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Guilderland names Conservation Advisory Council as Climate Smart Community Task Force, appoints planner as coordinator
Summary
The Town Board adopted Resolution No. 7-2026 to designate the Conservation Advisory Council as the Town’s Climate Smart Communities Task Force and appointed Assistant Town Planner Mansi Parmar as the Climate Smart Community Coordinator to pursue state certification and grant opportunities.
The Guilderland Town Board on March 17 adopted a resolution creating a Climate Smart Community (CSC) Task Force and appointed Assistant Town Planner Mansi Parmar as the Town’s Climate Smart Community Coordinator.
Mansi Parmar, Senior Planner/GIS Analyst, told the board in a memorandum that the New York State Climate Smart Communities program — an interagency initiative dating to 2009 — helps participating municipalities reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and access technical assistance and state grant funding. The board approved Resolution No. 7-2026, which implements a CSC Task Force and names Mansi Parmar as coordinator. Caitlyn Ferrante, chair of the Conservation Advisory Council (CAC), told the board at the CAC’s March 9 meeting that the council supports serving as the Town’s CSC Task Force.
The resolution lists the initial task force membership drawn from the CAC, including Caitlin Ferrante (chair), Cody Arana, Brigitte Fortune, James Gaughan, Chad Hansen, Elizabeth Markham, Matthew Minniefield, Sindi Saita, and Steven Sawicki. Under the resolution the CSC Task Force is expected to meet at least twice a year, maintain minutes and attendance records, and act as an advisory body to the municipality on climate-related community issues. The CSC Coordinator’s responsibilities include convening and managing the task force, serving as liaison to the town’s chief executive, and interfacing with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as needed.
Councilman Crawford moved to adopt Resolution No. 7-2026 and appoint the Conservation Advisory Council as the CSC Task Force and Mansi Parmar as coordinator; Councilman McDonald seconded the motion and the board approved it by roll call (Councilman Crawford, Councilwoman Beedle, Councilman Santos, Councilman McDonald, and Supervisor Barber all voting Aye).
The designation is a voluntary step toward Climate Smart Communities certification; town officials said it can open access to free technical assistance and state grant opportunities that could support local climate mitigation and adaptation projects.
