During a break in today's meeting Mr Bentley told the Rotorua Daily Post the point of the petition was bring attention to Mrs Searancke's demotion.
"Glenys has done 30 years of service to this city and if this is the treatment of somebody that has always put Rotorua first then we are on a sorry road." Mrs Searanke said she was hurt that at the end of 30 years she had the positions of responsibility taken from her
"because I was part of a democratic group".
"I would have liked to end my career in that role."
Mr Bentley and Mrs Searancke acknowledged the petition would not change anything.
"Of course it won't," Mr Bentley said.
"It is the principle of the matter."
Mrs Chadwick and council chief executive Geoff Williams said the matter had been resolved months ago.
"We dealt with these matters confidentially and I don't see a call for her reinstatement and the matter is closed," she said.
"I'm not surprised, I knew it was coming and I'd rather deal with these things between councillors confidentially. I had the full support of most of the council."