By Marlene McTigue
Capital Region Independent Media
BETHLEHEM — Local residents and business owners gathered at the Blanchard-Currey American Legion Post 1040 recently for the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce’s annual Coffee with Your Legislators, a unique speed-dating-style event where elected officials rotated among tables for direct conversations with constituents.
The event, sponsored by BBB Techs, Inc. and Delaware Cafe, provided a rare opportunity for community members to speak one-on-one with their local representatives about policy issues, economic concerns, and legislative priorities.
LEGISLATORS ENGAGE ON POLICY ISSUES
The event drew a broad range of elected officials, including State Sen. Pat Fahy, Assemblyman Scott Bendett, representatives from U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko’s office, Albany County Legislature Chair Joanne Cunningham, County Legislators Matt Miller and Victoria Plotsky, as well as Bethlehem Town Supervisor David VanLuven and Town Board Members David DeCancio, Maureen Cunnningham and Tom Schnurr.
“This format really allows for meaningful, direct conversations between community members and their representatives,” said Teri Olsen-Spina, president of the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce. “It’s not a formal town hall, and that’s the beauty of it. You get to ask real questions and hear straight from the decision makers.”
Among the issues discussed as the lawmakers passed from table to table were affordable housing, infrastructure, business regulations, artificial intelligence, and education policies.
HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
At table 4, Bethlehem Town Supervisor David VanLuven addressed concerns about housing affordability and how to balance growth while preserving the town’s character.
“If we don’t see more housing stock coming online, we’re going to see housing prices skyrocket and entry-level homes disappear,” VanLuven said. “It’s about finding the right mix of development.”
Albany County Legislature Chair Joanne Cunningham introduced the county’s housing navigator program, designed to help first-time homebuyers navigate financing options and available resources. Attendees, some from the real estate and mortgage industry, agreed a lack of financial literacy among younger would-be buyers can be a road block to first-time home ownership.
“We need to make sure that middle-income families — teachers, police officers, small business owners — can afford to live in the communities they serve,” Cunningham said.
Infrastructure concerns also took center stage, with Bethlehem Highway Superintendent Marc Dorsey voicing frustration over state-mandated engineering costs for local sidewalk projects.
“Right now, we have $6 million in grant money for sidewalks, but the state requires us to spend $1.4 million on engineering alone,” Dorsey said. “That’s money that could go directly toward construction.”
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND BUSINESS POLICY
With technology rapidly evolving, several attendees pressed officials on how Albany County and New York state are managing artificial intelligence (AI) policies, particularly in data security and government efficiency.
Event sponsor Tim Blake of BBB Techs, Inc., a Bethlehem Central Schools graduate, urged legislatures to take a hard look at AI capabilities.
“AI is evolving rapidly, and we need to know how the county and state are leveraging it to standardize processes and save money,” said Blake, the company’s CEO. “At the same time, we should ask what safeguards are in place to protect personal and proprietary information.”
Small business owners also raised concerns about support for local businesses and economic development policies.
“The chamber plays a huge role in connecting business owners with resources, but we need more focus on how small businesses can stay competitive in this economy,” said Assemblyman Scott Bendett.
STUDENT AND EDUCATOR PERSPECTIVES
Among the attendees at Coffee with Your Legislators were local students eager to engage with policymakers on topics relevant to their daily lives.
Avery Eick, a senior from Slingerlands, attended the event after being encouraged by her school’s social studies teacher.
“I’ve been involved in student government and Senior Council, so I decided to come and take the opportunity to talk to our legislators,” she said.
One of the main discussions Eick participated in revolved around her school’s use of Yondr pouches, a system designed to lock students’ phones away during the school day.
“New York state is looking at banning cellphones in schools, so we talked about how our district has already been using Yondr pouches for two years now,” she said.
Eick explained that while not every student fully complies with the system, it has significantly reduced cellphone use in hallways.
“Even if some students aren’t locking their phones in the pouches, they’re at least staying out of sight, which is a big change,” she said. “Our former assistant principal, Mr. Smith, told us that things like vaping and other disciplinary issues have dropped by 50% since the pouches were introduced.”
She also noted positive social changes.
“A friend of mine who was also here today, Grace, said that during her freshman year, she would just put in her AirPods and walk through the hallway without really interacting with anyone. Now, students are talking more, whether with teachers, friends or classmates they wouldn’t normally engage with. It’s created a different atmosphere,” Eick said.
Eick, who will attend Elon University in North Carolina next year to study biology and play lacrosse, said she appreciated the chance to engage with lawmakers.
“Even though I’m going into science, I still want to be involved in my community, wherever I end up living,” she said.
Zachary Frese, a high school business teacher, attended the event as a mentor for the student participants.
“My role today was really about bringing the students who we knew would make the most of this opportunity,” Frese said.
As a personal finance and business educator, he emphasized the importance of connecting classroom learning with real-world applications.
“A lot of students don’t always see how what they’re learning applies to their future,” he said. “I try to bridge that gap, whether it’s understanding financial literacy or recognizing how government policies impact their everyday lives.”
He noted that the event allowed students to build confidence in public discussions.
“You could see them getting more comfortable with each round of conversations,” he said. “It was great to watch them realize that their voices matter in these discussions.”
