A local Mayor has been publicly reprimanded by fellow councillors and ordered to formally apologise for his behaviour.

Grant District Council Mayor Richard Sage has been directed to apologise for comments regarded as disrespectful, derogatory and demeaning.

Councillor Gill Clayfield raised the issue at a recent meeting, stating Mayor Sage had spoken in breach of his role.

She alleged the comments made at a September council meeting were in reference to Cr Shirley Little’s husband, Don.

“I believe that Mayor Sage has breached a code of conduct of the Local Government Act. The Mayor was questioned about a conflict of interest. Instead of answering the question, he deflected to Cr Little,” she said.

“The Mayor spoke about her husband in a derogatory and demeaning manner. Being an employee of the council, this was inappropriate.

“I believe the comments were meant to be humiliating and embarrassing for Cr Little who was not a part of the question asked towards the Mayor.”

Cr Clayfield said she had addressed the issue via email to the Mayor before raising the matter at council’s October meeting.

“This has not been forthcoming either at a meeting or directly to Cr Little,” Cr Clayfield said.

“I believe (Mayor Sage’s) behaviour has been out of line with the expected behaviours of the council and has been most unbecoming as role as Mayor.”

According to Cr Clayfield, Mayor Sage was in breach of the Local Government Act and Code of Conduct for council members.

“Although this reprimand does not come with disciplinary action, it sends a message to our community of ratepayers and to the staff that we do not accept that behaviour and we are prepared to call it out,” she said.

Cr Clayfield moved that elected members reprimand the Mayor for his disrespectful behaviour towards a councillor, employee and elected member.

It was also moved the Mayor write to Cr Little, Mr Little and their family and for the apology to be read at the next ordinary meeting and reported in the local media.

Mayor Sage requested to speak in response to the allegation.

“With regards to the meeting, the comments that were made I do not think they were demeaning at all. They were not meant to be derogatory,” he said.

Cr Little said she felt Mayor Sage did owe her husband and other family members an apology.

“I think you were having a go at me and I do not like it. You have done a disservice to my family and to the council,” Cr Little said.

The Mayor asked for any other related business. While no other councillors had other matters to discuss, Mayor Sage raised an issue he had with Cr Megan Dukalskis.

“I seek an apology in relation to the retribution I received in relation to money unaccounted for from the council budget and that received media coverage,” Mayor Sage said.

Cr Dukalskis spoke in response to Mayor Sage’s request.

“I think now you are just playing tit for tat. We have gone through this before. There was a lot of money I was just querying,” she said.

Cr Barry Kuhl questioned the behaviour of elected members during the meeting.

“I’m sick and tired of the attitude in this council right now. I have sat here and listened to the carry on back and forth between elected members and the Mayor,” he said.

“What this staff must be thinking of how we are acting right now is like a bunch of kids in a school yard.

“It’s time we started to abide by the elected members charter and grow up and start acting like leaders in our community.”

The Mayor’s motion requesting for an apology from Cr Dukalskis was not supported by council.