Millbrook joins Hometown Heroes banner program

MILLBROOK — Having been awarded a grant to participate in New York State’s Hometown Heroes program, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its regular meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 10, to create a budget item to manage the grant.

The Hometown Heroes program, administered through Dutchess County has awarded a grant of $5,000 to the town to honor veterans on banner flags to be displayed on utility poles throughout the town. Since receiving the grant, the town has received additional private donations totaling $1,000 for the local program.

Mayor Peter Doro reported that the program and the application process had been discussed over several local administrations before the application was submitted and the grant received. The next steps to implement the program will be open to residents’ comments. The anticipated date when banners would be hung is May 2026, in advance of Memorial Day.

“Supporters want the program to be inclusive and in keeping with the Millbrook aesthetic,” Doro said. “This program is for people who want it.”

Residents who wish to subscribe to a banner to honor a veteran may do so for a fee of $250 according to the program guidelines. About 20 or 25 banners are estimated to be correct for Millbrook.

Several towns who participate in Hometown Heroes have adopted various additional guidelines detailing location, and months when the banners are displayed, some putting them away into storage during winter months.

A resolution will be drafted in the coming weeks to implement the program and residents will have an opportunity to provide comment at that point.

Some public comments were heard from residents at the meeting, including from a few who felt that the town’s Tribute Garden provides a proper memorial for those who bravely served and sacrificed. Others saw an advantage in celebrating diversity and educating young people about their town’s history of service.

Some residents were concerned about traffic safety and the readability of the banners.

Accessible parking space formalized

A parking spot designated for accessible parking across the street from the Millbrook Library on Friendly Lane needed its existence to be formalized by the Trustees.

Accordingly, the Trustees set a date of Wednesday, Oct. 8, to hold a public hearing on the required resolution to agree to make the existing spot official. The space is located across the street from the library’s accessible ramp.

The library’s accessible space is one of five spaces throughout the village providing convenient access to town buildings, Doro explained.