ELDRED, NY — A conflict between Highland officials and a local builder continued to simmer following the town board’s February 10 meeting.

At that meeting, planning board recommendations for a zoning change allowing craft brewery operations were moved forward to a March public hearing, while a recommendation for softening commercial business parking requirements was tabled for additional review and creation of a supporting local law.

Builder Charles Petersheim has been an outspoken critic of the town board, and specifically Supervisor Andrew Boyar, since the November announcement of an 8.8% increase in the town property tax rate.

Petersheim favors relaxation of the parking regulation, which admittedly has been termed as too stringent by planners, town board members and Boyar. He voiced his dissatisfaction with an apparent delay in the parking revision process in a February 18 email to this reporter.

“Supervisor Boyar expedited the writing of the local law change for the brewery.

“Supervisor Boyar has thus far—as of this date [February 18]—failed to ask the town attorney to draft a local law for the parking changes being recommended by the town planning board and pushed forward by his fellow board members.

“Supervisor Boyar, personally impacted by proposed business, using all the levers of [his] influence and position to stop a simple common sense zoning change, one that is both environmentally progressive and is acknowledged state-wide as progressive.

“[This is] delay and distraction in order to further a personal, not government, priority.

“He should recuse himself. That much is clear to any reasonable person.”

Asked to reply to Petersheim’s charges, Boyar on February 20 wrote, “Petersheim is again totally off base. I do support a modification of our zoning requirements for parking. I just want to get it right and do the due diligence that any responsible board member would want to do.

“Also, he does not seem to grasp that a recusal is cast as a “NO” vote, and that is not the direction I am headed in.

“Let’s get the parking regulations consistent with responsible planning requirements and sound business growth.

“His personal agenda against me has grown tiresome.”

In addition to voicing continuing budget concerns about large increases in town personnel salary and benefit costs, Petersheim in December spoke against the board’s appointment of former town assessor Lorry King.

In January, an unattributed Facebook page titled “T.U.F.F.SullivanCounty” appeared and was followed subsequently by three broadsides to local postal customers. Many of the positions in the mailings and much of the documentation on the Facebook page have mirrored those Petersheim presented in his comments before the zoning, planning and town boards.

In addition to criticism of town officials, unattributed comments on the T.U.F.F. (Taxpayers United for Fairness) page also have repeatedly criticized this publication.

In January, it alluded to an elitist anti-business cabal including in part, the “… Boyars, River Reporter and that anti-community group,” who differ from average residents, “who don’t vacation, don’t own multiple homes, and don’t eat out a lot.”

More recently, T.U.F.F. has named its latest mailing Highland Highlights, as “an alternative voice” to TRR, which it charges “…at this point completely lacks a journalistic compass.”

The T.U.F.F. page had drawn 512 “likes,” as of Februrary 23, but its mailings have drawn questions and criticism in visitor comments.

The page’s unattributed criticism prompted concerns about its anonymity.

While she supported efforts to encourage new business, Rose Lear Hammel wanted to know “who is behind TUFF... ”

Michael Tambasco wrote: “I have no problem with people disagreeing with local government practices, but the recent mailings that have been sent out are outrageous! If you disagree, then campaign for your ideas, but have the courage to tell people who you are!! Anonymous mailings are the tactics of a coward!!!”