Councilwoman demands termination of Luminati’s runway use agreement at EPCAL

(Updated 2:10 p.m.): After Councilwoman Jodi Giglio called for the termination of Luminati’s runway use agreement this morning because the company did not have a certificate of liability insurance on file with the town, Luminati’s attorneys provided the town with the insurance certificate, according to town attorney Robert Kozakiewicz.

The policy took effect September 21, 2017 and lasts 12 months, which complies with the requirements of the runway use agreement.

Giglio is now calling for the town attorney to review Luminati’s insurance policy to ensure that it is completely compliant with the terms of the runway lease agreement.

“The onus was on them as per the agreement to provide the certificates to the town, which they are doing as of today,” she said.

Original story: Councilwoman Jodi Giglio is calling for the immediate termination of Luminati’s runway use agreement because she says the Calverton company has not provided a $5,000,000 liability insurance policy to the town.

The November 2015 runway use agreement, which gave Luminati Aerospace the exclusive right to use the 10,000-foot runway at EPCAL, required that Luminati provide a $5,000,000 certificate of insurance protecting the town from liability arising from the runway use.

“Promises made have not been kept,” Giglio said in a press release this morning. “The Town Board cannot continue to allow this agreement to be extended another day putting the taxpayers at risk.”

In an interview yesterday, Giglio said Luminiati originally provided the town with a binder as evidence of insurance coverage. But the company never submitted the certificate as required, she said.

Robert Hasday, attorney for Luminati Aerospace, did not respond to an email requesting comment.

“Our attorneys have contacted Luminati’s legal counsel and have asked for a copy of their current insurance certificate,” Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith said this morning. There was no current certificate in the town’s file, she said.

Riverhead Town entered into a lease agreement with Luminati Aerospace after the company purchased the former Skydive Long Island property at EPCAL, requiring the payment of a $40,000 annual license fee to the town. The term of the agreement is for 10 years, beginning in November 2015.

Riverhead also has a pending agreement to sell most of the town’s remaining acreage at EPCAL to a company owned by Luminati and its partner, Triple Five Realty. A public hearing on the proposed sale is scheduled for February 27 at 7 p.m. at Riverhead Town Hall.