Politics & Government

Islip Town Fires MacArthur Airport Chief

Last week the town board ousted planning chief Dave Genaway.

The Islip Town Board has fired MacArthur Airport chief Terry Hennessey, the second high profile town leadership dismissal within a week.

Last Friday the board ousted top planning chief Dave Genaway, and named deputy planning commissioner Rich Zapolski, a Bayport resident, to replace him.

An Islip Town spokesperson told Patch there are no plans to replace Hennessey at this time.

Find out what's happening in West Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This is a personnel matter that I cannot discuss. We wish Mr. Hennessey the best and thank him for his service," said the spokesperson.

Hennessey was initially appointed as deputy aviation commissioner in March, 2013 by then Long Island MacArthur Airport Commissioner Teresa Rizzuto, who had been hired by former Democrat Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan in 2008.

Prior to working for Islip Hennessey had worked as the British Airways manager at Baltimore Washington Marshall International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.

Find out what's happening in West Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Then in June, 2013 Islip Town ousted Rizzuto, a Bayport resident, and named Hennessey to replace her on an interim basis, giving him the title of Commissioner of the Department of Aviation and Transportation.

He returned to the role of deputy commissioner when the town hired Robert Schaefer as commissioner.

Genaway had been appointed by Nolan and served in his planning role for two years. Zapolski was hired as deputy planning commissioner in January, 2012.

Islip Town Supervisor Tom Croci, a Commander in the United States Naval Reserves, deployed this past summer into active military duty for a tour that is expected to last until next Spring. 

Islip’s environmental control commissioner Eric Hofmeister was sworn in last May as deputy commissioner to serve as interim supervisor during Croci’s leave. He sits in on town board meetings but has no voting power.


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