Jack Moore: I will not step down

Henrietta Town Supervisor Jack Moore is under fire amid allegations that he made racist remarks in a town building last month, referring to African-Americans as "city cousins."

Henrietta Democratic Committee town leader Simeon Banister is demanding that Moore, a Republican, resign, calling his comments from April 10 "racist and reprehensible." And Monroe County Republican Chairman Bill Reilich, who is also the Greece town supervisor, said he thinks Moore should step down.

"When you're elected to represent the people, you represent all of the people," Reilich said. "This makes it challenging for Jack Moore to lead. It's not acceptable."

Moore acknowledges making the comments. He said they were not intended to be racist but adds, "I can see how they were taken that way."

"It was an insensitive remark and I regret making it," Moore said Wednesday morning. "On the positive side, it did make me aware of the need for sensitivity training for me and my employees."

Moore's voice was taped by a Department of Public Works employee on April 10. In audio obtained and first reported by WHAM-TV (Channel 13), Moore is heard criticizing the Affordable Care Act and says, "You don't know about cousins in the city? We get all kinds of them, they bus them out here, OK?" When a town employee asks about the health care law, Moore says, "This Obamacare, I think that's how we're going to pay for your cousins in the city.'

After overhearing Moore's comments from another room, 36-year town employee Donald Youngman decided to file a complaint with the Henrietta Board of Ethics.

That five-person board, ironically created by Moore, will meet in a few weeks to decide what, if any, action they will take.

Moore, 58, said he already has attended a two-hour workshop and had another on Wednesday. He said he will make diversity training mandatory for all full-time town employees.

"I do recognize that I may have offended some people in that way and that was not my intention and I apologize for that," Moore said.

He said he will not resign.

"I'm not a racist," he said. "You couldn't be a racist and build a business like I did."

Moore, longtime owner of Gro-Moore Farms in Henrietta, was elected town supervisor in November 2013 and is running for another two-year term this fall. He said he expects his remarks to follow him into the election. He stands by his accomplishments since taking office, but he said, "I'm sure I'm going to hear about my poor choice of words."

He did Wednesday night, during a town board meeting where roughly a dozen speakers stood before him, criticized his remarks, called him a bully and urged him to step aside.

"You don't make remarks like that," the Rev. Ruben Goff, 74, a 30-year resident of Henrietta, told Moore. "You are supposed to be our leader. ... Nobody should have to ask you to step down. You should step down on your own."

Cheers followed each speaker, as some in the gallery raised signs echoing the comments and urging board members to weigh in. There also was applause, and boos or boisterous opposition, for a handful who voiced support for Moore. After the overflow crowd quieted, Moore would calmly read the name of the next speaker but not respond.

After the last speaker finished, he addressed the audience: "Thank you for coming. Have a good night."

Banister, who was the first speaker at the town board meeting, said in an earlier statement: "There is no room in politics, or in our community, for the hateful and divisive words (Moore) spoke to public employees in a public facility. He owes the men, women and children of all races an apology — and we deserve his resignation. Henrietta is much better than Jack Moore and his inexcusable comments."

Matt Borkowski, leader of the Henrietta Republican Committee, planned to meet with Moore on Wednesday and hear his side of the story. He said he does not believe Moore is a racist.

"I've known him for a long time" Borkowski said. "What I saw on the news feed was insensitive. Racism is when you judge someone by their skin color. Supervisor Moore does not judge people on their skin color or sexual orientation."

Moore said the conversation was between himself and two town workers "at 7 in the morning in the highway garage."

"I take ownership of what I said," he said. "I never promised I'd be perfect. I have a lot to learn."

Reilich said he has no power in this matter.

"I can't fire someone," he said. "Ultimately, it's a decision Jack Moore has to make. My position is that he should step down."

Banister said he spoke to several town employees the past few months and says the sentiment is that Moore is a bully.

"This is a pattern of behavior," Banister said. "He's an equal opportunity bigot."

Banister referred to incidents where Moore ridiculed not just people of color, but made discriminatory remarks based on a person's sexual orientation and disability. He said calling on Moore to resign is not a partisan issue.

"He needs some time out of the limelight," Banister said. "He has injured his position to lead."

Moore confirmed that three town employees have filed Equal Employment Opportunity Complaints against him since he took office, although he said he couldn't comment on specifics.

"The complaints were not unexpected," he said. "When you apply business standards to government, you have to anticipate some employee discomfort."

JMAND@DemocratandChronicle.com

Includes reporting by staff writers Mary Chao and Brian Sharp.