Town considers estimates for senior center parking expansion and two EV chargers

A council member asked the Clifton Park Town Board on June 26 to authorize staff to obtain contractor estimates for a possible expansion of the senior center parking lot and the installation of two electric-vehicle (EV) chargers, saying the measures would improve safety and accessibility for a facility that has rapidly grown in recent years.

The council member, speaking at the town hall, said the senior center now has about 1,498 members and that April saw roughly 3,170 visits. "Approving this resolution allows the town to obtain a project estimate, move forward with parking solution that improves safety, accessibility, and future capacity," the council member said. He said rentals and memberships generate funds that go to the town and that the center hosts frequent events that increase demand for parking.

John, a town staff member who presented charger data, told the board that charging sessions increased 22% year over year to 340 sessions in the first six months of 2026, and energy delivered rose 79%. "If we took the carbon emissions through the EPA calculator for the first six months of 2026, it equals approximately 693 gallons of gas," John said, adding that the town’s 12 chargers across three locations have been highly reliable.

The council member described two parking options: creating spaces behind the building, which would require cutting trees and addressing an underground utility/fiber line, or adding parking at the front of the building with lower cost and faster completion. He also highlighted a cost estimate for EV infrastructure: installing two EV chargers would cost about $33,935, with a potential grant of $23,580 leaving the town to cover roughly $10,000.

He said the next step is to obtain written estimates for both options (which he said requires no immediate appropriation), then review funding and consider including the work in the next fiscal year budget as an infrastructure improvement. The council discussed balancing open-space concerns and accessibility; Supervisor (Speaker 4) noted that the town saved the senior center from closure in 2016 and that it has since grown substantially.

The board did not record a final vote on the estimate request in the public transcript; the council member described the proposal as an initial step to gather information before any binding decision.

Proper names referenced in the discussion included senior center director Sue Leonard, who provided usage and financial information to the council member, and town staff and consultants who assisted in the review. The town staff said later that any EV chargers would be installed in conjunction with any parking expansion and that the project would be evaluated for cost and impact before budgeting decisions are made.