Thomas A. Burns

MILLERTON — Thomas (Tom) A. Burns, Sr., 85, of Millerton, passed away peacefully at home on March 29, 2024, surrounded by the love and warmth of his family.
Tom was born on April 2, 1938, in Poughkeepsie, New York, to the late Thomas H. and Catherine (Flood) Burns. Tom, a loyal husband, devoted father and caring grandfather and great-grandfather, is survived by his wife, Judith (Judy), of nearly 63 years. Together, they raised their beloved son, Thomas (Donna) Burns of Hudson, New York. Tom leaves behind two grandchildren, Sarah (Chris) Hensel of Castleton, New York, and Jennifer Burns of Hudson, New York, and two great-grandchildren, Addison and Julia Hensel.
Tom graduated from Webutuck Central School in 1955 and proudly served in the United States Army from 1961 to 1963 as an instructor and honor guard in Fort Gordon, Georgia, and Fort Dix, New Jersey, and as a Senior Rifleman of the Beverly National Cemetery Firing Squad. Tom was commended for his tact, loyalty, resourcefulness, and dependability, which won the respect and admiration of all with whom he served. Following his honorable discharge from the Army, Tom was employed by Taconic Telephone for 35 years.
Tom was considered a native son of Millerton, through and through. He served on the Millerton Fire Department for over 25 years, was a member of the American Legion Post #178, the Millerton Lions Club, the Millerton Gun Club, and the North East Historical Society. Tom was an avid gardener, a talented craftsman, and an enthusiastic sports fan. Tom took pride in his Irish heritage, and he was known for his humility and grit. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends, but his memory will live on in every seed they plant, every home repair they make, and every Giants win.
Private family visitation and a funeral service will take place this week at the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546. Reverend Robert K. Wilson will officiate. Burial with Standard Military Honors will follow at Irondale Cemetery in Millerton. Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Hospice, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, NY 12144. To send an online condolence to the family or plant a tree in Tom’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
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.