Sidney Greene Miller stands for a portrait. The civil engineer, for whom Millerton was named, helped bring the New York and Harlem Railroad to the Town of North East in 1851, a development that spurred the village’s growth.
MILLERTON — The arrival of the railroad in the Town of North East in 1851 is heralded as the moment Millerton became a place — ushering in a boom period for the area that transformed it from a sparsely populated farming community into a hub of commerce.
That moment was brought about by Sidney Greene Miller along with his associate civil engineers in their work as contractors for the New York and Harlem Railroad. After his work, Millerton quickly grew from an insignificant hamlet in North East to the center of the town’s activity within just 25 years.
The railroad’s contribution to the village’s growth, along with Miller’s reported congeniality according to a 2001 history of the village produced by the North East Historical Society, led village founders Alexander Trowbridge, Col. John Winchell, Walter Wakeman, Platt Paine and Connecticut Governor Alexander Holley to name Millerton after the civil engineer when it was officially formed in 1875.
But other than that claim from the North East Historical Society, not much else is known about Miller. Sarah Hermans, an amateur historian who grew up in Millerton, said public documents on him are sparse, but she found enough to roughly map out his life from records available online.
Miller was born in New York City in 1817 where he was raised by Sylvanus Miller. An obituary for Miller when he died in 1900 said his father, Sylvanus, was a judge and census records list his profession as “lawyer.”
Miller became a civil engineer, serving as a partner of Morris, Miller and Schuyler when that company was contracted to expand the New York and Harlem railroad north from New York City to Albany. Records show Miller lived in New York City in the early 1850s when the Millerton stop was built, but he didn’t stay there long.
Census records indicate Miller left New York State within the decade. He, his wife and three children moved to Westport, Connecticut, in 1854 and then to Virginia in 1856. There, Miller and his wife, Sarah Williamson, had three more children.
Miller and his family were forced out of their home in Alexandria, Virginia, when the United States Army seized the house to use as a hospital during the Civil War.
By 1870 the family had moved to Savannah, Georgia. Documents from Miller’s life are sparse, but records indicate that building railroads caused him to move his family frequently. Within just ten years, Miller and his family, now including a grandson, were recorded as living in Chatham Township in New Jersey in 1880.
Digitized New York City directories from 1882 available at familysearch.org list a Sidney Miller, engineer, living at 205 S. 5th Ave., though it’s unclear if that’s the same Sidney Miller that helped build railroads across the country. Miller did move back to New York City at some point before his death in 1900, as shown by death records and an obituary published in the New York Times.
Miller was buried in Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Hermans’s research on Miller started by accident, she said, while researching a friend’s family history. She said she thought Miller would have been a local before she started researching, but soon found out he never even lived in Millerton.
“I was delighted and shocked to find out that he was actually a ‘city person,’” Hermans said.
But there wasn’t much more that could be gleaned from online documents, Hermans said.
“If you want to find somebody, you better find somebody who the descendants have done work on,” she said.
Hermans said the biggest hurdle in her amateur historical pursuits is accessing primary documents. She relies on the internet to access digitized documents because she works almost exclusively from home. And not every historical record has been scanned.
Sidney Miller’s death certificate is one of decades worth of death certificates from Manhattan that have yet to be digitized. New York City has been working to scan birth certificates, death certificates and marriage licenses and publish them online, but large collections of the documents have yet to be processed.
“If you’re just doing it from your armchair, you’re limited to what has been scanned,” Hermans said. “What has been made accessible to you.”
Nathan Miller
Voters also passed a resolution to purchase two new 72-passenger school buses.
AMENIA — Webutuck Central School District voters approved a 2026-27 budget on Tuesday, May 19, that triggers the district's first property tax increase in over five years.
The approved spending plan locks in a 1.35% increase to the tax levy. Under the new rate, property taxes will sit at approximately $8.77 per $1,000 of assessed home valuation. According to Webutuck Business Administrator Robert Farrier, a homeowner with a property valued at $200,000 can expect a total school tax bill of about $2,036 for the upcoming year.
That tax bump will cover a 4.45% increase in overall expenditures, largely driven by salary increases and health insurance costs.
Farrier said the district has multi-year agreements with labor groups that mandate increases to employee salaries, meaning those costs are predictable year over year. Salaries are set to increase by a total of $515,344 over last year’s budget, including special education positions that were added during the 2025-2026 school year.
Health insurance costs are projected to rise sharply next year. Farrier said he expects regular annual increases averaging 8% to 10% going forward.
In addition to the budget, voters also approved a bus purchase and reelected three incumbents to the school board.
Voters approved the purchase of two 72-passenger buses and a Bobcat UW56, a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle.
Judy Moran, Amy Wesley and Jerry Heiser were all reelected to the school board. The three incumbents ran unopposed for an additional three-year term on the board.
Superintendent Ray Castellani said the vote reflects a supportive school community. He thanked voters for coming out to the polls at Webutuck High School on Tuesday.
Graham Corrigan
Stissing Mountain High School in Pine Plains.
PINE PLAINS — Voters in Pine Plains rejected the school district’s proposed budget Tuesday, May 19.
While the measure achieved a majority — the final count was 458-432 in favor — it failed to reach the 60% supermajority necessary after the district’s budget pierced the state tax cap.
The school district is now left with three options: put the same budget up and hope for better results, revise the budget, or adopt a contingency budget with deeper cuts. Another round of voting will take place on June 16. State election laws mandate that a public hearing on any new budget needs to happen the week of June 2-9.
The proposed budget represented a year-over-year expense increase of 5.34%, and a tax increase of 4.43%. Budgeted expenses totalled $40,778,791.
New York State limits school districts to a maximum tax levy increase of 2%. Proposed levies that exceed that rate require a 60% supermajority approval at the ballot box.
Budget cuts of $491,000 were already included in the proposed budget. Chief among the eliminations are two 5 p.m. bus routes, new equipment purchases, and elementary school enrichment programs.
If the board of education makes additional reductions to fall within the tax cap, a simple majority of 50% is needed to pass the budget.
For that to happen, the board needs to eliminate $290,569 in expenses, District Superintendent Dr. Brian Timm said.
A contingency budget is the harshest scenario. If the proposed budget fails again on June 16, the district will be forced to reduce the budget by another $945,789, for a total difference of over $1.2 million from the budget that failed to pass Tuesday.
“Certainly some things will be unpopular,” Timm said at a special session after the vote. “Where we are allowed to make our recommendations is in getting it to the tax cap, but the contingency budget is up to the board.”
Timm suggested having a revised budget ready for board discussion by May 26, and a public hearing June 9. Both meetings will be open to the public.
In other ballot news, incumbent James Griffin and Amie Buehler were elected to the two open school board seats. Voters also approved a measure to buy five new school buses, using funds from a previously-approved bus reserve.
Graham Corrigan
MILLBROOK — Millbrook Central School District had its proposed budget ratified Tuesday, May 19.
Residents voted 391-221 in favor of the $37,992,751 plan. It’s a year-over-year increase of 6.57%, and the tax levy will rise at a rate of 7.02%.
Millbrook’s budget does not exceed the allowed state tax rate — meaning the budget needed a simple majority to pass. While some program and staffing cuts are included, the district was able to avoid a contingency budget and the additional $1.5 million in cuts it would have necessitated.
The district is faced with rising insurance and transportation costs, and is still waiting on state aid from the to-be-determined New York budget. Governor Kathy Hochul announced a broad agreement on key priorities earlier this month, but state legislators filed for their twelfth budget extension last week.
The next year at Millbrook will include a number of capital projects aimed at repairing the school’s aging buildings. Leaks and roof damage have been a persistent problem at the school’s buildings, and a capital project fund transfer is set to address the damage.
Further down the ballot, Howard Shapiro and Chris Rosenbergen were both reelected to their Board of Education seats.
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Nathan Miller
Wassaic-based cannabis grower Douglas Broughton in his basement greenhouse at his home on Old Route 22 on Sunday, May 17.
MILLERTON — A cannabis dispensary planned for Main Street is facing lengthy delays that the Wassaic-based grower behind the project attributed to bureaucracy at the Office of Cannabis Management.
Doug Broughton, who operates a commercial cannabis farm at his home on Old Route 22 in Wassaic, plans to open a retail wing of his licensed cannabis microbusiness at 32 Main St. in downtown Millerton. Broughton first announced the plans earlier this year, targeting March and April openings that were later pushed back
He now hopes to open the shop in early summer, but said he can’t peg a specific date due to delays at New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management.
Broughton attributes sluggish administration at OCM to interference from larger cannabis businesses. Those businesses, he said, consume much of the agency’s time and resources, creating delays that can place significant financial strain on smaller microbusinesses like his own.
He said selling his cannabis wholesale to retailers has been keeping him afloat as he pays $1,800 per month on rent for the space on Millerton’s Main Street. Despite that, he’s confident the quality of his products and his shop will make up for the wait once it’s over.
“We have a lot of options and we can be very competitive,” Broughton said, adding he believes his cannabis is of a higher quality and better value than larger, corporate producers. “They threw huge amounts of money into bullying their way into a market and now nobody wants their weed.”
Broughton’s business has also faced other challenges. Rising fuel and commodity prices due to the Trump administration’s conflict with Iran have increased shipping costs, cutting into Broughton’s wholesale profits.
Those price hikes hit Broughton in multiple ways, affecting the cost to purchase packaging for his cannabis and the cost to ship it to retailers.
“I just got containers. I ordered a year ago and the shipping cost would be $2.50,” Broughton said. “Now, it was $6.50.”
The situation isn’t dire, though. Standing in his basement greenhouse in his Wassaic home, Broughton explained that he’s only utilizing just over one-tenth of his legally allowed grow area.
Under OCM regulations, licensed microbusinesses such as Broughton’s are allowed up to 5,000 square feet of mixed-light growing space, his preferred growing method.
Mixed-light growing means Broughton uses a combination of artificial and natural light to grow his cannabis plants. He said he exercises scientific precision over his crops, manipulating artificial light color, humidity levels, nutrients and temperature to ensure his ideal product.
Broughton said he uses just over 600 square feet of his allotted growing space currently, so the business has plenty of room to expand to cover rising costs. But Broughton encouraged proponents of small business and legal cannabis to write to state officials about the effects of long licensing periods on small businesses.
“If people want to get this open, write a letter,” Broughton said. “I’m wholesaling still. It’ll be fine, but I’m excited to get it open.”
Graham Corrigan
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery’s winemaker Ian Bearup surveys ongoing landscaping work from the wedding loft on Monday, May 18.
MILLBROOK — The owners of Millbrook Vineyards & Winery are changing how visitors may use their property, ending a longtime policy that allowed guests to bring their own food, beverages and lawn chairs onto the vineyard grounds.
The changes come as the winery introduces new seating areas, expanded food offerings and updated visitor accommodations ahead of the summer season.
To support the shift away from open lawn-style seating, the winery is installing several designated seating areas across the property. A newly created adults-only patio will feature Adirondack chairs, private tables and sofa seating available for a small table fee that has not yet been finalized. Guests will also be able to reserve tables in advance, though walk-ins will still be welcome.
Additional picnic tables are also being added to the winery’s existing all-ages seating area.
Weekend food trucks are scheduled to return beginning June 1, but they will now be supplemented by expanded local food offerings inside the winery’s renovated tap room space, now renamed The Overlook. Local producers, including Millbrook Beef & Dairy and Chaseholm Farm, will offer cheese, charcuterie and prepared foods.
“We want to reinvigorate the brand,” said Ian Bearup, a winemaker at the vineyards.
The changes come during a period of broader transition for the wine industry, which has seen declining consumption levels following a pandemic-era surge, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine. Owner John Dyson recently reduced his stake in a California winery to refocus on Millbrook.
Millbrook’s winemaker Bearup said the renewed focus on Millbrook Vineyards & Winery exemplifies Dyson’s commitment to his hometown. “We take a lot of pride in still keeping agriculture in Dutchess County,” Bearup said. “This pullback has forced us to ask, how can we change things? And how can we still stay authentic to who we are, which is really just a family farm winery.”
Bearup acknowledged some visitors may be unhappy with the changes, but said growing crowds have made it increasingly difficult to manage the property during busy weekends.
“It’s gotten difficult for us to oversee the grounds during busy weekends,” Bearup said. “There’s a lot of liability. There’s a lot of garbage, and the grounds get quite beat up.”
The winery said visitors will still have access to the property’s ponds, trails and vineyard views, but the new seating arrangements are intended to better organize crowds and reduce wear on the grounds.
“We’re already hearing from a lot of upset people, which I completely understand,” Bearup said. “But we can’t operate this business as a park anymore, unfortunately.”
Graham Corrigan
The Washington town pool in the hamlet of Mabbetsville along Route 44 sits ready for the start of the 2026 season.
MILLBROOK — Members of the Washington Town Board are calling for upgrades to the town’s recreation area in Mabbetsville along Route 44, saying the park’s roughly 80-year-old pool is outdated and increasingly difficult to maintain.
Former Washington Councilmember Mike Murphy presented a new report to the Town Board during its regular meeting on Wednesday, May 13, detailing the needed updates to the park.
His report is part of a larger Washington project called the Recreation Area Strategic Planning Committee. Starting in 2024, Murphy and a committee of 11 community members undertook a comprehensive evaluation of the property, focusing on the town pool and its facilities. “It’s nobody’s fault,” Murphy said. “But over the years, it’s just aged out.”
The committee was made up of various community experts including contractors and environmentalists. The group used last year’s Community Day to field suggestions from local residents, asking what changes they’d like to see at the park.
An online survey followed, and the committee compiled those suggestions for the town board. Suggestions included indoor facilities, a children’s playground, a dog park and pool improvements.
The Town Park consists of the pool and several athletic fields. The town bought the lower part of the property in 1946 for $16,000, and it became a municipal pool soon after. The athletic fields were added in 2006.
The 29 acres “are a jewel within the town,” Murphy said. “We need to figure out how to get people to use it.” But the pool’s aging infrastructure has made maintenance and upkeep unwieldy. It also lacks modern amenities popular in other municipal pools, like splash pads or fountains. Millerton and Newburgh, Murphy noted, both included those elements in their new pool plans.
Washington has more serious fixes to make, like updating the pool’s filtration system. One estimate Murphy received approximated that cost at six figures. “The tax structure of this community will never be able to handle the major costs that are coming down the road,” Murphy said.
Instead, the Committee to Re-Imagine the Town Park proposed several non-structural ways to stimulate the park’s activity, and resulting revenue: extended hours, a third pavilion, more athletic facilities, and an easier way to access the park.
Currently, there’s only one way in or out of the park. It makes for a crowded drop-off — especially when summer camp is in session. Murphy said connecting the park’s entrance to Little Rest Road to the west is one feasible solution.
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