PORT TOWNSEND — Three City Council members fired back Monday at a colleague who last week called them “godless heathen hippies,” saying he was acting unprofessional, divisive and inappropriately.

City Councilman Geoff Masci made the remark to Jefferson County Home Builders Association members during their monthly dinner meeting Thursday night at the Highway Twenty Roadhouse Restaurant in Port Townsend.

Masci’s remarks targeted fellow council members Kees Kolff, Michelle Sandoval and Freida Fenn, who are up for re-election this year.

“I find it disheartening that Geoff continues to be divisive rather than expanding his energy forming a cohesive council,” Sandoval said.

“The public deserves forward-thinking leaders that believe in public service that gets hard work done rather than lay blame on people or labeling.”

Masci, who said the council majority injected “aesthetic values” into the decision-making process, urged the homebuilders to support a slate of their own candidates.

Councilman Frank Benskin had joined Masci at the builders’ event to help explain the proposed reorganization of the city’s Development Services Department.

Neither Masci nor Benskin attended Monday night’s City Council meeting.

Recent retreat

Kolff recalled a recent City Council retreat during which council members spent several hours talking about rebuilding respect for each other.

“Many people in this town are working hard to rebuild respect and teamwork for the betterment of our community,” Kolff said Monday in a written statement.

“The City Council’s recent investment in a retreat was a part of that process.”

But during the homebuilders association dinner, Masci referred to the retreat — held at a Port Townsend hotel — as “a disciplinary action for Frank and I.”