Board of Selectmen Meeting, August 27, 2024
The Board of Selectman recently held their meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.
Of importance:
7. d. New Business:
Request for support of renewal of the Westchester County Airline Terminal Use Agreements. Town resident John Mastracchio, a member of the inter-municipal task force working on the agreement, spoke before the Board and said any discussion about the airport can “easily go down a rabbit hole.” Boiling it down to its simplest form, Mastracchio said the terminal use agreements only allows for 240 passengers per half hour to go through the terminal. He said it is a grandfathered rule that he believed only existed at this airport and if Greenwich ever lost it, it would not be able to get it back due to federal regulations. Mastracchio said Westchester County wants to extend the agreement for another 20 years. He explained the task force was created to voice approval for that from the municipalities that are impacted by the airport and he said it has been a positive front put together by all of these communities that leads to other discussions about the airport. First Selectman Camillo agreed with a statement made by Mastracchio that the airport did not have to listen to the municipalities but said Greenwich has a “great relationship” with Westchester County officials, including County Executive George Lattimer, who he said had been a “great friend,” and the nearby leaders of Port Chester and Rye. Continuing those relationships and engaging on issues like this helps Greenwich, Camillo said and allows them to get information out to residents and bring resident concerns to airport and county officials. Camillo and Selectperson Stone McGuigan thanked Mastracchio and Town resident Rich Flood for their service on the task force and she noted what an important issue it is for the community. Stone McGuigan said she wanted the public to know that if there was not a renewal of the terminal use agreement, the FAA could increase the number of passengers per half hour, resulting in more flights. Mastracchio confirmed that was correct and said, “there would be no going back” from that.” Selectwoman Rabin echoed the thanks for Mastracchio and Flood for their hard work on the task force and on maintaining the positive relationships with the other communities. She noted a lot of people in Greenwich use the airport so it’s important to have a voice and a vehicle to express what the Town is thinking. She said there was a lot of give and take in this situation because while it could be very convenient to have an airport minute away from where people live in Town, there was a downside too. Mastracchio agreed and said, “ongoing relationship and negotiation are critical to Greenwich.” Mastracchio requested there not be a second read of the agreement and it be voted on now because Greenwich was the last of the municipalities to approve it and it needed to get to the RTM. Town Attorney Barbara Schellenberg said she reviewed the agreement and “did not have any issues with it.” Rabin pointed out the next meeting for the Board was Aug. 22 and the RTM deadline for the September call was Aug. 23 so this would give more time to get it ready. Camillo said the RTM would vet the agreement and ask questions, so it was not like it was being given the final sign off by the Board of Selectmen. He said a vote should take place and Stone McGuigan agreed, saying she preferred second reads to allow for public input but that the RTM process would allow for that here and she was fine moving for a vote. Selectwoman Rabin made a motion to approve the request for support of the renewal of the Westchester County Airline Terminal Use Agreements. It was seconded by Selectperson Stone McGuigan and was approved unanimously.
8. Public Comment Period:
Town property owner Laureen Taylor spoke and requested changes to the July 11 Special Meeting minutes to reflect her presence attending the meeting. She also requested a formal denial in writing on a letter of her FOIA request for information about a potential candidate for the Historic District Commission. Taylor said she wanted to know if that candidate, named John Nelson who had been nominated earlier in the meeting for an alternate spot on the HDC, was the same one she had found biographical information for online. Taylor said she wanted to know whether he had knowledge, interest and expertise on matters that concern historic sites, monuments and buildings that memorialize veterans of the US military, members of the blue-collar class related to Byram and historic cemeteries. She said she did not believe anyone on the HDC met those criteria.
Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes Read
Board of Selectmen Special Meeting Read
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