UPDATE: Tweed Tensions Mount, Mayor Says There's History Of Mistrust

EAST HAVEN, CT — Tensions between East Haven and the Tweed Airport Authority have kicked up a notch since Monday.

In spite of the mayor's "aggressive objections," airport executive director "Sean Scanlon and the Authority are moving forward" with approval of a 43-year lease at its full board meeting Wednesday, Patch was told Tuesday.

“I am deeply disappointed that Mr. Scanlon and Mr. Picard have moved this matter as they have," East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Carfora told Patch Tuesday morning. "It’s unprofessional and again supports a history of mistrust between East Haven and New Haven with respect to Tweed. As I have said all along, New Haven, Yale, Aveports, and Goldman Sachs are the drivers here. It’s unfortunate that Scanlon and Picard, a former West Haven mayor, are doing their bidding. We remain vigilant in our effort to protect East Haven’s interests."

Original story:

Documents obtained by Patch show that the Tweed Airport Authority first refused to provide the town with documents about its 43-year lease, and when it did, several days later, it was on Sunday. Less than 24 hours before a special Authority meeting it scheduled for early Monday morning.

East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Carfora was not happy.

In a letter obtained by Patch from Carfora to former West Haven mayor John Picard, who sits on the Tweed board of directors, he wrote he had "deep concerns that the Authority moved this matter forward with the intent to exclude the Town of East Haven."

Patch reached out to Picard for comment, but did not receive a reply.

"The Special Meeting scheduled for 10 am Monday morning is ridiculous in itself, made even more offensive and disrespectful by delivery of volumes of information late on an August, Sunday," Carfora wrote.

The documents in question were a set of among others requested last Tuesday by the law firm East Haven hired to advise it on "Tweed strategy."

Carfora noted that the proposed draft lease agreement the town sought last week, which was first "inexplicably denied," handed over Sunday, is 250 pages.

"Does it really need to be said that our town attorney receiving this information on a Sunday morning, then our members late Sunday afternoon, is offensive and unprofessional," Carfora asked rhetorically.

He also noted that East Haven members of the airport board, "were not even asked if they were available for the Special Meeting; a meeting that they were informed last night will last approximately four hours. One of our members called us from Europe."

Carfora said the way the matter was handled "creates a level of mistrust," as it relates to the full Airport Authority monthly meeting set for Wednesday. "My concern is that there is a move afoot to seek a full Authority vote Wednesday on the agreement that you hope to discuss today in executive session."

He said that East Haven stakeholders have not been given the chance to "responsibly review and evaluate" the proposed lease agreement.

"We will need time with this lease and its supporting documents. Delivery on a Sunday morning, hours before an executive session, for a review, is woefully inadequate. Any judge would agree," the mayor wrote.

"Actions like this are a continuation of the way the city of New Haven has been handling Tweed and East Haven for years," Carfora told Patch. "New Haven has the votes, and when you have votes like they do, you should do things the right way."

Cafora's concerns

Carfora maintains Tweed New Haven Airport's expansion negatively, and disproportionately, impact the East Haven side of the airport. As noise and environmental concerns grow, it is not reasonable that the majority of jet parking, all flight arrivals and departures, along with all passenger parking be placed on the East Haven side. He pointed to quality of life issues related to the expansion. Jet noise, and jet fuel odor, among them. But it's the "clear impacts" of traffic on streets to and from the beach, the Town Green, and the "already burdened" High Street to North High Street Bridge area, that "create worrisome safety and quality of life issues."

Last month, the Town Council voted unanimously on a resolution to hire the law firm Pullman & Comley LLC. And, to "engage federal aviation legal counsel" as recommended by the law firm to help Town Attorney Michael Luzzi "with all matters in connection with the proposed expansion of facilities at the airport." The lawyer, Daniel S. Reimer of Denver, has experience with federal aviation cases, the FAA and has over 20 years' "experience and a deep understanding of airports and airport law."

Carfora said at the time that he, the town engineer, town attorney, public safety deprtmant and legal staff had met regularly on Tweed.

The town has met "numerous times with Tweed stakeholders, and during those meetings we have asked for specific information." But he noted that "there have been offers that simply do not address the root concerns about this proposed move to East Haven."

"But for me," he said, "It always comes back to the simple fact that the benefits to the region, to New Haven, and to Yale, cannot be placed in higher regard than the impact that this expansion will have on our town."