A quick nap at a July council meeting came back to haunt Port Alberni Mayor Mike Ruttan this week, when someone nailed a pillow and blanket to his picture on a municipal billboard.
The items, attached to his hands, were removed by city crews.
“Putting the blanket and the pillow there, it just shows that the community has a sense of humour,” said Port Alberni Coun. Denis Sauve, who saw a photo of the billboard on Facebook.
The mayor’s nap happened at a special meeting about sewage. It was also the city’s first time broadcasting a meeting live online, and some people looking in on the meeting noticed Ruttan snoozing.
“Talk about bad timing,” Sauve quipped. He said there is no reason to criticize Ruttan.
“You’ve got to understand, council is made of ordinary people,” he said. “The fact that one nods off just shows he’s human like anybody else, and that’s how I feel about it.
“At least I know he’s not a robot, so I’m happy.”
Council members put a lot into their jobs, Sauve said. “It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of time.”
Besides, Port Alberni has gained some profile as a result of the attention, he said. “You know, great. Any advertising about this city is good advertising — it puts us on the map.”
