Burnside Councillor Lance Bagster seeks apology from CEO following heated exchange over leaked e-mail
THE chief executive of a major suburban council has questioned the mental health of a councillor and accused them of bullying and harassment in a leaked e-mail exchange.
THE chief executive of a major suburban council has questioned the mental health of a councillor and accused them of bullying and harassment in a leaked e-mail exchange.
In a series of communications this month, Paul Deb, from the City of Burnside slammed Councillor Lance Bagster over his choice of words to two ratepayers that the CEO had “….decided to step up to the mark” after intervening in a dispute over the construction of a traffic chicane.
“You have well and truly overstepped it (the mark) Cr Bagster,” Mr Deb wrote 30 minutes after Mr Bagster had accidentally cc’d him in on correspondence with the ratepayers.
‘You are on a first warning and are on Notice. Three strikes mate.”
Just over two hours later he had a more direct and explicit response asking Mr Bagster if he is “on your meds now?”
“If you hadn’t worked it out already, I’m not subordinate to you — this ain’t the army, buddy,” he wrote.
“Deal with that fact and one day we might get along. Probs not. Stop bullying and harassing me publically (sic). You are a very rude man who thinks that you can say anything and get away with it. Are you on your meds now? If not, you should be. By the way, you made that little gem known to many. Cheers mate. Paul”.
Cr Bagster told The Advertiser he would like an apology along with “a change in attitude” from Mr Deb
“It’s always his way or the high way ... I think that he’s actually the bully,” Cr Bagster said.
“All I want from him is an apology and change of attitude and we can all just get together as a happy family singing Kumbaya.”
Cr Bagster has asked Mr Deb be “called to account” but says Burnside mayor, David Parkin, is stalling in dealing with the matter.
Mr Parkin told The Advertiser the matter was “private” and he could make no comment.
“It’s got to go through the processes,” Mr Parkin said.
“There are a labyrinth of things that have to be done.”
Mr Parkin confirmed there would be a Code of Conduct raised against Mr Deb but that it would remain confidential and “could take months” to sort out.
In a written response Mr Deb said.
“I understand there has been a complaint made against me about this matter and as such no one (including me) may comment publicly as it may be a breach of the Employees’ and /or Elected Members’ Codes of Conduct. The outcome of any investigation will reveal the facts and extensive history of the matter.”