After learning of the Waterloo Region District School Board’s $1-million boardroom renovation, Allan Cook emailed board trustees to register his outrage.

Specifically, the New Hamburg father took issue with the renovation coming at the same time the board adjusted school bell times to save $1 million in transportation costs.

“This is inexcusable and unjustifiable no matter how much you attempt to defend it,” he wrote in part.

“We’re not amused, not impressed, and not buying your B.S.”

Board chair Ted Martin responded, explaining that the money for the two items came from different budgets, not connected to each other.

An exchange followed, including a reply from Cook which was signed off “You suck” – a phrase that also peppered his original email.

Cook admits he was “incensed” when emailing Martin, but says he was surprised by the response he eventually received.

“You obviously lack the basic skills and knowledge necessary to carry on a conversation or to debate cogently,” Martin wrote.

Contacted by CTV News, Martin said it was the “You suck” phrase that prompted him to cut off the conversation.

“The first email asked some questions and said ‘You suck’. I responded to those questions and asked him to give me a call so we could talk,” he said.

“The second email then said ‘You suck’ – to which I said ‘Obviously this conversation is going nowhere, you don’t have the basic skills to have a conversation.’”

After three days, Cook responded to Martin’s email – copying CTV News, other local media and the rest of the trustees.

In the response, he said he “could have chosen less provocative language” but called Martin’s response an “arrogant and ignorant” one.

“No doubt you feel insulted and irritated by someone you believe is utterly ignorant of the realities you face,” he wrote.

“Good. Now you know exactly how the public at large feels about you, your fellow trustees, and your collective conduct and decisions.”

In an interview Monday, Cook said he understands what Martin was saying about drawing from two different budgets, but doesn’t feel that should matter to taxpayers.

“The public shouldn’t have to know about that. They shouldn’t have to care about that,” he said.

“Regardless of what budget some funds are in and other funds are in … as parents and taxpayers, we have been asked to put up with cut after cut after cut.”

Martin says Cook’s last response was “very lengthy and quite reasoned,” but maintains he sees no issue with his prior response.

“I responded initially very openly, gave answers to any questions he had, invited him to give me a call,” he said.

“When he just repeated ‘You suck’, that’s when I said ‘I guess the conversation’s over.’”