Safety commissioner says he does not owe Saratoga Springs mayor an apology

The Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner, Jim Montagnino, said he does not owe the mayor an apology following two arguments filled with profanities.

13Investigates shared a newly released recording of Mayor Ron Kim’s tirade.

Since then, Montagnino said he’s only talked to Kim on a professional level. He explained to 13Investigates why he recorded the phone conversation.

“I felt at the time it was necessary and prudent to record that conversation,” he said.

Montagnino said he does not owe the mayor an apology, but he would like to move on from this.

“Quite frankly, I have nothing to apologize for. I was the recipient of his curse-ridden trade.”

The phone conversation was sent to 13Investigates by a source in the Republican Party, who got it through the Freedom of Information Law, or FOIL for short.

These two arguments started after Kim said he felt nothing was being done by Public Safety after he received an email from a resident that read: “Just resign. It will be better for you in the end.”

Kim forwarded the email to the Saratoga Springs police chief, and Kim wrote: “This is a veiled threat to my personal safety by an individual who I know to have made these types of threats in the past to members of the city council. “

Kim told 13Investigates that phone calls were also being made to a family member, which concerned him.

Montagnino said he recommended Kim fill out a police report, which was reviewed by police, but he said Kim was not satisfied and flew off the handle.

“We understand that there are pressures in public service, and sometimes people aren’t up to standing up to the pressure, and I think that’s what happened with the mayor that day,” he said.