MONTICELLO – Resident Ken Walter’s comments during Thursday’s Legislature meeting stoked a fire within District 7 Legislator Joseph Perrello, who responded to criticisms over the Adult Care Center’s (ACC) closure with a statement condemning protests that he blames for the closure.

The discussion also featured an emotional speech from District 5 Legislator Cat Scott who openly wept while retelling the story of how her mother passed away while a resident at the Care Center.

The fireworks were sparked during the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee meeting on September 3 when Walter said, “The current situation with the ACC, including the alleged vote to close it, is a result of the action of four legislators… I know some people don’t like to be in the hot seat, but you were elected and you took the position, and if you can’t stand it, we’ll take your resignation.”

“I’ve been listening to this stuff for the last four years about this nursing home,” responded Perrello, “and the only reason this place closed today is because of these people going down to New York City protesting against a CON [Certificate of Need] for the person that was running it.” He was distracted by a commotion in the audience and addressed it: “You sit down, you spoke enough already, I’m up to here with you people!”

Perrello continued: “I went out during COVID risking my life with Albee Bockman [a member of the Sunset Lake Local Development Corporation], and [former legislator] Ira Steingart, to find a vendor for this facility, and you people have the gall to go down to New York protesting against a vendor who’s doing a fine job.” Audible groans could be heard from several audience members in response to this statement.

“[Infinite Care] owns more than 25 nursing homes,” Perrello said, “And now guess what happens? We have nobody. So you have nobody to blame but yourselves why this place closed.”

“This thing failed,” said Walter, “because of one person who oversees it for four legislatures. And why did it increase so much it owed to the county over 2013 to 2026? Ask those questions Joe, that’s what you’re there for.”

As Public Safety Chair Luis Alvarez attempted to shut down the exchange, Perrello objected: “The cost of doing business in every industry has gone up a third… Everything costs money: salaries, benefits, you can’t sustain it.” Addressing those who have criticized legislators, Perrello said that the closure happened because the cost of doing business is “astronomical,” concluding that his critics might be retired and out of touch with current economic trends.