Year in review: A year of pride, participation and progress in Millbrook

MILLBROOK -- Throughout the year, a supportive Millbrook community turned out for civic participation and celebratory events, reinforcing strong local bonds while finding moments of shared pride and reflection.

Among the most significant was the long-sought recognition of PFC Charles R. Johnson, a Millbrook native who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary valor during the Korean War.

The honor was presented by President Joseph Biden at a White House ceremony in early January and carried special meaning in Millbrook. In late May, local and county officials, a military honor guard, and Johnson’s friends and family gathered at Nine Partners Cemetery for a ceremony honoring his bravery and dedicating a permanent plaque and flag markers.

Charles R. Johnson, a Korean war veteran who died in combat in 1953, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Friday, Jan. 3. Photo provided

Later in the year, Grace Church was filled to capacity as clergy, parishioners and community members gathered for the dedication of a new stained-glass window on the church’s west façade, marking a rare and historic moment for the congregation.

Voters also approved a Capital Budget proposal in May by a wide margin, authorizing more than $38 million for long-needed repairs and renovations to Millbrook Central School District buildings. The project is now proceeding through the schematic design phase.

At the Millbrook Library, a new native pollinator garden was dedicated in early October on the site of a 1953 memorial garden planted by the Millbrook Garden Club in honor of the Flagler family. The family, which has ties to the area, traces its roots to Henry Flagler, a co-founder of Standard Oil and one of the most influential American industrialists in the 19th Century.

Early October also marked the grand opening of the first phase of Bennett Park, developed on the former Bennett College campus. The event drew residents, donors and planning professionals, with a forest-green ribbon cut beneath a tent on the park’s Great Lawn. The phase created Millbrook’s largest public green space, a major undertaking led by the nonprofit Millbrook Community Partnership.

Millbrook board advanced plan for Thorne Building community center By Nathan Miller

Planning also moved forward on a multi-million-dollar proposal to renovate the historic Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue into a comprehensive arts space, with the Planning Board expected to consider the application in early 2026. The building, which was constructed in the early 20th century and served as a public school, has fallen into disrepair and has largely been vacant for 20 years.

Community spirit was on full display during the long-planned Community Day in September, as residents welcomed visitors from across the region for a day of activities, parades, contests and celebration.

That sense of engagement continued through Millbrook Listens, a year-long effort inviting residents to share their vision for the village’s future, with volunteers gathering input at events throughout the year. Volunteers in colorful T-shirts have appeared at community events ready to listen to any and all ideas.

In the November elections, Washington Democrats won both board seats. Democrats Maxine Verne and Susan Mancuso won the two Town Council seats, defeating Republicans Nicholas Galente and Douglas Giles. Supervisor Gary Ciferri, a Republican, was unopposed.