ALBANY — CSEA members at the New York State Office of General Services (OGS) are all hands on deck to help bring to the Capital Region an America 250 celebration.
Tens of thousands of New Yorkers will make their way to the Empire State Plaza to celebrate the Fourth of July and enjoy its events, made possible by OGS staff.
Behind every smooth parking experience, every clean stretch of lawn, and every trash bag hauled away, there are CSEA members at OGS making it happen.
The America 250 celebration transforms Albany’s annual Fourth of July from an important local tradition to a national event. This year’s festivities include live musical performances, colonial-era reenactors, fireworks, exhibits and more, attracting visitors from across New York and beyond. While that means an incredible experience for the public, it also creates significantly larger responsibilities for the grounds, parking and facilities crew at OGS.
Planning for an event of this scale begins well in advance. OGS management coordinates directly with the commissioner’s office to map out staffing assignments, and meetings are held with New York State Police to plan barricade placement and security coverage.
For OGS workers, the Fourth of July is one of the most demanding shifts of the year, stretching from 6 a.m. to midnight or later, with as many staff members as possible deployed across the Plaza.
Grounds crews spend the days leading up to the event mowing, weed-whacking and cleaning the Plaza to prepare for thousands of visitors. Parking attendants ready the garages and lots, post signs, verify space counts, and station themselves to direct the flow of traffic. Supervisors coordinate their teams while keeping an eye on conditions that can shift at any moment.
When the last firework fades and the crowd moves toward the exits, the night is far from over.
Matt Collins, who works on the grounds crew, put it plainly.
“Picking up garbage goes on after the event, so you have to stay very late, sometimes past midnight,” said Collins.
For parking crews, the Fourth of July presents a unique challenge. Since there is no charge for event parking, attendants aren’t collecting money; they’re directing people.
“The flow of traffic leaving is way harder, coming in is pretty simple,” said Kamina Jones, a parking attendant. “Not everyone comes in at the same time, but everyone leaves at the same time.”
The post-event rush, with 25,000 or more people trying to exit at the same time, tests the patience of attendants and drivers alike. Attendants regularly deal with drivers who grow angry over wait times and limited capacity.
Beyond the stress of frustrated drivers, another recurring problem has been people sneaking onto the rooftops of OGS-operated parking garages to watch the fireworks. While it might seem like a harmless activity, rooftop access presents serious liability and safety risks. Managing it falls to parking staff who are not equipped for security enforcement but are regularly finding themselves performing similar duties. It’s an added stress on a night that is already stretched thin.
Despite the long hours, the physical demands, the traffic frustration, and much more, OGS workers make the event possible every year. They are the reason 25,000 New Yorkers can park without chaos, walk across well-kept grounds, and leave to go home safely after the event.
The event has a set pattern, and each OGS team is prepared for the big influx that America 250 will bring.
Many OGS employees don’t get to watch the fireworks; they’re too busy making sure you can.
As Albany prepares to celebrate America 250, it’s important to remember that the celebration runs on the labor of CSEA members at OGS who show up and see it through to the very last detail.
— Brooke Betke
“The military taught me to follow a code and a standard. It taught me the importance of working as a team and always doing the job the right way. I feel that it is a double honor to have served my country and now I serve my state. I do the work with honor.”
— Tim Finnigan, Western Region Executive Vice President
and SUNY Geneseo Local President
U.S. Army Sergeant for nine years, three months and four days.