Questions arise about Green Briar Adult Home residents

MILLBROOK— A convicted felon was living at the Green Briar Adult Home until recently. He is now housed in the Dutchess County Jail, awaiting a trial date. No bail has been set.

Louis Cortalano, 57 at the time of his arrest, was living at the Green Briar Adult Home, located at 26 Old Route 82, Millbrook. 

Joan LaCasse, owner of the Blue Barn B&B, at 62 Old Route 82, was gardening behind the home on July 4. On July 6, she realized some items were missing, and she checked the photo clips from her CCTV camera. 

“Clips from July 4th showed me a man unknown to me walking in my front door and leaving with a Stewart’s bag,” she said.

LaCasse then reviewed the outdoor cameras and saw the same man, with another man, walking toward her house from the traffic turnaround on Route 343. Walking part of the way around her property, apparently checking it out, one man entered the house while the other man stayed behind the fence and appeared to be a lookout.

LaCasse said that immediately upon seeing the tape she called the New York State Police. Officer Kate Gorey responded, and then called Investigator John Reppucci. He apprehended and arrested the suspect, Cortalana, at the Green Briar Adult Home.

This might sound like a simple burglary: someone entered a home and stole two bottles of bourbon. The door was open, there was no break in. So why was it so alarming?

LaCasse answered that question. Cortalano is a two-time convicted felon. He spent 14 years in prison, convicted of first-degree burglary. He had a rap sheet with dozens of arrests on it.

According to police, in 2003, Cortalano kidnapped a woman while in the process of committing a burglary in her home. He forced her to drive to an ATM, withdraw money, and take him to a train station, all at knife point. He was later apprehended and arrested, tried and convicted.

LaCasse was home at the time of the burglary, but working in her garden. She and her neighbors are shocked and fearful that a convicted felon was lurking in  their neighborhood.

Other incidents with Green Briar residents that have been spoken about publicly, but not reported to the authorities, include one local man who was napping, awoke and found a Green Briar resident entering his home. The Greenbriar resident was reportedly elderly and confused, and the homeowner walked him back to the adult home premises.

Another neighbor found a man in his garage; he got him to leave without incident. 

Others complain about having Green Briar residents trespassing on their property and littering, often with beer cans and alcohol containers. Until now, it seemed more of a nuisance than a possibly dangerous situation. Neighbors said they don’t wish the innocent residents any trouble, but they did ask questions: Who are these residents? Where do they come from? How are they vetted -— or are they vetted?

Green Briar describes itself in its advertising as an adult home facility. It is a 53-bed facility, with primary government licensing, supervision and inspection. It is located in the R1-H zoning district, in the town of Washington, and has limited use.

In fact, according to long-time residents, the home was originally a single-family home. At one point upper-floor rooms were rented to older members of the community.

Much of the expansion was accomplished prior to the 1969 through 1972 comprehensive plan. The present use, unless grandfathered in, would not otherwise be allowed.

Concerns about the adult home have arisen at both Village and Town Board meetings.

Property owners have said they are concerned about the safety of town and village residents, as well as the residents of Green Briar who may be exposed to dangerous elements. 

There is also concern that municipal resources, such as law enforcement, the fire department and the rescue squad, might be over-burdened at times by calls from Green Briar, not all of which have been deemed necessary.

Records obtained from Dana Smith, commissioner of Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response, show that from 2008 through August 2018, total ambulance call dispatches were 4,210 in the town of Washington; 1,106 were from Green Briar. Green Briar’s call volume was 26.3 percent of the total, while it is only 1.1 percent of the total population.

Questions about supervision and staffing have also been raised. In March, Green Briar employee Curtis J. Shultz, 59, of Millbrook, was arrested and charged with sexual assault on a bedridden patient. He also remains in jail.

Since this has come to the attention of citizens and municipal leaders, including town Supervisor Gary Ciferri, Millbrook Mayor Rodney Brown and Dutchess County Legislator Deirdre Houston (R-25), it is expected that more information about Green Briar, its residents, vetting process and licensing will be looked into. 

Green Briar owner Eileen Berenyi met with local officials and board members on Wednesday, Sept. 12, at Town Hall in a closed meeting. Houston, Ciferri, Town Clerk Mary Alex, along with Brown, and Town Councilman Mike Murphy were present. 

They reported that Berenyi listened attentively to the complaints, and is willing to investigate them. She will reportedly look into hiring persons who are certified to lift patients, and perform other duties to keep Emergency Medical Services (EMS) calls to the town reasonable.

Clients, or Green Briar residents, are referred from many different sources. Veterans,  looked after by veteran agencies, are among the clients. 

Some are worried about traffic in the area, and about residents having to cross Route 82 in order to catch the bus into town. At the request of the town, the bus will now pass Green Briar and stop for residents who wave it down.

A recent unannounced visit to Green Briar by Councilmen Murphy and Tom Fiore showed that the home itself was clean and in good repair. 

Ciferri said that another meeting with Berenyi, a non-confrontational and friendly meeting with the public, may take place later this fall.

Multiple requests for comment made by The Millerton News to Berenyi  and Green Briar Adult Home Manager Brenda Melton have gone unanswered.