Editorial: Milton set to embrace the future

The small town of Milton is on the rise.

It all starts with community. Milton Community Food Pantry, opened just five years ago serving nine people, now provides food for as many as 400 people, a vital safety net for families that might otherwise go hungry.

Then there’s Milton Community Foundation. In addition to contributions to the arts and festivals in town, the foundation invests in Milton students by fostering the Gladys Wilkins Seeding the Future Scholarship for Sussex County students, and the H.O. Brittingham Elementary Scholarship for HOB students. Milton Garden Club, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, has grown to more than 70 members whose primary goal is to drench Milton in flowers. The club also invests in young people by presenting annual scholarships.

Milton Fire Department and its auxiliary constantly work hard for the community and keep residents safe. The Milton Historical Society continues to bring the town’s story to life, currently working on an exhibit about Milton native Bryan Stevenson, the nationally acclaimed founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala. With Dogfish Head attracting a nationwide audience and Irish Eyes anchoring downtown, Milton’s business community is also on the rise, and Milton Theatre is lighting up the cultural scene.

Milton’s Police Chief Robert Longo, hired in 2016, has brought a new spirit of transparency and responsiveness to his department. Meanwhile, after years of squabbling and disarray in town government, Milton’s mayor and council, with help from staff at town hall, have settled into productive deliberations. A new comprehensive land-use plan, in the works for nearly four years, was finally approved.

Also underway is a major extension of the Rails to Trails pathway that will link Lavinia and Federal streets. Beyond those accomplishments, town council recently proposed two major referendums, one for a new well and treatment facility, the other to extend water mains and ensure a reliable water system. Both won overwhelming approval of Milton citizens, who appear ready to embrace the future.

We salute the new mood of optimism blossoming in Milton, and we hope this charming town will continue to build on its foundation of community and activism.