Board members don’t have to agree, but they do have to be civil

We’ve said it before: If you are or want to be a public official, mind your manners and your temper. The behavior of some of our local politicians these days is both shameful and discreditable. They ought to know better — and deep down they probably do. So why, at a recent public meeting, did two councilmen get into a squabble so severe they nearly broke into fisticuffs?A more important question may be why does this type of behavior always seem to be happening in the same town? The North East Town Board just can’t seem to catch a break from the bad press — but that’s due solely to the actions of its members, who seem to have a hard time getting along. Yet it goes deeper than mere personality clashes; the discord on the board affects how business is conducted, how the town is perceived and if other residents will ever decide to dedicate their time to municipal causes in the future.Just last week, at a special Town Board meeting, Councilman Dave McGhee leaned forward, pointed his finger and antagonized Councilman Steve Merwin, baiting him into a screaming match. As town Supervisor Dave Sherman said, McGhee’s reaction was like a “flash of gunpowder” exploding. It was totally unacceptable behavior. Presumably it was because he did not care for what Merwin had to say. That’s unfortunate, but honestly, having different ideas is what open government is all about. Merwin had every right to offer his analysis, his opinion and his expertise (and there’s no denying that as a village highway crew worker and diesel mechanic he is an expert to the issue at hand — the purchase of a plow truck and related equipment).Yes, as a former county Department of Public Works employee and town highway superintendent, McGhee has expertise, too. But what use is it if he’s too riled up to express his thoughts?What’s unfortunate is that once egged on by Councilman McGhee, Merwin jumped right in, and the two men went at each other with a vengeance. This is no way for adults to behave. This is no way for the town to conduct business. Bottom line — this pattern of explosive behavior has to stop. Credit to Sherman, he tried to mediate, albeit he did not quite succeed, but it was a tall order in the heat of the moment.Here’s what people have to realize: It’s OK for people to disagree. And it’s OK for people to express their differences. It’s even OK for people to have spirited discussions regarding issues about which they feel strongly. But we all must behave with civility and decorum and show respect to one another, no matter how much our views may deviate.What doesn’t make sense is that in speaking with McGhee and Merwin, they both agree their behavior was juvenile, inappropriate and wrong. They seem to agree it’s important to allow everyone a chance to express their views in an open and respectful manner. As we all know, however, talk is cheap. What this town needs to see is those words put into action.If change does not come the following question will continue to loom large — if those whom we place our faith in to govern our towns and villages cannot manage to control their violent tempers, how can we trust anything they say or do? Our leaders need to shape up and show enough maturity to work collectively if they expect to garner our votes come Election Day. There’s enough conflict in the world as it is. Let’s have our governing boards cooperate while they do what they actively sought to do back when they were vying for office — help run our towns and villages to the best of their abilities with colleagues who are trying to do the same. A little teamwork can go a long way.