A Sooke councillor says he is being censored by Mayor Janet Evans simply for trying to do his job.
But Evans says she is fed up with Coun. Herb Haldane's bullying.
Haldane said he is not being given information he has requested and staff have been told not to deal with him directly. He says he is being stonewalled because he is not falling lock-step in line with the mayor's agenda.
Haldane said in camera meetings are being held in an effort to reach consensus on items before their discussion at council and he sometimes finds himself in disagreement with the majority of council.
"If you don't believe in what you're selling, you shouldn't have to sell it," Haldane said. "That's the case that we're running into with this stuff and that's where I'm banging heads."
He said he has had difficulty obtaining information about the agreement between Sooke and Prestige Hotels, which is building a hotel and a conference and banquet facility.
Haldane has received an email in which Evans says she has told municipal staff not to interact with him and that all of his inquiries must go through her or municipal chief administrative officer Evan Parliament.
"On behalf of all of council and staff, we have had it with your bullying, abuse, harassing, and blatant disregard for anyone who disagrees with you," Evans wrote. "In two short years, you have successfully alienated and pissed off the following: 1) fire department; 2) RCMP; 3) council; 4) staff; 5) CRD; 6) the public," she said in the email.
"We are not talking politics here. We are talking about respecting and listening to people. Treat people the way you would wish to be treated.
The email continued: "We are talking about collaboration and consensus-building. That is the role of elected officials. We are not some construction crew you can scream, threaten and bully."
Haldane maintains he hasn't bullied anyone and that Evans does not want to provide him with some information related to in-camera council discussions.
Evans told the Times Colonist it is unfortunate that Haldane went to the media with her email.
"This needs to be resolved internally," she said. "Harassment and bullying in the workplace is a serious issue and ... I have to act on it."
Haldane says he is not guilty of bullying or harassment. While Evans says in her email that he's threatened the jobs of several staff, Haldane denies it.