Town Council Executive Session To Talk Tweed 'Strategy,' Hire Law Firm

EAST HAVEN, CT — Thursday, the town posted a special closed door town council meeting for Tuesday to "talk with legal counsel (about) strategy" on the proposed expansion of Tweed New Haven Airport. And, to consider hiring a law firm.

The agenda for the executive session includes talking about and voting 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."

When Patch contacted Luzzi, he said he could not and would not comment.

The law firm was hired in 2009 to represent private aviation service Aircraft Facilities Group LLC in its redevelopment of the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Bridgeport.

East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Carfora has said the town wants to ensure that the costs, including quality of life, of the proposed expansion of airport facilities won't be borne by the town and airport neighbors.

On July 6, Carfora, state Rep. Joseph Zullo and state Sen. Paul Circarella wrote to Tweed New Haven Airport's executive director Sean Scanlon, and the chiefs of Avports and Avelo Airlines to address "quality of life concerns."

The officials said East Haven neighbors are fed up with jet engine noise, and the smell of jet fuel.

At issue is the increase of Avelo Airlines flights, they wrote. The airline increased the number of flights per day to its now 14 non-stop destinations from its handful of inaugural flights to Florida only in November 2020.

"Neighbors living in the vicinity of Tweed New Haven Airport have been voicing their justifiable concerns about the negative impacts the increase in flights in and out of the airport are having."
"We hear them loud and clear," the letter dated Wednesday reads. "...the volume of flights has directly impacted the quality of life for those residing near the airport."

Read that full story here.

It's not clear what the "strategy" is the Council will speak on, but the public notice agenda makes it clear it's a legal one.

Notice of East Haven Town C... by Ellyn Santiago

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