Village holds last meeting of the year

MILLBROOK — At the Village Board’s meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11, department heads gave year-end reports.Bob Krall MemorialMillbrook Lions Club member Mike Rossi inquired about putting a memorial at the Millbrook Bandshell in honor of Bob Krall. Krall was a longtime member of the Millbrook Lions Club and he served many positions including president. Krall had an optometry practice in Millbrook. He recruited new members to the Lions Club. When Krall died from cancer in 2011 many people sent condolences and donations to the club, which will be used to purchase a bench for the Bandshell as well as a boulder and plaque. Rossi presented a photo of how the plaque and boulder will look and asked for the board’s approval on placing it at the Bandshell.“Bob was the founder of the Millbrook Arts Group (MAG),” said Stan Morse, former deputy mayor. “MAG has used the Bandshell location for series of summer concerts starting in 1987 and it continues today. If the board could endorse this it be a wonderful tribute to Bob for all the amazing things he has done for us.”The board approved the Krall memorial placement at the Millbrook Bandshell.Flatline presentationAfter VRI Plant Manager Scott Osborne gave his monthly departmental report on the villages water and sewer the board listened to a presentation from Flatline Water. Flatline is an environmental engineering services company, which works to improve environmental efficiency. Field services director Tim Cornelison gave a presentation on a pilot program that the board is seriously considering. New York state is on board with using new innovative technology when dealing with wastewater. Cornelison gave the board a presentation on how the village could reduce their costs for village electrical requirements at the plant and how to have less waste. Along with ways the village can produce energy on its own. The presentation related to how the village’s wastewater treatment plant could use this innovative technology. The village is interested in the pilot program and if it is done the wastewater treatment plant could be an education and training center for a few of the local colleges. Bill Wright is the engineer at the wastewater treatment facility in Millbrook. Flatline plans to inquire with Wright and then come back to the board with more details and information about the pilot program.Water CommitteeIn 1992 New York state passed a law to protect their water resources. Part of that law states that the village should conduct surveys to protect their water resources. Currently the village is conducting a survey to look for potential hazards in the water sources. Once the sources are compiled a report will be made and sent to the Dutchess County Department of Health as well as the New York State Department of Health. Of the village’s watershed zone 95 percent is located in the town of Washington and a very small portion in the Town of Stanford said Village Clerk Linda Wiltse. Once the report is compiled the Water Committee will give a presentation to both boards for the village and the town. The village will try to assist or make recommendations to the town to pass a local ordinance at their level to further protect the village’s watershed area. Wiltse said that 85 percent of the 313 parcels have responded to the survey. The Water Committee felt they need the expertise of a hydrologist in this process. The committee used hydrologist Russell Urbin-Mead from Chazen Companies. Wiltse said they asked for two quotes from Urbin-Mead to compile the report and a second for him to do the presentation of the information they compile for joint town and village boards. The Water Committee will continue to get information together for the town that can assist them in thinking about doing a draft form of an ordinance, which would further protect the water resources since the town ordinance hasn’t been amended in 22 years.

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