The ethics board unanimously recommended the private censure of local lawmaker
MALTA -- After a contentious exchange at a Town Board meeting with a town employee, Malta's ethics committee determined that a councilman has violated local ethics rules and recommended that he be privately censured.
The name of the councilman was redacted in findings from the ethics committee that the Times Union obtained through an open records request. However, the documents released by the town noted that the complaint was filed by the town's senior planner, Floria Huizinga, and that the violation occurred at an Aug. 18 meeting.
At the same meeting, Councilman Craig Warner could be heard speaking with frustration to Huizinga about traffic studies.
In that meeting recording, Warner told Huizinga, "You have to answer to me. Right? Right?"
Huizinga told Warner, "You don't have to be rude."
Warner responded, "I'm not being rude."
She then said, "I'm going to excuse myself before I lose my temper."
Warner shot back, "Please do," as she exited.
The next day, Huizinga filed a complaint with the ethics committee alleging that a town board member, referred to as male, "engaged in inappropriate and disrespectful behavior" at the previous night's meeting.
Al Ricci, the only other male council member who attended the Aug. 18 meeting, said Tuesday that he was not the subject of the complaint. Warner did not respond to a request for comment from the Times Union.
The findings revealed that the seven-member ethics committee voted unanimously that the board member violated Chapter 11 of the town's code, which requires officers and employees of the municipality "to act within the limits of their positional authorities and deal forthrightly and constructively with the public and each other."
The town board member was also found to be in violation of Chapter 29, which pertains to workplace conduct.
The findings noted that the councilman apologized to the employee "to the extent his behavior was misconstrued as harassment or threatening" and cooperated with the ethics committee's investigation.
The committee recommended he be "privately censured" and advised that "future similar actions and behaviors may result in more public and punitive remedial disciplinary actions."
Town board minutes for the Oct. 6 meeting show that the board, including Warner, unanimously accepted the ethics committee's findings.
The Times Union reached Huizinga for comment and clarity, but did not immediately hear back on the matter. Town Supervisor Cynthia Young would only say that the ethics findings were discussed in executive session and, therefore, she could not say what happened.
The ethics complaint accused the town board member of being "disrespectful and condescending" by "raising his voice in an aggressive and intimidating manner" and "leaning toward me and pointing his finger at me in a threatening gesture." The employee also accused him of "displaying argumentative behavior" that disrupted the meeting and created a "hostile atmosphere."
The ethics committee's findings noted that the councilman admitted "that he raised his voice during the workshop and pointed his finger, but stated that his actions were not directed at (the employee) and that his intent was to voice the objection of town residents."