Another said it was "a dog’s breakfast".
Frustration was brewing at yesterday’s Dunedin City Council meeting, much like the storm clouds grumbling outside.
Somewhat appropriately, there was discussion about the sky falling.
What councillors were really talking about was the council’s grants review and the perhaps temporary sidelining of community representatives from grants decision-making.
It turns out a grants subcommittee could be reconstituted and, if it is, some people might be spared the sorts of scenes they endured yesterday.
Tension built while the council made its way through a series of similar items — rates relief grants, waste minimisation innovation and development commercial grant applications, and grants allocated $5000 or less.
Proposed amendments came and went, and then there was the grants review update itself — several councillors had had enough.
"To be honest, I feel actually sick to the stomach," Cr Mandy Mayhem said.
"I feel like things have been very chaotic today."
"Today, to be quite frank, has been a dog’s breakfast, in my mind.
"From my experience as a past member of the grants subcommittee, none of the community reps who sat around the table with me and others would’ve tolerated the mess that we’ve witnessed today."
Cr Russell Lund had signalled he wanted the grants review to "lie on the table, until we receive clarity around the recent local government directives from central government".
Uncertainty abounded as the government imposed reforms.
"But the one thing that we are aware of is that we’re going to have to make radical and significant cuts to spending in almost all areas, and this will absolutely impact on policy and criteria around grants."
Cr Lund went on to say "the sky will not fall in if we delay the review process".
Cr Marie Laufiso said she and other people were frustrated by how long it had taken to reach this point.
"The sky is already falling in and has been falling in for generations for some of our communities and whānau.
"I don’t personally care about the money.
"People value the dollars, but we have to value our people and our people’s wellbeing."
Cr Brent Weatherall said the grants review had to be based on prioritisation of need.
"We cannot play Father Christmas here."
Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker said her priority was to get the review done.
The council voted 13-2 to carry on with the review and to consider the possibility of reconstituting the grants subcommittee.
Crs Lund and Lee Vandervis were against.
