Millbrook trustees hear progress on wastewater facility upgrade

MILLBROOK — The final Board of Trustees meeting of 2024 before a new mayor takes office was held on Wednesday, Dec. 11. It included the adoption of the Natural Resources Inventory local law, as well as hearing a progress report from Tighe and Bond regarding the needed upgrade for the village’s wastewater processing facility.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” said outgoing Mayor Tim Collopy, reflecting on his years of service to the village.

“You’ve been the backbone of our success,” Collopy told the outgoing board members. “Together we’ve made great strides.”
“I complete my term with confidence in the next administration,” Collopy said, congratulating Mayor-elect Peter Doro, who will begin his service in January.

Wastewater

Reporting to the trustees on the status of the wastewater plant upgrade, Erin Moore, vice-president and Senior Project Manager of Tighe and Bond (T&B), the engineering firm which is guiding the phased planning and grant application process.

Moore indicated that the project can be divided into seven parts, of which five a sequential and two can be thought of as parallel paths.

A preliminary engineering report was drafted and submitted in July, 2024 a necessary step in qualifying for government grant funding. Official comment has not yet been received, Moore said. In the meantime, the design phase is continuing.

A geo-technical report is expected within coming days, Moore said, indicating that the report will indicate the location of bedrock at the wastewater plant site.

Moore said T&B is projecting that necessary permits can be obtained by late March or early April of 2025. Generally, funding for environmental facilities can take four to six months for approval.

“The steps we are on now are design, not yet construction planning,” Moore explained.

Following a public hearing where no comments were offered by residents, the Trustees unanimously adopted a new local law bringing the Natural Resources Inventory into effect. The inventory to be included in the village code will be used by all village entities when considering land use applications, using the Inventory to guide decisions.