On July 11th 2022, the Gabreski Community Advisory Board members voted to approve the Gabreski Airport Final Report, which provides a substantive overview of the airport, current operations and usage, a review of public comments and correspondences, various findings, and recommendations.
A section of the report is dedicated to exploring alternate runway use that takes into account wind direction and flight paths, enhancing education, and two possible legislative outcomes that can be passed to ensure public oversite of the airport on an annual basis, and another introduced by Leg. Al Krupski, to require the airport to go through the Suffolk County Legislature to obtain approval of any changes to airport certification, minimizing concern of further development of the airport.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone for giving us the opportunity to address the public’s concerns and Josh Smith, Gabreski Airport Manager, for his industrious collaboration with the Community Advisory Board. We learned that the Administration has already been working diligently to get systems in place that will work toward achieving some of the recommended goals outlined in the Final Report. It will also provide continued considerations for Suffolk County going forward, thanks to the balance we struck with all stakeholders, helping to maintain the quality of life in our district,” stated Legislator Fleming.
“I want to thank Legislator Fleming for reinstating the Gabreski Airport Community Advisory Board, and thank all who worked on the report, including the subcommittee members, Legislator Fleming, and her staff, ”said Legislator Al Krupski, whose Legislative District is impacted by operations at the airport. “It was gratifying to serve on the CAB with such dedicated and knowledgeable individuals, who were thorough in their work and whose efforts are reflected in the Final Report to the Suffolk County Legislature. It is important that there is ongoing community input, as well as Legislative oversight of the operations at the Gabreski Airport. This is why I have sponsored legislation that would require the Suffolk County Legislature’s approval for any changes of certification of use at this county-owned facility, prior to seeking approval by the FAA for such changes.”
Southampton Town Councilmember Tommy John Schiavoni, who was appointed as Vice Chair of the Advisory Board said “This report issued by the Gabreski Community Advisory Board is a comprehensive look at the history, operations, and options moving forward. It represents our ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life for residents most affected in the area. A special thanks to Legislator Bridget Fleming for her leadership and Gabreski Airport Manager Joshua Smith, as well as all those who served on this important committee.” Jacqueline Chaplin, appointed to the Advisory Board as a representative of the community surrounding Gabreski by the Suffolk County Legislature stated, “I am glad to have served on the committee and I hope that our efforts will lead to a positive outcome for the community.”
“One of the most important recommendations to emerge from this effort is the call for the regular scheduling of an ongoing public dialogue about the airport’s operations and management. This continued outreach will help consistently inform the local community and provide meaningful public feedback to both the County Legislature and airport management. We hope this approach will assure a proper balancing between the needs of general aviation and the National Guard while better protecting the quality of life for the surrounding community,” expressed Bob DeLuca, who served on the Advisory Board representing the Group for the East End.
The Gabreski Community Advisory Board Final Report can be found here: Gabreski Airport Community Advisory Board | Suffolk County Legislature, NY (scnylegislature.us)