Re mag n ng Snow

By Tom Stern

'Twas the night before Christmas and Council chambers were packed a huge snowfall hit Ithaca pedestrians were on the attack.

The people without cars arrived by snowshoes and skis over sidewalks buried deep to make their pedestrian pleas.

As in many winters past Council turned a deaf ear 'talk to the property owners it's not our problem to hear.'

A dozen teens stood up front with shovels in hand and offered city leadership their snow removal plan.

Through social media they reached hundreds of their peers all ready to clear snow from neighborhoods far and near.

They asked only for a living wage to heave all that weight paid through the public works budget flush from a high vacancy rate.

But without a set plan cast before their eyes hard data, committee reviewed Council offered only sighs.

Teens then passed out a thick report explaining that they were the committee who mastered the logistics of snow removal in the city.

Thumbing through the pages Council couldn't help but be impressed what took them years to study the kids took only days to address.

Yet, a steely councilwoman in the appendix, noted that an outside advisory group had been often quoted.

Which, for her, raised a red flag about influence undue. that the report was now tainted with ethics violations all through.

The crowd was at first shocked then some anger did erupt at the suggestion that the kids were corrupt.

A guy from Public Works quickly stood and eloquently made the case “that the teens did everything right many meetings with us, face to face.

“It's really a no brainer since we're short of staff and I don't know a family with teens that couldn't use the extra cash.”

A teen then stepped up: “If ethics is really your concern then you best check in with us for what you all need to learn.

“We can work together without dysfunction too bad you all don't have that same compunction.

“My neighborhood is going down little by little, piece by piece not being on your agenda doesn't provide for much relief.

“So take our gift horse staring you in the face it doesn't cost much to turn the tide of disgrace.

“Kids shoveling snow it doesn't get simpler than that a community response to a city wide problem it'll get you back on track.”

The teen then turned back to the crowd cheers were ringing out pretty fast and pretty loud.

Council members were a bit stunned some taken aback never thinking they'd be schooled by a teenage rap.

The City Attorney whose pride was to read a room leaned into the mayor with a whisper which she then sang like a tune.

Although short in stature the mayor was mightily composed on her tiptoes she stood above the crowd she rose.

To make a motion for executive session a second was murmured into the air Council voted in unison to move this business elsewhere.

They smiled at each other glad for a problem unvexed claiming a real estate issue They had their pretext.

Council snaked quickly through the crowd one could hardly believe the stepping on each other's heels In their hurry to leave.

The teens looked at each other wondering what they just wrought but they got moving themselves not giving the adults much thought.

For on this night before a holy holiday their work waited below. come hell or high water they were going to reimagine the snow.