ALFRED — A three-term member of the York County Budget Committee told county commissioners Wednesday that he wants an apology.

Dean LePage, who is also a three-term Limerick selectman, spoke to York County Commissioners during the public comment portion of their meeting, saying their censure of him and other budget panel members last summer has tainted his reputation.

The budget committee filed a civil complaint against the commission last fall, after the censure. LePage’s remarks came after a judge voided the commission’s censure of the board and ruled in the budget panel’s favor on other issues.

“I’m here to speak to you because I’m offended,” LePage said, in part. “I am troubled. Commissioners censured me a few months ago and this went on record as a public censure.

“I’m offended and my reputation has been tainted, and what I would like is an apology because this commission was wrong.”

LePage said he is an active community volunteer and noted that the budget committee work consumes many hours.

York County Superior Court Justice John O’Neil ruled March 10 that the York County Budget Committee must be free to work independently of York County Commissioners; that county commissioners can’t enforce a county ethics policy on the budget panel; and that commissioner’s July censure of the budget board is void.

In declining to sign the county’s ethics policy, budget committee members had cited a clause that they said would allow commissioners to overturn budget committee votes. The budget committee then adopted its own ethics policy and disclosures, without the clause but otherwise mirroring the county’s policy.

The county commission has 21 days from the date the ruling was issued to file an appeal.

Commissioners listened to LePage’s remarks Wednesday, but did not respond.

“I got the response I expected,” said LePage, after he left the meeting room. “Nothing.”

The July vote to censure the budget panel was 4-1, with Commissioner Michael Cote dissenting. LePage said his remarks, for the most part, did not apply to Cote, since he voted against the measure.

Some other budget committee members, including Chairman John Sylvester, Dwight “Chip” Venell and Richard Clark, were in attendance but did not address the board.

Later in the meeting, commissioners entered into an executive session to discuss communications from their attorney surrounding the budget committee ruling. They took no action.

County Manager Greg Zinser said commissioners understand the ruling and had individually reviewed it, but that the closed-door session was the first opportunity they’d had to discuss it as a board. That session came after LePage’s remarks.

“We respect the position of Mr. LePage, but they need to discuss (the decision) as a body,” said Zinser.

It is expected the matter will be discussed by the commission again, when it can meet as a full board. Commission Chairwoman Sallie Chandler was absent Wednesday and Commissioner Gary Sinden left for another appointment prior to the closed-door session on the court ruling.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.