A little holiday fun

A municipal-themed poem! (That's fun, right? Right?)

Don’t worry, I’m not expecting anyone to read Council agendas and minutes on the first day of the new year! I had a little fun with the recent regional budget meeting and I thought some of you might appreciate this as well. I plan to share a more serious post on this later this month, but until then, enjoy a little holiday nonsense with my municipal rendition of ‘A Visit From St. Nicholas"‘ (a.k.a. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas):

’Twas the night before budget day, all through the region,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a pigeon.

The motions were listed in the agenda with care,

In hopes that just a five-percent tax increase was there.


The councillors nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of passed motions danced in their heads.

For budget day dawned with assumptions quite clear:

It passes with ease — as it does every year.


When out in local media there rose such a clatter,

I tuned into council to see what was the matter.

Away to YouTube I flew like a flash,

Opened agendas, prayed my laptop wouldn’t crash.


Council worked through many motions, 31 to be exact,

The police capital budget, up next, always passes, that’s a fact.

But maybe I’m just a pessimist, another naysayer,

Because, what’s this? A motion from Kitchener’s mayor!


He’s asking that council send the capital budget back to the WRPS,

“Return with something smaller, something without so much largesse.”

In Committee, that vote failed as it was tied.

Now at Council, that item needs to be ratified.


They’ve been meeting for 11+ hours, it’s getting late.

But, what’s this? The police capital budget fails 7 to 8!

Not so fast, first, staff request a break,

To figure out next steps as a lot is at stake.


The break now concluded, and who should appear?

Councillor Shantz joins in on Zoom, crystal clear.

But before we get to her, Mayor Foxton has something to say,

She voted in error, now switching to ‘aye’ from ‘nay’.


That changed the result — now eight votes to seven!

What was happening here? Oh, my heaven!

Then Shantz cast her vote, adding her support.

Nine to seven — but other councillors want to retort.


Concern filled the room, objections took flight,

“This doesn’t look good,” rang out through the night.

“A mockery of democracy,” Mayor Berry declared,

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” sounding scared.


Liggett stood firm, “I’m disgusted, disturbed,”

This potential “maneuvering of votes” left her perturbed.

Councillor Craig thinks this doesn’t follow the procedural bylaw,

Staff say that document doesn’t address ‘voting in error’ at all.


Salonen, James and Huinink are also bothered by all of this,

Claiming that it looks like something is amiss.

Some discussion followed about what should be done,

But in the end, the vote of 9 to 7 won.


By the slimmest of margins, the final budget was moved,

Seconded, carried, officially approved.

I suspect there will be more on this in the new year,

Until then, I hope your holidays were full of good cheer!

If you’re looking for a bit more context for the above poem, you can read my Bluesky thread on the Dec. 16th special council meeting. However, as I mentioned, I’ll also have an entire post about that meeting landing in your inboxes later this month.

If we have any creative writers out there, feel free to add your own verses in the comments. Happy New Year!