Millbrook Village Trustees endorse Route 44 truck route plan

MILLBROOK — In an effort to lighten truck traffic on congested local streets, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a resolution at a brief meeting on Wednesday, July 23.

The vote was unanimous to approve the resolution entering into an agreement with the Town of Washington, to be sent on to the state Department of Transportation (DOT) for their consideration. If the idea is endorsed by the DOT, then Route 44 will be designated as an official truck route so that large trucks and tractor trailers will bypass the village of Millbrook other than for local deliveries.

Mayor Peter Doro commented that the new truck route will save wear and tear on village streets that are subject to damage from heavy transport vehicles. The truck route would begin at the gatehouse at the intersection with Franklin Avenue.

In other business, the trustees responded to a request from Police Chief Keith Dworkin to establish the historic date of the founding of the Millbrook Police Department, needed for anticipated funding applications.

The vote was unanimous to establish the date as April 15, 1896, based on handwritten archived records of trustee meetings. Village President Oakleigh Thorne had hired John Madden to serve as night watchman for the village, a seven day a week position that would pay $1.50 per day. In modern parlance, Thorne’s title would have been Mayor.