Niskayuna Withholds Water Charge Press Release for 16 Months | The Locally Times
For 16 months, the sole entry in Niskayuna’s online press archive has been the title of an inaccessible document about water charges, with the content itself unavailable to the public.
On October 31, 2024, the Town of Niskayuna announced it had addressed local water charge concerns in a press release with Assemblymember Phil Steck and the Town Supervisor. As of February 23, 2026—more than 16 months later—the title of this announcement is the only item listed in the “Press Releases” section of the town’s official website, but the document itself is not publicly accessible. This information gap leaves residents without official details on a financial matter acknowledged by local and state leaders, preventing public scrutiny of what prompted the action, what solutions were proposed, or how water bills might be affected. The content of the press release is not available to view or download; the entry serves as a placeholder, creating a record of a communication without providing the communication itself. The placeholder has remained unchanged for over a year, raising questions about the town’s public information protocols. The page directs individuals seeking interviews or press release subscriptions to an email address, pr@niskayuna.org, but does not offer the documents directly. The involvement of a state assemblymember alongside the town’s chief executive suggests the issue extends beyond routine municipal operations. However, public records provided by the town do not specify the nature of these concerns—whether they related to billing errors, rate structures, infrastructure costs, or water quality. The name of the Town Supervisor who collaborated with Assemblymember Steck is also not mentioned in the website’s document listing. ## No Answers in Other Town Communications An examination of other publicly accessible communications from the Town of Niskayuna provides no further clarity. This specific information gap contrasts with the availability of more routine town information. The site provides details on the town’s history, dating back to its 1809 establishment, and lists current news items such as job openings for cleaners and farmers market schedules. Without access to the official announcement, residents cannot know what to expect regarding their utility costs or what their elected officials have committed to on their behalf. The public acknowledgment of a problem, followed by an enduring silence in the public record, leaves the status of the issue unresolved. ## Sixteen Months of Unanswered Questions The continued presence of the 16-month-old press release title as the sole item in its category suggests the topic of water charges remains relevant. It is the only formal press announcement the town has chosen to list in its document center, yet its substance remains a mystery. This leaves fundamental questions unanswered: Were the concerns from 2024 ever resolved? Did the actions taken by Assemblymember Steck and the Supervisor lead to policy changes or financial adjustments? If so, what were they? Officials from two levels of government convened to address a matter of direct financial importance to the citizens of Niskayuna. The public record, however, does not provide the information needed to hold those officials accountable for the outcome. Until the Town of Niskayuna makes the October 31, 2024, press release and any subsequent information available, the full story of the town’s water charge concerns and the official response remains untold.