Collingwood Councillor Ian Chadwick was on the hot seat on Monday.

Chadwick was criticized by some members of council for comments he wrote on his blog about traffic safety.

Chadwick feels that there are too many speeders on Collingwood side streets and felt traffic calming devices such as speed bumps would help.

"Every time I raise the issue of putting speed bumps on Collingwood's streets, I get treated to a lecture about how these are liabilities for the town, and how inconvenient they are for staff driving or especially when plowing our streets," he said.

This prompted a response from Ed Houghton, executive director of public works.

"I don't view the safety of my staff as inconvenient," Houghton said.

Houghton read a written report from Ted Prokopec, one of the town's consultants.

Prokopec said there are two types of traffic calming devices, speed bumps and speed humps. He said speed bumps would not be recommended on Collingwood streets and speed humps are only recommended on streets that have less than 3,000 cars a day.

This would not include First Street (33,000), Second Street (4,000), Third Street (3,200) or Sixth Street (6,000), among others.

Houghton felt drivers would "quickly adapt their habits and drive on one of the busier streets."

Houghton said in order to fully investigate the issue, the earliest he could bring a staff report back to the table, would be 2009.

"I'd like us to seriously investigate some traffic constraints we can put on residential streets," Chadwick said.

Counc. Tim McNabb was against the idea of speed bumps.

"I hate speed bumps," he said. "I see it as a big pain in the backside. If you put speed bumps in, I am going drive around them, somewhere else."

Counc. Mike Edwards then said he was disappointed with the criticism of staff in a public forum.

Mayor Chris Carrier then criticized Chadwick for his blog post.

"To openly criticize our staff and question their motivation is completely inappropriate," he said.

"When you are right you are right and when you are rude you are wrong. It's about two years left, a little more courtesy could go a long way."

Council defeated a motion to bring forward a staff report on speed bumps on town streets by a vote of 7-1.

Counc. Norman Sandberg told The Connection he feels staff and council members should not attack one another in public.

"In my opinion, members of council and staff, should respect each other enough to express their opinions on the issue at the council table," he said.

Sandberg said that the validity of the issue was hidden behind "personal attack."

"With caustic personal attacks and opinions on the issue, the view point that is so often valid, is lost," he said.

Chadwick told The Connection he felt the issue of traffic safety was ignored.

"I got frustrated by this," he said. "They get all riled up without reading the content. I will apologize to staff. I don't have to apologize to council for their interpretation. I got scolded for free speech. People get up on some sort of high horse."

Chadwick then criticized Mayor Chris Carrier, saying in the past he "had a reputation for chastising and scolding staff."

Carrier said Chadwick's blog doesn't bother him, unless it criticizes town staff.

"I think it speaks more to his character than it does mine," he said. "It criticizes staff, I draw the line there."

To see Chadwicks blog, click the link provided.