SULLIVAN COUNTY — As another year comes to an end, it is time to look back at the news-filled 2024 in Sullivan County. After 104 editions throughout the 52 weeks of the year, the Sullivan County Democrat has kept a close eye on all the happenings of the local politics, government, community events and beyond. 

Below is a curated list of our top stories from the last year, ranging in topics from large fires, to transitions of leadership, to local elections and closures of important services. 

January – April

Holiday Mtn. reopens under new ownership

After purchasing the ski hill last June, new owner Mike Taylor and his team finally got Holiday Mountain reopened in mid-January after a very mild start to the winter. The reinvigorated ski resort saw skiers and snowboarders emerge in droves on the season’s opening day. As they get ready to open again for this season, Holiday Mountain has received tons of positive feedback since Taylor took over.  

New Legislature sworn in 

Following last November’s election, the Sullivan County Legislature flipped to a 5-4 Democratic majority with five seats being won by challengers. In the first week of January, the new Legislature was sworn in. After Matt McPhillips beat out incumbent Robert Doherty, the previous Chairman, for District 1, the new Legislature voted in favor of District 2 Legislator Nadia Rajsz to fill the Chair. After nearly a year with the new Legislature, the public is torn on its overall success as some of the same issues of the last Legislature have persisted. 

Sullivan Head Start closure, eventual reopening

Sullivan County Head Start abruptly closed its doors in early February, leaving over 300 children and their families without services and 83 full-time and 11 part-time employees out of work. A week after the closure, it was announced that Sullivan Head Start decided to relinquish its grant and transition its program to an interim service provider. After a months-long transition, Community Development Institute (CDI) took over as the service provider, and the center reopened its doors as CDI Head Start serving Woodbourne and Monticello in early April. 

Aileen Gunther 

announces retirement

Following two decades of service as Assemblywoman of New York’s 100th Assembly District, Aileen Gunther announced in mid-February that she would not be seeking re-election. Gunther was first elected in 2003 to fill the vacancy left by her late husband Jacob, who passed away from cancer. Gunther has stated that while she will no longer be working in the

Assembly, she will continue to serve her community in various ways. In November, Democrat Paula Kay beat out Republican Lou Ingrassia for the Assembly seat. More on that later in the Year in Review. 

Dr. David Potash named new SUNY Sullivan  President

Following a months-long search, SUNY Sullivan named its new President in April, Dr. David Potash. The former President of Wilbur Wright College in Chicago is now several months into his new position as SUNY Sullivan’s eighth president since being established in 1962. One of the issues that Dr. Potash has had to take on is lower enrollment numbers, which has been attributed to the closure of Lazurus I. Levine Residence Hall before the fall semester according to the college. In early December, Dr. Potash announced that the college had regained full accreditation. 

May – August

Russell Farm Fire

BETHEL — Sullivan County lost one of its most culturally significant landmarks as Russell Dairy Farm, formerly the Yasgur Farm, suffered a major fire Thursday, June 20. The farm once belonged to the family that hosted the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel. 

There were no reported injuries and the farm animals were out to pasture when the fire started around 12:36 p.m. In all, 21 fire departments sent units lending assistance, as well as EMS, auxiliary units and local and State Police.

New Chamber CEO

The Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce gained new leadership in early July following the resignation of former CEO and President Jaime Schmeiser, as Ashley Leavitt was named to fill the vacancy. 

Leavitt resides in Wurtsboro with her husband Michael and their two children. The married couple owns All Things Accuracy in the Liberty Mall, which had its official ribbon cutting in June.

Sullivan Jail closure

The Sullivan Correctional Facility announced the closing of its doors on November 6. At the time, the facility had 371 staff and 426 inmates, with the closure being slammed by officials.

September – December

General Elections

It was a red wave that overtook the nation Tuesday night as former President Donald Trump convincingly triumphed over Vice President Kamala Harris for the highest seat in the land, President of the United States.

The Republican Party also rode the momentum of Trump’s turnout to take over control of the United States Senate while possibly keeping control of the House of Representatives.

While many were somewhat suprised by the extraordinary voter turnout and large margin of victory in the president’s race, Sullivan County voters were more tempered in their support.

Grahamsville Brush Fire 

A second alarm brush fire brought multiple companies from around the county, as well as Ulster and Delaware Counties, to Whitehouse Road in the area of 171 Peekamoose Road on the edge of Grahamsville and the Town of Denning in Ulster County in November in what was described as a large-scale incident. 

The fire continued through Monday and according to Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, was spanning approximately 600 acres as of Monday morning. 

The Youngsville Fire Department reported that they were originally requested for mutual aid to a brush fire at Sundown Road and State Route 55A at 1:17 p.m. on Friday, before being redirected to the fire on Peekamoose Road shortly after 4 p.m. 

Upon arriving at the scene, responders reported the fire to be running the mountain and catching two structures on Peekamoose Road ablaze. 

In addition, a third residence on Whitehouse Road was in imminent danger of being consumed as well. 

LM-Roscoe Merger

After nearly three years of studies, meetings, votes and petitions, the communities of the Livingston Manor and Roscoe Central school districts elected to merge via centralization on Thursday, December 19.

The vote was first presented in 2022 and failed in both communities, but a significant increase to incentive aid brought the potential merger back to the forefront of voters’ minds in September of this year.

This time around, the boards elected to gather signatures for a petition in both communities to gauge interest in a merger vote, with both petitions reaching the number needed to present a vote to the taxpayers.

In Livingston Manor, the vote passed with 351 in favor and 227 opposed, while the numbers were 283 yes and 106 no in Roscoe. Despite centralizing the two districts, the new one will still be the smallest in Sullivan County.

Roscoe Central School, the smallest school by enrollment in all of Sullivan County, will merge with Livingston Manor following Thursday’s approval by Roscoe district voters, 283-106.

Livingston Manor Central School voters approved the merger with Roscoe overwhelmingly on Thursday, 351-227. The two districts already share many services, including sports teams.

Care Center 

DOH Survey/star rating

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) completed a facility survey of the Adult Care Center (ACC) at Sunset Lake in Liberty from Sunday, September 22 through Friday, September 27, the first such survey since last January. The completion of the survey revealed nine deficiencies, with the Care Center receiving the Statement of Deficiencies on Friday, October 11, according to the facilities’ latest report. 

Deputy Administrator of the ACC, Bobbi-Ann Kanoff, reported to the Sullivan County Legislature that a Plan of Correction was submitted timely after reception of the Statement of Deficiencies, and they are awaiting the survey team’s response to that Plan of Correction.

Kanoff noted in the report, that the nine deficiencies are less than were found in the last survey from 2023 (11) and the one before that in 2019 (12). However, it is still higher than the New York State average for survey deficiencies (6.2), but it is lower than the national average (9.6). 

The Department of Health recently released a survey report of the Adult Care Center at Sunset Lake in Liberty.

Villa Roma Sale

The sale of Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon to Fay Hospitality Catskills LLC closed for a purchase price of $17.15 million, according to Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) documents and sources close to the deal.

The IDA unanimously approved the proposed benefits package.

The Villa Roma was purchased in 1970 by Marty Passante from Erenesto Vindigni  and was transformed into one of the premier resorts in the Catskills.

The Villa Roma is located on approximately 434 acres of land at 356 Villa Roma Road in Callicoon – with its exact location more commonly referred to as the Beechwoods.

Former owner Marty Passante and General Manager Paul Carlucci have been with the Italian-themed resort for 54 and 52 years, respectively. 

Fay Hospitality Catskills is a Delaware corporation formed in 2021 and is an affiliate of UK-based Fay Investment and Asset Management. 

The project that Fay Hospitality proposed includes the since completed purchase of the Villa Roma property, the immediate improvements to the hotel - including its 139 hotel rooms, the public spaces, the meeting spaces, the club forum and indoor pool, the club house, the recreation and fitness center, the Club House catering center, the spa and ski chalet and improvement to the Golf Course Irrigation System. 

The total anticipated capital investment for the project is approximately $24.9 million, according to the IDA. Fay also plans to invest an additional $3.92 million to undertake immediate property facility improvements and upgrades to the golf course irrigation system, according to their application.