WHO WE ARE
Peter Wolf
Chairperson
Peter M. Wolf, a nationally recognized land use and town planning authority, is a graduate of Yale, Tulane and earned his PhD at New York University, Institute of Fine Arts. Dr. Wolf’s award winning book on planning and planning policy include: Land in America; The Future of the City;Hot Towns, The Future of the Fastest Growing Communities in America; and Land Use and Abuse in America. A prominent consultant to communities, Wolf served as a Senior Advisor to the East Hampton Town Comprehensive Plan and was engaged by the Village of East Hampton to revise residential zoning.
Residing in East Hampton for over 40 years, he is the founder and first chairman of the Thomas Moran Trust, a trustee of Guild Hall, and chair of the airport committee of the Village Preservation Society. For over a decade he has been actively involved with issues and policy options surrounding the use and abuse of the East Hampton airport.
“It’s time to devote the valuable East Hampton airport property to the people who own it--the citizens of East Hampton--and to the thousands of people nearby also so long harmed by it. The only way to do that is to first close the airport.”
Barry Raebeck
Director
Barry has been a leader in the airport battle for 13 years. Now he is a co-founder of CTA, having formerly co-started and co-led the citizens’ groups Say No To KHTO and Quiet Skies Coalition. He, his parents, and his extended family have been environmental activists for decades on the East End, seeking to preserve as much of the natural habitat and quality of life as possible.
“The East Hampton Airport is by far the single most destructive factor in terms of our environment and quality of life on the East End. We must stop subsidizing our own destruction.” Barry has lived in East Hampton Town since 1957 and has lived with his wife Susan in Wainscott since 1995.
Advisory Committee
Robert “Duke” Casper
Duke has been a year-round resident of East Hampton since the early 1970’s, with stints in Hawaii. He is a licensed realtor and long-time surfer who knows this town’s lands as well as anyone. “The airport has grown so much that it is now way out of proportion to what this area could possibly sustain, and it is certainly not what East Hampton needs. Let’s close it and use the 554 available acres for the public good. That’s just common sense.” Duke lives with his wife Suzie in Northwest Woods.
Timothy C. Frazier
Tim has been a year-round resident of East Hampton since 2003. He is a retired Southampton Intermediate School principal who is currently director of the Eleanor Whitmore Day Care Center in East Hampton Village. “The problem just gets worse and worse. You can’t escape the noise and pollution of aircraft anywhere in the town. At Georgica Beach, where I often go with my family, the pleasant sound of waves and the chattering of gulls is drowned out by constant helicopters and jets. That’s not why we chose to live in East Hampton.” He resides with his wife Tracy in The Springs.
Lyle Greenfield
Lyle is an author and businessman who has resided on the East End since the late 1960’s, opening a vineyard in Bridgehampton in 1982. “Proponents of the airport and its services have no answer for the tens of thousands of complaints from residents annually, numbers that grow with each passing month. Instead, they speak of the convenience of the wealthy who can afford a ticket or charter and are so very important to….what?” Lyle lives in Amagansett with his wife M.J.
Joanna Grossman
Joanna is an East Hampton enthusiast since the 1950’s, resident since the 1970’s, and FAA grant opponent since the 1980’s. She has been involved with local environmental causes for decades. “I am looking forward to cleaner air, soil, and aquifer water for our town’s future.” Joanna lives with her husband Carlo in Wainscott.
Carol Mandell
Carol has been a resident of East Hampton for more than 30 years, and has lived here year-round since retiring from NYU as Dean of Libraries. She has served in leadership roles for numerous not-for-profit organizations, and cares deeply about the well-being of her neighbors and the larger community. “The airport is a detriment to our health and safety on the East End and the entire region, as well as a scourge on the natural environment. Now the Town Board can change that. Let’s support them in acting prudently to protect us all.” Carol lives with her husband in Wainscott.
Tom Ogden
Tom and his extended family have resided in Wainscott for over 50 years. An NYC litigation attorney, in 2015-17 he pro bono represented the Committee to Stop Airport Expansion, and consulted with The Town’s counsel in opposing the aviation lobbies’ attacks on modest restrictions on jet and chopper traffic. “We are at a tipping point. The Town finally has the legal right to stop KHTO noise, water, and carbon pollution, and generate income and tax relief from its largest real estate asset. We must not miss this opportunity.”
Mary Herrmann Puris
Mary has been an East End resident and homeowner for 40 years. She is a long-time resident of Sagaponack where she lives with her husband Martin. Their youngest child attended school locally and their older children live in Amagansett. Mary is a graduate of Barnard College and the Columbia School of Business where she majored in marketing. Before retiring, she was the Executive VP, Head of Account Management, at Ammirati Puris/Lintas, a global advertising agency. She has strategic marketing experience in many brand categories. For years she has been involved with the ASPCA and was a member of Quiet Skies Coalition at its inception.
“As I am writing this bio, 5 jets have flown over our treetops within a 10-minute period at altitudes of less than 500 ft. on a cloudless sunny day. Add to this a chorus of helicopters. Need I say more? Worse is the pollution of our air and water. We must seize this opportunity to return our community to the pristine and peaceful haven that lured us all out here. We need to help East Hampton fulfill its promise of being a climate-smart community. Closing the airport and repurposing the land is one huge step in this direction.”
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen is a resident of Wainscott since 2014 and owner of a high temperature materials engineering manufacturing business. He has a BS, MS, and MA in Engineering. He also has personal medical history resulting from a toxic water spill. His wife Sheryl is an oncologist equally concerned about the impact of the “forever” carcinogens PFOA and PFAS found in the airport plume 47-acre Superfund site in Wainscott. “As if the noise and exhaust pollution from jet fuel, helicopters, seaplanes, and smaller planes using leaded avgas is not enough, how can the Town even consider operating an airport or re-envisioning the airport, located in the middle of a very private residential community, before the PFOA/PFAS environmental pollution is remediated?”
Amy Turner
Amy is a retired attorney and educator who has lived in Wainscott full time for the last 35 years. “The town board has an incredible opportunity to make a decision to serve the greatest good instead of the very few privileged people. I hope they take that opportunity and continue the tradition of East Hampton government that’s taken stands on preservation and supporting the public.” Amy lives with her husband Ed Reale in Wainscott.