MILLBROOK, June 4 — The Millbrook City Council voted 6 to 1 late Tuesday evening to accept a $1.8 million state infrastructure and safety grant that will be directed toward security improvements at four Eastside elementary schools. The funds, distributed through the state's Safe Schools Capital Improvement Program, must be spent within 18 months and cannot be used for staffing costs. The lone dissenting vote came from Councilmember Raj Thoburn, who argued the timeline was too aggressive and risked shoddy installation work.
What the Money Will Cover
According to documents submitted to the council by the Millbrook Unified School District, the grant will fund three categories of improvements across Garfield, Pinecrest, Elm Ridge, and Hoover elementary schools: high-definition exterior security cameras at all building entrances and parking areas; electronically controlled door-locking systems with remote override capability for school administrators; and updated exterior LED lighting replacing aging fixtures that the district's own safety audit flagged as inadequate back in 2021. Superintendent Carolyn Baez called the vote "a long time coming" and thanked advocacy from the Eastside Neighborhood Parents Coalition, which has been pushing for the upgrades since a series of after-hours trespassing incidents in 2022.
- Grant source: State Safe Schools Capital Improvement Program, Cycle 4
- Schools covered: Garfield, Pinecrest, Elm Ridge, and Hoover Elementary
- Estimated completion: December 2024
- Matching funds required from district: $220,000, already budgeted
Construction bids will open in mid-July, and the district expects to award a contract by early August. Parents at the affected schools will receive a written notice before any construction begins. Thoburn, for his part, said he'd request a progress report at the September council meeting. "I'm not against this money," he told The Courier after the vote. "I just want to make sure we actually do it right."
