up all the time.

Lastly, businesses help defray school, town and county taxes. I don’t want to see my school bill without our businesses. The town should be guided by concerns including safety — not by hostility toward business.

John Fantauzzi

Burnt Hills

Ethanol mess could have been avoided

The Gazette made an eloquent plea to the court of history in its April 26 editorial [“Blame it all on ethanol? You could”] questioning the use of ethanol in our gasoline. It voiced the opinion of most Americans. Thus, it remains to be seen if democracy really works.

Your expose of the damage done to small engines [April 24 story] using ethanol also terrorized. Now, we must wonder if all of our vehicles will be ruined by the additive. Conspiracy theorists will track such potential disaster back to auto makers. With it will come more distrust of the system’s integrity.

Had the White House merely said, “We’re in a crisis — drive less in more-efficient cars,” American would have responded. Instead, it had to gum up the works. Now, if we went cold turkey on ethanol, American’s farmers would go bankrupt and drag the rest of us under with them.

David Childs

Johnstown

Obama can deny it, but Wright influenced him

I read Carl Strock’s May 1 column [“New Obama: Pique, pose or honesty?”], and I agree with him. Obama was brought up in the church of Rev. Wright. The things I learned in church have stayed with me and become my compass in how I have conducted myself throughout my life.

I can’t help but wonder how much Rev. Wright has impacted Obama’s way of thinking. He can deny Rev. Wright all he wants, but Wright’s teachings are ingrained in him. This will effect the way he looks and feels about his politics, his race and his religion. Twenty years is a long time to have racism pounded into your head and not be affected.

I think Hillary will be a better representative of all the people. She is unbiased, has proved that she is tough and does not back down from a fight. That’s just what we need.

Marty Shanty

Charlton