The letter submitted by Elizabeth Case appearing in last week’s WVT identified causes worthy of grant funding. There are certainly many causes in need of funding and charitable giving. As a life long dog lover and Navy Veteran serving in WWII, Mickey would be first to agree that the Humane Society and American Legion are very worthy causes. In fact, Hattie Millspaugh Sadlier, Mickey’s great-aunt, gifted her father’s home to the Walden American Legion Post. The Town of Montgomery Ambulance Corps now occupies the property on North Montgomery St.

However, consideration of other worthy causes has nothing to do with seeing the Riverfront Park through to completion. The seeds to creating a waterfront park were planted many years ago when the 2012 Village Comprehensive Plan established the recreational goals of the Village following input from residents. “The Village of Walden is also pursuing efforts to create new public access points along the Wallkill River in the vicinity of Bradley Park and in other locations along this river. This Comprehensive Plan supports continuing efforts to enhance public access.”

NYS provided grant funding to many communities within the Hudson River Greenway and tributaries to advance the State’s goals of enhancing public access to waterways. This is how the Village’s funding priorities were established.

In 2016 the Village dedicated the future park to Mickey Millspaugh on his 90th birthday to recognize his decades of commitment to many causes in the Village. He was honored to receive the recognition. Family members traveled from Montana, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Indiana for the dedication ceremony and the family donated and installed a dock (which was later relocated to the Olley Park).

It is well known that Mickey unselfishly gave much of his time to the Village serving as a Village Trustee, Planning Board Member, Village Historian and frequently sharing his engineering skills.

Yes, Ms. Case, Mickey Millspaugh was a good man and for this reason the park should be completed.