MILLBROOK — “I’m resigning.”
This surprise announcement came from Republican Mayor Rodney Brown at the end of a long — two hour and 57-minute — Village Board virtual meeting on Tuesday, June 9. He added that he would submit his official letter of resignation at the next meeting with a date effective as of Friday, July 31. Brown added that he was not giving any specific reason, and will not furnish any further information about his decision to step down from office just months before his term was set to end, aside from the fact that he had discussed it with his wife, Linda, and the rest of his family. He also noted that he will be on vacation the week prior to his official resignation date, but that he gave the board seven weeks’ notice.
“It’s been a pleasure,” he said. “We got a lot of stuff done.”
Looking back over Brown’s time as mayor, he accomplished much, including the painting of the water tower and the formation the Thorne Building Committee. Brown has also enhanced the Millbrook Police Department, adding more officers to the roster, and through the Village Board, updating both the department’s communications and equipment.
Having served as village treasure under former Mayor Laura Hurley before becoming mayor at the start of 2017, Brown’s financial acumen helped him create reserve funds for numerous budget items and allowed him to tighten the overall budget process. Under his direction, the village was able to enhance its software and computer training has brought Village Hall into the 21st century.
Brown formalized Village Board meetings, acknowledging doing so was not always to the pleasure of participants. He streamlined the meetings while asking that department heads report at the first meeting of each month; he also limited questions/remarks from the public to three minutes each.
Communications and technology are the things Brown will most likely be remembered for; he got the village of Millbrook its own cable channel, Channel 22. He requested grant money and raised donations for the technological equipment that has allowed the village to tape not only the official meetings, but also the show. “Kevin at 11,” with Village Trustee Kevin McGrane, which airs on Fridays at 11 a.m. and delivers business and village news. The cable channel has also allowed local houses of worship to televise their services during the COVID-19 pandemic while their buildings have been shut down to prevent the spread of the virus.
Brown mentioned that between being mayor, treasurer and before that a village trustee, he has spent the last seven years serving the village of Millbrook. He had announced previously that he was not going to run for re-election in November, but his resignation last month came as a surprise to most.
The next step for the Village Board will be to appoint an interim mayor, to serve the remainder of Brown’s term until the election. In November a new mayor will be elected, who will take office in January 2021.
Built in 1820, 1168 Bangall Amenia Road sold for $875,000 on July 31 with the transfer recorded in August. It has a Millbrook post office and is located in the Webutuck school district.
STANFORD — The Town of Stanford with nine transfers in two months reached a median price in August of $573,000 for single family homes, still below Stanford’s all-time median high in August 2024 of $640,000.
At the beginning of October there is a large inventory of single-family homes listed for sale with only six of the 18 homes listed for below the median price of $573,000 and seven above $1 million.
July transfers
79 Ernest Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 6.87 acres in 2 parcels sold to Matthew C. Marinetti for $1,225,000.
29 Drake Road — 3 bedroom/3.5 bath home on 2 acres sold to Harper Montgomery for $850,000.
6042 Route 82 — 4 bedroom/2 bath home on 1.09 acres sold to Spencer Thompson for $795,000.
125 Tick Tock Way — 3 bedroom/2.5 bath ranch on 1.9 acres sold to Fleur Touchard for $475,000.
August transfers
102 Prospect Hill Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 6.35 acres sold to Karl Creighton Pfister for $565,000.
252 Ernest Road — 2 bedroom/1 bath cottage on .85 acres sold to Meg Bumie for $465,000.
1196 Bangall Amenia Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 2.16 acres sold to Roderick Alleyne for $875,000.
Hunns Lake Road (#759929) — 59.1 acres of residential land sold to Argos Farm LLC for $3,325,000.
* Town of Stanford recorded real estate transfers from July 1 to August 31 provided by Dutchess County Real Property Office monthly transfer reports. Details on each property from Dutchess Parcel Access - properties with an # indicate location on Dutchess Parcel Access. Market data from One Key MLS and Infosparks .Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
Hunt club members and friends gathered near Pugsley Hill at the historic Wethersfield Estate and Gardens in Amenia for the opening meet of the 2025-2026 Millbrook Hunt Club season on Saturday, Oct. 4. Foxhunters took off from Wethersfield’s hilltop gardens just after 8 a.m. for a hunting jaunt around Amenia’s countryside.
Joining in the fun at the dedication of the new pollinator pathway garden at The Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4, local expert gardener Maryanne Snow Pitts provides information about a planting to Lorraine Mirabella of Poughkeepsie.
MILLBROOK — Participating in a patchwork of libraries that have planted pollinator pathway gardens to attract insects and birds to their native plantings was one of the accomplishments being celebrated at the dedication of a new pollinator garden at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4.
“A lot of work went into it,” said Emma Sweeney, past President of the Millbrook Garden Club, who started the local library’s initiative two years ago.
The Pollinator Pathway program is a national effort to plant native plants that native insects depend upon for sustenance and preferred plants for their own seasonal reproduction.
Jana Hogan of Ridgefield, Connecticut, Executive Director of the Pollinator Pathway program, was on hand to present a plaque to the library for its successful participation.
“A garden is not just a garden,” said garden designer Andy Durbridge of Wassaic, designer of the library’s garden. “It may serve as a model for other gardens along the line.”
Speaking to the 50 visitors at the dedication, Durbridge said that the library’s garden has a mission, that it is a working garden, planned to serve insects and birds over their seasons. The earliest plants support pollinators, while the full range of plants continues to serve the needs of those they attract, offering habitat, shelter and food.
A pollinator garden is akin to a prairie, rather than a formalized European garden, Durbridge noted.
The garden project was supported by the library’s Friends group using funds raised during the Holiday Silent Auction and ongoing book sale. A grant from the Millbrook Garden Club also provided support.
Amenia Town Hall on Route 22.
AMENIA — After gathering comments from the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, as it considers adding alternate members to those boards, the Town Board discussed possible changes to local laws governing those boards at its meeting on Friday, Oct. 3. The meeting date, usually on a Thursday, had been changed to accommodate a holiday.
In recent weeks Town Board attorney Ian Lindars has been compiling comments from the affected boards along with comments from the Town Board. The new laws may bring the appointment of two alternate members to each board. Alternate members are likely to be required to attend all meetings and be prepared to be seated if needed and be familiar with the applications being discussed. They would also need to take training required of all board members.
Lindars will prepare a draft of the new local laws to be reviewed by the Town Board and the affected boards.
As the Town Board begins work on the town’s annual budget negotiation process and anticipating an increase in some budget lines to accommodate major projects, the board unanimously approved three resolutions. The first will override the tax levy limit imposed on municipalities by the state of New York, a limit generally tied to the rate of inflation.
A public hearing on the proposal to override the levy limit was set for Thursday, November 6, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.
