POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro said on Tuesday had County Legislator Joel Tyner simply apologized, there would have been no need for the county legislature to censure him.
His fellow lawmakers were critical of Tyner’s comments at a public meeting
of the Democratic caucus in which he made what Molinaro characterized
as “inappropriate, disrespectful and hurtful” comments to
county DPW Commissioner Robert Balkind.
The Republican county executive said there was “a clear unwillingness
to simply admit the comments were wrong” and there was “no
attempt to make amends.” Molinaro said Tyner also made “a
choice to fan the flames of discord rather than strive for civility.”
Civility is discussion and debate “… is no weakness and to solve problems and mold consensus it should remain a hallmark of our service together,” Molinaro said.
The county executive quoted from the book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, written by Robert Fulghum: “Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.”
