Livermore Falls Town Manager Jim Chaousis did a very classy thing Monday night. He apologized, in public, for his bad behavior following a selectmen’s meeting on June 7.

A heartfelt apology can be difficult to verbalize, and doing so in public makes it tough duty.

Chaousis was tired and upset when he screamed at a group of people standing in the parking lot outside the town office two weeks ago. Tired because his newborn daughter had just come home from the hospital, and upset because his wallet had been stolen from his office.

There’s not a person alive who can not relate to over-reacting to something when tired and upset, so Chaousis’ outburst — while inappropriate and unprofessional — was human. His apology was sincere and accepted by at least one of the people subjected to his rant.

The State Police investigation into the stolen wallet should continue on course, as should any investigation into threats Chaousis is alleged to have made to townspeople.

But, as far as smoothing the working relationship between Chaousis and citizens, an apology was the right thing to do.

Maybe it’s a Livermore Falls thing?

Last April, the RSU 36 Board of Directors held an illegal executive session to interview and then hire a school superintendent. The Sun Journal objected to that meeting, because notice of the meeting was not properly posted as required under the Maine Freedom of Access Act, and we were told that the meeting was legal and that the law permits board members to call an executive session without posting the meeting, which they’ve often done in the past.

When the school superintendent and board Chairman Ashley O’Brien recognized their error the next day, they both personally apologized to Sun Journal Staff Writer Donna Perry and O’Brien followed up by apologizing again in public at the next board meeting.

It was, like the move by Chaousis, a real show of class to publicly acknowledge the error.

In both cases, the lessons learned and the pledges to improve relations are more important than the transgressions.