Ward 4 councillor Gloria Kovach is furious after being kicked off the Police Services board by her fellow city councillors.

"I felt a bit like being in asand box in kindergarten when somebody wanted all the toys. And unfortunately the mayor has her little group and gang of council that can vary between seven and eight members of council and it was a coup."

Kovach has sat on the board for eight years and was reappointed in 2010, but on Monday eight councillors voted to pull her from her post, while five voted against the move.

Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge says the decision is meant to give someone else a turn on the board.

While there had been earlier discussions about reducing her term, Kovach says when she was reappointed last year it was for a full four-year term.

But Farbridge says members of council saw things differently.

"Their understanding was that it was for that one year through that transition. So it's a year later and to be fair to those members of council who had also expressed interest, it was to reopen that process."

Ward 5 councillor Leanne Piper was behind the motion to remove Kovach from the position, and she then nominated herself for the job.

In an email sent to CTV News, Piper says it's unfortunate that the move is being characterized as personal, but that it's not unusual for council to reconsider decisions including committee appointments.

But Ward 1 councillor Bob Bell disagrees and is blaming bad leadership for the controversy.

"Yet another example of bad governance by the Farbridge administration, and it's not the first time that this has happened. Last month my council seat at Guelph Non-Profit Housing was removed forcibly."

The mayor says she takes responsibility for not clarifying the length of the now controversial appointment.

However the minutes of the original vote, which were distributed to council this week, clearly state both Kovach and Farbridge were unanimously approved for a four-year term.