Police, then ARCHES were both called, and a member of an ARCHES clean-up crew removed the needles, which were later discovered to be in a plastic ziploc bag, unused, and capped. The citizen wrote an email to the city describing concern over drug contamination, potential Hepatitis exposure, needle removal protocol and training for citizens, should a member of the public come across needles.

Mayor Chris Spearman then wrote a short email, dated April 24, to council with the contents of the complaint to City Council telling them needle clean up is being dealt with, and that rumours in the community will persist, however council should know about investigations and their outcomes.

In a response back to the mayor, Councillor Joe Mauro wrote: “There are many other sides to your facts and what you claim as rumours which you and others tend to want to hide or keep out of the public.”

He then stated that he had spoken with the complainant and that in fact, he was not satisfied with the response from the city.

From there, the mayor told Mauro that “I don’t pass lies along to city council member and I don’t try to mislead city council members. I share the information that I believe to be true.”

Mauro disagreed with Spearman’s version of events, calling it “B.S.”

The mayor then wrote back, to Mauro on April 25, saying he was tired of his insults and insinuations.

“I work hard to make this city a better place and dedicate a lot of time and effort to doing so.

“You are the laziest person I have ever met. You (sic) attendance record is appalling. You contribute the least to council and openly and unethically criticize my work and that of other members of council.”

He goes on to write, “You really are a moron!”

The email from Spearman also references instances when Mauro voted against public art initiatives, like the one at the ATB Centre and indicates that he knows “nothing about drug addiction.”

“Every addict using the safe consumption facility is one less addict on the street. Every time an addict uses the facility means fewer needles distributed and less opportunity for needle debris in the community. The numbers are impressive. I have been to the safe consumption site and seen it in operation. It’s not perfect but it is a significant improvement and progress is being made.”

The mayor then accused Mauro of not working to find solutions and called him a “moron” a second time in the e-mail.

“You are just a political gull. You fly in every once in a while just to shit on the work that everyone else is doing. I understand now why you have never had a real job. You would be fired in a few weeks. Your lack of respect for others results in them not respecting you. That you haven’t understood that simple concept at your age is a reflection of your intellectual capacity. You truly are a moron!”

When asked about the veracity of the e-mail and whether he indeed wrote those words to Councillor Mauro, Spearman said he had.

“I’m surprised to see it coming out, but certainly a lot of frustration. That was at the end of April, and Joe was being interviewed by the media on motions that were lost, you know…I guess I don’t really want to comment much further, but certainly it’s frustrating that Mr. Mauro misses so many meetings, takes very little professional upgrading and he seems not informed on a lot of issues and that’s frustrating for me.”

And Spearman said it was also frustrating that someone leaked a private email that only he and Mauro had access to.

” I can guarantee you it wasn’t me.”

Spearman said that sometimes things get heated between individuals and harsh conversations are the result.

“I would say, is it professional to leak a conversation between two individuals?

“Councillor Mauro has always taken a different point of view from the majority of council. And while many of us are working together to improve the city and do things… and for the most part Councillor Mauro is not part of those conversations.”

Spearman added that there needed to be a higher level of commitment, and that he was disappointed that wasn’t occurring.

“I put a lot of time into this job, I take it very seriously. Probably a more than most people would… I’m regularly putting in 70 or 80 hours.”

He also questioned the motive for leaking the document on the day when Councillor Blaine Hyggen’s motion to direct ARCHES to restrict its needle distribution was being presented and debated.

Lethbridge News Now asked to interview Councillor Joe Mauro, however by the time Mayor Chris Spearman’s interview was completed, he had left council chambers.