PORT TOWNSEND — Mayor Catherine Robinson on Monday night reprimanded fellow council member Geoff Masci for calling some other council members “godless heathen hippies,” and she threatened punitive action against city leaders who repeat such conduct in the future.
Masci drew fire from his colleagues after his remarks Feb. 24 to the Jefferson County Home Builders Association during a monthly dinner meeting.
The remarks, he said, were aimed at council members Kees Kolff, Michelle Sandoval and Frieda Fenn, whose council positions are up for re-election in the fall.
The veteran councilman said later that he made the remarks because he feels shut out of the council’s decision-making process.
“(Masci) had no right whatsoever to selfishly malign those who serve with him and represent the community to the best of their abilities on this council,” Robinson read from her signed letter to the council Monday night.
“In the future, if any council member takes any such action, I will bring to council a motion to suspend that council member from city representation on any outside committee or board for at least three months.”
The three council members last week responded to Masci’s comments, calling him unprofessional, divisive and acting inappropriately, but none suggested punitive action like Robinson did Monday night.
The mayor’s position is honorary, appointed by the council.
During the meeting intermission, Masci said he had “no rebuttal.”
