"Making these complaints is far too easy in my opinion."
Both he and Mr Anderson were also concerned that Mr Hughes' opinion on the issue at stake - increasing the size of a culvert in Wikitoria Rd to reduce upstream flooding - was so different from that of engineers.
Mr Stevens' initial response to Mrs Baker-Hogan withdrawing her charge was to say she was just "making herself a hero to ratepayers" pre-election. But he said he would talk to Mr Hughes about the matter.
Hearing of the statement from the two other councillors, he said they should have come direct to him, rather than going to the Chronicle.
He was not willing to talk to Mr Hughes on a holiday long weekend.
And he was still adamant that Mrs Baker-Hogan should not have spoken the way she did in a public meeting. Her withdrawal had come too late, and she had not apologised.
"You don't slag people off in public. If you have a problem with performance, it should be directed to the CEO.
"If I had made that mistake I would've withdrawn the comment and given an unreserved apology. That's because I'm a gentleman."
Mayor Annette Main was bemused by the series of events. She said everything should have happened in official meetings - not through a newspaper.
The comment would have been withdrawn in a meeting today and the CEO would have advised councillors of his response tomorrow.
