MILLBROOK — After a period of relative quiet, the Thorne Building Committee (TBC) recently announced that architect Michael Sloan and his firm, Michael Sloan B.C., of Millbrook, has been retained as the architect who will develop the long-awaited plans to turn the Thorne Memorial Building, formerly the local high school in the village, into the hopefully thriving, all-purpose Thorne Building Community Center (TBCC).
Sloan established his business in Millbrook in 1997 and reportedly has an excellent reputation for working closely with clients and providing innovative answers to their needs. Not only that, but his great-great-grandfather, William Thorne, was one of the original donors of the Thorne Building, and Sloan has “always viewed the Thorne Building as one of the village’s anchors,” believing “it’s so important that the building remain community-based,” according to a statement released by the TBC.
There have been multiple meetings over the past two year to discuss the future of the Thorne Building, at least three of which were open to the public. The future of the Thorne Building — a beloved and familiar piece of Millbrook architecture — was discussed in detail, with residents from teens to senior citizens offering suggestions.
One major step was establishing the Thorne Building Committee. It’s headed by Charles Pierce and assisted by other committee members, such as Ann Gifford, Oakleigh Thorne and George Whalen III. Their work has been hard and tedious, but is described by its members as a labor of love.
Before anything could begin, however, a reverter clause had to be dealt with by the village. This was because there was a stipulation in the original granting of the building to the village of Millbrook in the late 1800s that if the building ever stopped being used as an educational facility, it would revert back the Thorne family. Those involved in the matter said there were more than 100 family members to be notified, who had to agree to release any claim to the property; family members were scattered far and wide across the country and it took some time to locate them.
However, in January of 2020, the Supreme Court of Dutchess County issued a judgment eliminating the reverter clause, allowing the village to transfer ownership to whomever it desired.
Pans for the building include creating an auditorium and large meeting space, which would accommodate a variety of programs, including theatrical, cultural and educational programs. There would be a music studio, with space for rehearsals, podcasts, an exhibition gallery and other technology. Many of these ideas were generated by the public at open meetings. There would also be smart classrooms and seminar rooms, shared offices and space for after-school activities. Outdoor spaces would include a new a band shell and a garden for picnicking. Most impressive, perhaps, are the plans for a kitchen that could be used for catering events, cooking classes or as a small café area.
A time frame for construction has not yet been set, but some of the initial exterior work will likely take place this summer. The hope is plans will be finalized by fall.
The TBCC is now placing its focus on fundraising. The TBCC is a nonprofit, 501(C)3 entity; while some money has been set aside for construction, the majority of the funds still needs to be raised.
The committee is currently researching operating and maintenance costs and ways to produce revenue, including possibly renting the building out for weddings, concerts and other cultural or educational events.
“This could also be an economic magnet,” said Pierce, “bringing people from all over to shop in our stores, eat in our restaurants and enjoy the life we live in Millbrook.”
The Thorne Building was originally donated as a school in 1895, and was the reason Millbrook became incorporated as a village; it served as the high school until 1961.
The community met multiple times to plan for the project, often with Millbrook Mayor Rodney Brown, Washington town Supervisor Gary Ciferri, local clergy, Village and Town Board members and local residents. Community liaison Carole Martin was hired by the TBC to conduct surveys with various groups to discover what the community wanted to do with the site. Now that plans are starting to materialize, the challenging part will be the fundraising, said Pierce.
“We hope that everyone will have the opportunity to give at a level that is comfortable for them,” she said.
Nathan Miller
Kanchisar Jiradhanaiphat, left, and John Schildbach plan to open Muanjai Tea on Main Street in Millerton in early July.
MILLERTON — The opening of a proposed Thai tea shop on Main Street has been delayed while owners await approval from the Dutchess County Department of Health.
John Schildbach, who plans to open the shop with his wife, Kanchisar Jiradhanaiphat, in the former Candy-O’s space, said plans to include seating have complicated the approval process because of the building’s existing septic system.
Candy-O’s, a candy shop which relocated farther down Main Street earlier this year, did not provide seating for customers, allowing it to operate with a smaller septic system under Department of Health regulations.
Schildbach, who wants to add 20 seats, said an engineer has signed off on plans for the tea shop and sent a recommendation to the Department of Health. Despite that recommendation, the shop had to push back the original June 6 opening date.
“We haven’t even started buildout,” Schildbach said. “If I can get everything moving, it’ll probably be early July now.”
Schildbach said interior renovations to the shop couldn’t begin until the business had received permits from the health department. A series of scheduling conflicts meant the engineer couldn’t get to the shop until the first week of June, but Schildbach said he was staying patient.
“You’re always waiting on the people who are in charge,” Schildbach said.
Schildbach said he hopes to receive approval for 20 seats in the shop, but expects the health department to reduce indoor seating slightly.
If that happens, Schildbach said it will only hamper the space’s indoor capacity until Millerton’s municipal wastewater system is installed, which is expected to be complete in 2028. He expects to receive approval for 12 to 14 seats inside the café for the time being.
Department of Health approvals are the last hurdle holding things back, Schildbach said. Once that approval has been obtained, Schildbach said village building officials are prepared to issue permits for the interior renovations and he is ready to get to work.
The shop is targeting an early July opening date, with a goal of opening before Millerton’s 175th celebration set for July 11 to 19.
Millerton News
CANAAN — Anita L. (King) Gochey, 85, of 77 South Canaan Rd. died June 5, 2026, at Geer Village. She was the wife of the late Lester Gochey. Anita was born July 16, 1940,in Winsted, daughter of the late Ivan and Irene (Dulude) King.
Anita was well known throughout the Northwest Corner. She worked for many local businesses and organizations. Anita worked at the Rexall Drug Store, C.A. Lindell and Sons, Bob’s Clothing, Brooks Pharmacy, and the Housatonic Valley Regional High School in the cafeteria.She used her skills in calligraphy to complete the record books for the North Canaan Congregational Church.Anita’s daughter remembers her as being very creative with cardboard, and a loving mom.
Anita is survived by her son Raymond Gochey and his fiancee’ Chris Filkins of Hinsdale, Massachusetts; and her daughter Michele O’Brien of Sharon. She is also survived by her sister Denise Warner of Torrington and her brother Arthur King of Danbury. Her three grandchildren, Kyle Gochey of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Cody O’Brien of Georgia, and Sabrina O’Brien of Falls Village. Anita was predeceased by her brother, Martin King.
A Celebration of Anita’s life will be held on Saturday June 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018.
Nathan Miller
Carol Kneeland, left, Cyndhia Valle, center, and Irene Banning knit together on North East Community Center’s back porch during the first “Community Porch Party” on Wednesday, June 3.
MILLERTON — A new pilot program at the North East Community Center aims to bring in community members for chill hangs at the nonprofit’s office on South Center Street this summer.
The weekly “Community Porch Party” is an evolution of senior administrative assistant Ash Baldwin’s “Craft Collective,” which invited community members to enjoy a group crafting session where participants were encouraged to bring individual projects, swap tips and be together. The gathering on Wednesday, June 3, and the preceding “Craft Collective” meetings are part of a broader effort to provide accessible, community-building programming.
The pilot program is set to run every Wednesday through the end of July.
NECC board chair and interim Executive Director Irene Banning joined Baldwin along with Millerton resident Carol Kneeland and Pine Plains resident Cyndhia Valle at the program’s opening night. Kneeland brought enough knitting needles and yarn to go around, and taught Valle how to get started making a knitted square.
“She’s a total pro of 40 minutes,” Kneeland said, knitting needles in hand.
Banning said the community center is working to return to a former status as a community hub. She remembered the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point for the organization, when it shifted to providing crisis management programs such as its food pantry and housing assistance.
While those programs are still important to NECC’s mission, Banning said, community building is equally so.
She recalled needing an outlet for social interaction when her son moved away from her home, prompting her to find a knitting group based out of Pine Plains.
“One day I just picked up my knitting and I decided to go,” Banning said. “It’s been a fabulous thing.”
The “Community Porch Party” is less focused on the crafting, and instead on just providing an opportunity for people to enjoy a nice yard and a chat with fellow community members. Baldwin and Banning assembled sweet treats and snacks for people to eat, and crafters are encouraged to bring a project but it’s not required.
The effort stems from a recognition that social interaction can be difficult to come by in northeast Dutchess County.
“It’s so hostile out there, and you always have to be careful about what you say or what you don’t say,” Banning said. “Just to have a place where that doesn’t matter is really nice.”
NECC’s “Community Porch Party” is set for Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 5:30 through July 29.
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Graham Corrigan
PINE PLAINS — Community Day returns to Pine Plains on June 13, reviving a tradition last celebrated in 2023 during the town’s bicentennial celebration.
The event’s return has been spearheaded by an ad hoc group of residents led by Lenora Champagne, Jeanne Valentine-Chase, Lisa Agnelli, Joan Taylor, Helene Marsh and others.
Champagne and Valentine-Chase, who are on the town’s Beautification Committee, said they recruited volunteers to help organize it, realizing that Community Day is a big undertaking. “It was clearly a bigger project than what that committee could take on,” said Champagne. “So we turned to people who’d been involved in previous Community Days.”
The community was up to the task. Some of the entertainment will be familiar: live music will fill the air, local businesses and nonprofits will set up booths along Main Street, and the Graham-Brush House will host fiddlers and reenactments.
New additions to Community Day abound, too: a 31-vendor market will set up shop by the Catholic church on Poplar and Church Street. The market will host makers offering sourdough bread, artisanal jewelry, and everything in between. The Pines, a historic Victorian inn on Maple Street, will open its doors for tours as well.
This year’s Community Day is also offering an eye-popping amount of complimentary experiences, for kids and adults alike. First there’s a free breakfast hosted by Pine Plains Fire Company. Free raffle tickets are on offer, with the chance to win prizes like gift certificates to local businesses like Chaseholm Farm and Factory Lane Automotive — or fruit trees donated by Full Circus Farm. There’s a free scavenger hunt to work up an appetite, and free lunch from local restaurants to sate it — all chased down with a postprandial stroll through the free corn maze.
“There ought to be something of interest for everyone,” Champagne said. “We’re really curious to see what people enjoy.”
Town Councilwoman Jeanine Sisco is the group’s liaison to the town. She’ll also be the one “collecting garbage and schlepping benches.”
“We did Community Day for years,” Sisco said. “But sometimes people just didn’t step up. We’re hoping this will be the start of doing it every year.”
The goal, Sisco says, is to bring people in to town. All the people: generational locals and weekenders alike. “We want to bring all those folks into a united venue to get to know what’s going on in town, and revitalize the spirit of community.”
Leila Hawken
AMENIA — The Water Committee is exploring options to allow municipal water customers to pay their bills online and by credit card.
Responding to customer interest in additional payment options, the committee discussed potential billing software upgrades during its regular meeting Wednesday, June 3.
Town Billing Clerk Nancy Nowak presented information from Muni-Link of Bellwood, Pennsylvania, a cloud-based billing company that serves municipal utilities.
“This software is so much better,” Nowak said. “It is similar to what we have now, but it’s easier.”She added that the company works with four credit card processors.
Initial set-up cost for the system is estimated at $12,000, Nowak said, with an additional monthly charge of $650. Current administration costs for billing stands at $138 monthly for the town.
“But you would be getting twice as much service,” said Water Committee chairman Bill Flood, comparing the proposed streamlined billing system to the present one.
Nowak had explained that the current system provides limited account management capability, leaving much input to be done by hand. She reported also that over the years, customers have asked for the convenience of emailed billing and on-line payment.
For those water district customers who lack computer capability or who prefer to pay in person, there would still be the option for mailed billing.
The committee agreed to continue to explore the option, gathering additional information, before presenting a proposal to the Town Board.
In other discussion, Flood announced that the prefabricated pump house building is expected to be installed at the Lavelle Road site in the fall. The foundation is ready to accept the new structure.
A program to replace non-working water meters is progressing with VRI Environmental Services, the town’s water operator, having sent out 20 postcard notices. In response so far, 13 meters have been replaced.
In final action, the Water Committee agreed to meet quarterly, rather than the current monthly schedule. Special meetings will be scheduled as needed.
Millerton News
SHARON — Susanne Cecilia Berberoglu, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on May 14 surrounded by the love of her family.
Born on Fe 13, 1951, in New Milford, Susanne lived a life filled with warmth, adventure, compassion, and dedication to those she loved.
A graduate of Brookfield High School, Susanne went on to work as a travel agent, a career perfectly suited to her adventurous spirit and love of discovering the world. She especially cherished her travels to Australia, London, and Hawaii, creating memories that she carried throughout her life.
Susanne had a lifelong passion for antiques and found joy in collecting and appreciating beautiful pieces filled with history and character. She was also deeply devoted to her beloved Boston Terriers, whom she lovingly raised and cared for over many years. Her home was always filled with warmth, laughter, and the companionship of the dogs she adored.
Above all else, Susanne treasured her family. She is survived by her devoted husband of 54 years, Tayfun Berberoglu Sr.; her loving daughter, Jennifer; her son, Tayfun Berberoglu Jr.; and her cherished granddaughters, Faora and Sybella. Her love, kindness, strength, and gentle spirit will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew her.
Susanne will be remembered for her caring nature, adventurous soul, and unwavering love for her family, friends, and animals. Her memory will continue to inspire all whose lives she touched.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
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