ELDRED — It was a contentious atmosphere at a public hearing held by the Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) on Monday, which gave local residents the opportunity to express their opinions on the future of the Eldred Preserve.

About 50 people packed into the Highland Town Hall to hear the resolution proposed. They were disappointed, however, when the IDA board failed to show.

Executive Director Jennifer Flad was the only representative of the IDA in attendance.

Many residents and business owners who were present were supportive of the Eldred Preserve returning. Yet some voiced their unhappiness that the IDA will limit the taxes coming in to the town.

“The board or the accessor wasn't notified when the application was put through and then you have a meeting at 9 a.m. in the morning. You might as well have had it at 4 a.m.,” said Yulan resident and Highland Town Board councilman Jim Hanson. “The people who care about this are on their way to work, the taxpayers should have their say. I support the project but I don't support the way the IDA is doing this. This whole process is a sham.”

Originally, the IDA was supposed to vote on the application 26 miles away in Monticello at 10 a.m. on the day of the public hearing, but they did not have a quorum necessary to proceed with the vote. The IDA will reconvene today at 3 p.m. in the commitee room at the Sullivan County Government Center.

Other agencies were present at the public hearing such as Marc Baez of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, Cathy Paty of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and Roberta Byron-Lockwood of the Sullivan County Visitors Association, who all voiced support for the project.

“This is a right fit for the community,” said Baez. “It's a difficult job for us to bring investments to the western part of the county. This [opportunity] doesn't come up often and it's here. What we try to do is create a soft landing upfront and taxes will be made up on the backend.”

Amytra Development LLC, Eldred Entertainment LLC and Eldred Hospitality LLC - which are all owned by Dan Silna - hope to resurrect the Eldred Preserve.

The original Eldred Preserve Resort was Sullivan County's primer outdoor resort catering to fishing and shooting enthusiasts.

Developers for the $12 million project had applied for tax abatements to the IDA last month. Amytra Development LLC, is looking for financial assistance for the redevelopment of nearly 37 acres located on 1040 State Route 55 in the Town of Highland.

Eldred Entertainment LLC will operate the restaurant and event space while Eldred Hospitality LLC will operate the Inn.

Amytra Development, LLC has applied to the IDA for real property, mortgage and sales tax abatements in order to help bring the project to the finish line.

According to the benefit/cost analysis, the new Eldred Preserve will have a real property tax abatement, mortgage tax exemption, sales and use tax exemption for the first five years before making pilot payments to the IDA.

Once the project is completed, the new development promises that it will be able to create 24 full-time jobs with an average annual salary of $34,320.00.

The new 28-room resort will also adopt the name of its predecessor as the Eldred Preserve.

The new Eldred Preserve will not only offer year-round lodging and dining but will also include a gym and convention space for weddings, bar mitzvahs and other parties.

The Old Homestead Restaurant will also be reopening at the new location and will be the centerpiece of a new resort built on the site of the old Eldred Preserve Resort.

The owner, Dan Silna, purchased the site in early 2016 and started development in September of 2016, hopes to have the resort up and running by 2019 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival that will happen in Bethel.