A Rangitikei District councillor says Mayor Bob Buchanan should consider resigning for allegedly taping a private meeting about former chief executive David Christison.
Councillor James Allen told a council committee meeting in Marton on Thursday that Mr Buchanan hid a tape recorder under paper in an office being used to discuss
Mr Christison's personal grievance claim in June.
Mr Allen said he and councillors Bruce Gordon and Bob Major used the mayor's office, at Mr Buchanan's suggestion, for a meeting. The office was considered to be more confidential than their intended meeting room.
The three councillors had planned to discuss a report for the council regarding the chief executive's personal grievance.
This month the council agreed to pay $20,000 to the former chief executive, ending a long battle between Mr Christison and the mayor. The settlement closed the door on Mr Christison's personal grievance claim, but left ratepayers footing a bill of around $200,000.
In a copy of his speech handed out at Thursday's meeting, Mr Allen said: "I accepted his offer [of the mayor's office] and he [Mr Buchanan] then inquired as to when the meeting would commence, which was to be 9.30am.
"We did not arrive at the mayor's office until 9.45am. He welcomed us and left us to have the meeting. At 9.55am I heard a peculiar clicking noise emanating from the top of his desk and on further investigation discovered that a tape recorder had been placed under a sheet of paper in the paper tray in record mode.
"The clicking noise was indicating that the end of the tape had been reached."
Mr Allen said that after examining the tape, he reported the alleged incident to the council. He said the mayor told him he did not understand what he was talking about.
Mr Allen said he found the mayor's explanation and denial of intentionally taping a sensitive meeting to be unacceptable.
He challenged the mayor's integrity and leadership credibility, demanding that Mr Buchanan apologise to the council and consider resigning.
Mr Buchanan said he had no comment for the media.
"You have one version ... and that's all it was."
- NZPA
