Feed the city government

Monday’s Vancouver City Council discussion about the changes to citizen communication was all over the map — and topics got so wide-ranging, they eventually landed on the dinner table… and “blackout in a can.”

As the council discussed the 90-minute citizen forums they’re likely to begin hosting every two weeks, City Manager Eric Holmes interjected his own personal needs: A half hour break between workshops and the start of the regular meeting.

“I don’t know about you guys,” he said. “But I get a little cranky when I’m really hungry.”

“I get cranky too,” Councilor Jeanne Harris said.

And since no one wants a cranky city manager or a grouchy Jeanne Harris, the council paused and agreed they should break for a half hour between workshops and start of the consent agenda meeting at 6:30 p.m.

At the end of the workshop, they confirmed the 6:30 p.m. start time so they could eat.

“We need to be able to nourish ourselves, our brains, so we can communicate with our citizenry effectively,” Mayor Tim Leavitt said.

“I’ve got a couple energy drinks for ya,” Councilor Larry Smith offered.

To which Leavitt replied: “Oh, like Four Loko, you ever drink that Four Loko?”

Everyone laughed. But no one said they had. Which is too bad, because I suspect that would fuel many a blog post.