Mayor de Blasio on Friday hailed retiring Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty — a well-regarded municipal employee for over half a century — as a “living legend.”
Hizzoner praised the 75-year-old plow king at a retirement party for staying in his post through the winter.
“It would have been perfectly legitimate to say, ‘Mr. Mayor, with all due respect, no way,’ ” de Blasio said.
The harsh winter threw a lot at Doherty, who started as a low-level sanitation worker in 1960 and went on to serve two stints as commissioner.
“If I knew it was going to be as tough as it was this winter, that might have been a ‘no,’ ” Doherty said.