Today's meeting...

...was a feisty one! There were feathers ruffled all around the chook-house and several startled cackles from those poked with pointed questions and it will be interesting to see if tomorrow's Southland Times carries the story behind any of them. I did my best to let some antiseptic light into the sometimes murkily-lit roost that is our debating chamber, but not every one saw it that way, as evidenced by the sharp drawing-in of breath and indignant shuffling from some of my fellow perchers. Still, I could be quite wrong and causing unnecessary angst with my interjections and propositions - if I'm off-track I'll soon hear about it.
Dave Kennedy made a very sound presentation to the Council during the public session this morning, on the reality of the Solid Energy proposals to mine Mataura and I was most impressed by his professionalism, as were the other councillors I spoke to about it. I think he has a great future in local body politics, based on what I saw today. Perhaps he'll take my seat from me in the next election. He's certainly no hot-head, unlike his boisterous brother-in-law :-)
The Council has plans for a round-table, 'clearing the air' show-your-cards 'hooeey' next month where all sorts of laundry can be aired and I'm looking forward to that cathartic event very much, though I expect to be on the receiving end of much of the barbed comment. In my view, a review such as the one planned is just what we need in order to progress the next half-term of the Council and make a good fist of it. I do think we have a good Council and that the councillors are good decision makers and worthy folk, and once we've burned some dross from our sometime thick hides with the caustic debate I'm expecting, we'll be a top team.