Order By Rule

Jeremy Grimaldi, the Aurora Banner reporter called this morning. He had been watching a video of the  committee meeting on Tuesday night and heard me use the word "Shut up" to Councillor Pirri.
I did use the word. But not by itself alone.
I was speaking to a staff  recommendation the town  spend $100,000 of the hydro  reserve fund; newly titled Council's Discretionary Reserve Fund;  $70,000  earmarked for a  contract manager  for twelve months to plan a twelve month extravaganza to celebrate the town's sesquicentennial.
In his role  of guidance and leadership the Mayor said;"The money is sitting in a bank account.  We are looking for ways to spend it."
I was perturbed. I had awaited my turn to be recognised by the chair. I had the floor.
Councillor Pirri decided he should interrupt  on a point of order.
To my recollection, the Councillor has yet to make a speech signifying any degree of passion.
He cannot  know how it feels to be interrupted in full flight of oratory.
In keeping with the rules.I stopped speaking. Councillor Pirri then launched into a rambling explanation of his point of order.
Now, out of order, I informed him a point must be stated clearly and succinctly..and then shut up.My voice raised at that point.
The process calls for a ruling by the chair.
"If   a rambling explanation is needed  ,it is not a point." I said.
Councillor Gaertner was in the chair. The storm raged over her head. 
"Alright then" said he.  Obviously not noticing the steam coming out of my ears,; he declared  " then it's a question of privilege"
A question of privilege is raised  when a Councillor believes his integrity has been impugned.
Councillor Pirri had spoken in favor of the recommendation.
As was his right.
The Mayor had stated  opposition to the recommendation simply boggled his mind. 
In his view  those opposing  did not wish to honor the town's history. About then he referred to having all that money in the bank  and looking for ways  to spend it..
I admit, there are times when my own mind balks at believing  what I am hearing.
It's like  my front- loading washing machine overloaded. The  pitch of the motor rises , the machine shakes and shivers and almost rocks . I hold my breath hoping for the cycle to end without the machine blowing apart.
It was at that point, Councillor Pirri decided to interrupt me.
Sometimes, it's more than a body can stand.
It"s not a classroom debate with  topic set by the teacher and students assigned to speak for and against.
Councillors are thinking on their feet. They must be prepared to argue  a position while also  prepared to listen, mentally list counterpoints or allow oneself to be persuaded. 
There is tension. There should be tension. .
Nine people at the table have responsibility to cover every aspect of the question. Listening is  important.
Nothing trumps listening.
A pact formed beforehand is a hindrance to listening and being prepared to change one's mind.
Interrupting with a specious point of order or question of privilege, not knowing which, not only contributes nothing to the debate, it  risks causing  the machine to blow apart with various parts flying into orbit and landing who knows where.
To quote the late Dick Illingworth on making a point of order; "Stand up,speak up and shut up"
Before we had microphones , we rose to address the chair.
From that comes the expression " thinking on one's feet".
It's a skill that must be learned. And having been learned, it's hard to shake.