Tamworth Council Meeting or Reality TV? You Decide

Tonight’s council meeting had all the subtlety of a reality TV meltdown, with eye-rolls, sighs, and passive-aggressive glances flying across the chamber like designer handbags at a reunion special.

From the opening, the Mayor and General Manager teamed up like a pair of untouchable frenemies, subtly undermining councillors they didn’t like while keeping their closest allies firmly in the spotlight. Metaphorical weaves were snatched, insults were delivered with the politest of smiles, and the tension was palpable enough to cut with a butter knife.

One councillor, still firmly stuck in the late ’90s, made a bold declaration that blackberries were a weed that needed controlling, only to be corrected mid-meeting that they are actually native to Canada. The mix of indignation and confusion provided a rare moment of unscripted chaos.

Interruptions were treated with extreme favoritism. Mates of certain councillors could yell, interrupt, or hijack debates with zero consequence, while anyone else would be swiftly escorted out of the chamber. The message: alliances matter more than rules.

Drama peaked when a councillor who had repeatedly insisted they would never run for deputy mayor decided to throw their hat back in the ring anyway, seemingly driven by a strong distaste for public scrutiny. It was the political equivalent of a returning cast member no one asked for, but everyone watched unfold anyway.

The Mayor had a few classic moments too, including the awkward revelation that the public could see exactly who he was voting for. Cue the visible cringe as he backed his best mate on a motion, loyalty over optics, clearly.

Community forums became another battlefield. One councillor tried to limit public access, while another had to deliver the painfully obvious reminder that community forums are, in fact, for the community. Cue the Mayor’s exaggerated sigh and eye-rolls.

Meanwhile, a policy to make developer meetings public dragged on for over a year. The slow pace seemed almost deliberate, with the Mayor visibly irritated at the thought that some motions could affect him financially.

The final straw came when a councillor — widely regarded as the Mayor’s arch nemesis — proposed an amendment. The room tensed, eyes darted, and the Mayor’s annoyance reached levels usually reserved for high-stakes reality showdowns.

By the end of the night, alliances had shifted, grievances had been aired, and one councillor was still convinced blackberries were a weed. Another episode ended, but the drama, like council meetings themselves, is never really over.

Tune in next time for this completely made up and untrue story.