Letters to the Editor: Airport 01.19.17

Control of the Airport

East Hampton

January 10, 2017

Dear David,

I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to Councilwoman Sylvia Overby for her decision to vote against the rehiring of the aviation attorney Peter Kirsch of Kaplan, Kirsch & Rockwell. 

Mr. Kirsch has long profited greatly from East Hampton’s taxpayers while he has systematically misguided these and the previous town board members. The final blow to our town’s ability to take control of the airport was in part due to Mr. Kirsch’s own letter to the Federal Aviation Administration, wherein he expressed surprise that the F.A.A. would release the town from grant assurances that would enable the town to implement reasonable rules and regulations such as a curfew. It was an act of total betrayal by Mr. Kirsch, and revealed, at last, his true intentions: to strip the town of its legal rights as they pertained to the town-owned airport. 

We hope and believe the remaining town board members will give great pause and consideration to examine what so many of us see as a willfulness by Mr. Kirsch to make certain East Hampton is rendered incapable of gaining control of our town-owned airport. 

There is but one cause for Mr. Kirsch’s failure to properly and sincerely represent the Town of East Hampton: per his own website is the need for helicopter travel convenience by Mr. Kirsch’s “high-net-worth individuals with second homes.” In addition, there is an excessive flood of private jets and seaplanes that are destroying the peace and quiet for thousands of people from the East End to the west. 

The town should not retain legal counsel that only faintly represents his client and who continues to make certain we lose. 

It takes courage to lead and stand up for what is right. With her vote not to rehire Mr. Kirsch, Councilwoman Overby is truly representing her constituents and the Town of East Hampton residents. Thank you, Sylvia! 

SUSAN McGRAW KEBER

Beyond Belief

East Hampton

January 9, 2017

To the Editor:

It is regrettable that the East Hampton Town Board has now renewed its retainer of Peter Kirsch’s law firm as the town’s aviation counsel.

As Councilwoman Sylvia Overby pointed out in her remarks on the subject last week, that law firm’s inadequate representation on the town’s behalf was epitomized by one spectacular error that was expressly cited by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in its November decision against the town in the helicopter litigation.

The East End aviation noise-victim community has long been calling for the town to find new aviation counsel. And, particularly since the November judicial decision, for the town board to refuse to listen is beyond belief.

In that context, those of us citizens who have been working on this East Hampton Airport problem salute Councilwomen Overby for speaking truth to power. She has our profound gratitude.

CHARLES A. EHREN

Time for a Change

Noyac

January 9, 2017

Dear Editor, 

When legal counsel hired to represent the best interests of residents fails as spectacularly as Kaplan, Kirsch & Rockwell has to protect residents of East Hampton from excessive noise and other impacts from its airport operations, obviously it is time for a change of counsel. Sylvia Overby has clearly demonstrated her awareness of this dire situation and called for change by voting against the continued legal counsel of the firm. 

The remaining four board members voted to continue with legal counsel from Kaplan Kirsch, a firm that continues to act as it did under the Bill Wilkinson board, which was unfailing in its support of and on behalf of aviation interests, not those they were elected to protect — East Hampton Town residents. 

The question remains: What are the town’s plans for the airport? To most of us, they seem murky, at best. 

PATRICIA CURRIE