The Silence Of The Clams

In the past five years, the Town of East Haven has gone through three directors of economic development.

Hmmm.

I mean, how hard could it be to act as cheerleader for the municipality employing you to drum up business?

Maybe not so easy when your mayor is opposed to the airport right next door.

It wasn't always that way.

Around the time of the COVID pandemic, the town hired one Raymond Baldwin from Trumbull to fill the Economic Director post. Baldwin accepted and soon set about looking at ways to improve the town's economic standing.

Perhaps because he was from Trumbull, and an outsider, with limited knowledge of the Tweed-East Haven kerfuffle, he recommended a policy of detente with the airport, that had only recently withdrawn from the disastrous 2009 Memorandum of Agreement which hamstrung it for a decade.

Well, that did not go over well with one member of the economic development committee, who resigned in protest.

Now remember, this was about the same time East Haven mayor Joe Carfora stood on the tarmac at Tweed and declared that the new terminal would "be built by East Haven business and East Haven labor."

It wasn't long after that Mr. Baldwin announced he was leaving the post. One can only speculate as to why. Was he forced out by a anti-airport forces in the Carfora administration? Was the frustration of attempting to convince the administration to work with the airport so great that he gave up? We just don't know.

Enter Michelle Benivenga.

Throughout her entire tenure, Michelle Benivenga spoke of "using our strengths," "taking advantage of our location," and, "bringing more traffic to Main Street," none of which included partnering with Tweed in any way, shape, manner or form. And the local media never pressed her on the issue, either.

She was quick to sing the praises of Hilton building a Home 2 Suites hotel on Frontage Road. What a coincidence that it happened after Avelo Airlines commenced service at Tweed, with surprisingly successful results. Perhaps "connecting the dots" wasn't her strong suit.

It wasn't long before Ms. Benivenga departed East Haven for the greener (and assumed less controversial) pastures of the Town of Clinton, taking the same post.

Rich Copolla was appointed to the position of Economic Director several months ago and, like his predecessor, has maintained a stony silence regarding Tweed, Avelo Airlines and Breeze Airways. It's not like none of the three made overtures to the town. On more than one occasion, Avelo has conducted job fairs there and Breeze has devised a schedule wherein the planes will not operate either too early or too late. And I believe Avports is also a member of the East Haven Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Coppola did, however, issue a glowing statement welcoming Burlington Coat Factory for choosing to locate a store in town. How 'bout that! Yep, right up there with the Town Hall celebrating a Chipotle, a Starbucks and a Five Guys locating to Route 80. I wonder if the Melillo Middle School will send school buses with kids to look at those careers versus the trips they've made to Tweed to look at careers in aviation? "That's right, kids, you too can be a burger flipper or a shopping cart cowboy!"

President Calvin Coolidge once remarked that he was never hurt by anything he didn't say. And while that may have worked for Silent Cal, the same may not apply to a "Silent Rich."

I've often asked myself what an East Haven Economic Development Director would say should a prospective business tenant ask, "I see there's an airport right nearby. Could you tell us something about it?" What would the answer be? "Oh, we're against the airport expanding, but hey, there's a great airport just an hour's drive up I-91 where you can fly anywhere!" Or maybe, "Airport? Who needs an airport? We've got Amtrak just five miles away!"

One word: Dealbreaker.

Which is not to say that Economic Development has no cards to play.

What they can offer prospective business clients is a 50 percent discount on property taxes for their first year in town. Fifty percent? That seems like a lot. Where would the money come from to make up for that lost revenue? Here's a hint: Mayor Joe Carfora implemented a two mill tax increase (in an "off" year, of course), in the hopes that this will be overshadowed by Burlington opening their store this year, an election year.

Mr. Coppola cannot ignore Avports's proposal for a new passenger terminal and the extra parking that would come with it. If negotiated properly, the town could be looking at a steady revenue stream, now, and in the foreseeable future, with money from parking fees, concession rentals, advertising and the state's PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) program filling their coffers handsomely. That is, if Mr. Coppola is bold enough to take that leap.

The only possibility I can come up with so far as to why the last two directors have been as silent as the Sphinx about Tweed is that Town Hall has given them orders not to broach the subject.

Sad.

Could Joe Carfora be waiting for the ruling on Save The Sound's (and, by extension, the town's) appeal of the Environmental Assessment in court?

It will be interesting to see if Rich Coppola "finds his voice" regarding Tweed by year's end, when a ruling is expected.

I've got my popcorn...

{Why settle for the "official" story? Join us on "As The Beacon Turns" for the rest of the story on all things Tweed-New Haven Airport!}