Despite flare-ups in animosity between council members on the Desert Hot Springs City Council, they are not willing to spend $17,500 for a consultant to teach them how to “get along.”

The tension between members reached a boiling point when the mayor was heard calling a colleague a “son of a bitch.”

Council members voted against approving a contract that would have hired a Napa-based firm to help teach team building skills and worked on their interpersonal relationships. The idea had been that the exercises would help the members learn how to work together. However, budgets remain tight and it was felt that the expenses could not and should not be justified to taxpayers.

Residents not only spoke out against the idea of hiring the consultant for anger management, but also notified the mayor and two council members of their intent to recall them. They served the notices of recall during the public comment portion of the meeting.

From the Desert News:

The City Council, which had developed a reputation for being contentious, opted Tuesday not to hire a consultant to teach them how to get along with each other.

City leaders instead decided to try harder to work together and not let personal disputes affect the way they run the city.

Read the full article here.