When former Peterborough County Warden Joe Taylor invited me for lunch, I never expected him to quote poetry. As he reflected on his soon-ending political career, that’s exactly what happened.

Currently mayor of Otonabee-South Monaghan, Taylor has served two terms as a ward councillor, two as deputy reeve then two as mayor. And it’s time for him to move on.

Unlike many politicians, he sees his “best before date” when he looks in the mirror. At age 72, he’s proud of the shared accomplishments of the councils on which he has served.

However, after 22 years of politics, it’s time to fish more and take fewer angry phone calls.

“Some people will dance when they hear I’m going,” Taylor said as he awaited his pulled pork sandwich. “Some will be disappointed and some won’t care.”

He remembers how only one seat was open to voting in the 2022 election. With four out of five council members acclaimed, voters barely had a reason to go to the polls.

As a township resident, I almost stepped into the race to give voters another option. Thankfully, common sense prevailed.

Instead, I signed up to serve on the township’s Parks and Recreation Committee for a four-year term. During that time, I learned that the pace of public office does not suit me.

But others may be tempted. Taylor is making his intentions known early so prospective candidates know there’s at least one open seat. Then they can handle the complaints about two large developments that have not gone well and the extra traffic pounding some roads that were not upgraded before the additional cars came along.

Taylor has already ridden the never-ending learning curve and expectations from the public. Rather than embrace social media, Taylor is choosing to step out of the limelight. He is grateful for his wife Karen’s support over the years, but she deserves a break too.

While other leaders see themselves as key to an organization’s success, he gets that he is just one piece of the puzzle. And he reflects on a set of verses by Saxon White Kessinger that hockey legend Bobby Hull shared with him decades earlier.

Hence, the recitation of poetry in the midst of Chef Basel’s busy dining area.

Sometime when you’re feeling important;


Sometime when your ego’s in bloom;


Sometime when you take it for granted,


You’re the best qualified in the room.

Sometime when you feel that your going,


Would leave an unfillable hole,


Just follow these simple instructions,


And see how they humble your soul.

Take a bucket and fill it with water,


Put your hand in it up to the wrist,


Pull it out and the hole that’s remaining,


Is a measure of how much you’ll be missed.

You can splash all you wish when you enter,


You may stir up the water galore,


But stop, and you’ll find that in no time,


It looks quite the same as before.

The moral of this quaint example,


Is to do just the best that you can,


Be proud of yourself but remember,


There’s no indispensable man.

Oh, how I wish other politicians would embrace this philosophy.

Like Taylor, I believe in renewal when veterans leave room for new voices to arise. That cannot happen if the same people linger, thinking they cannot be replaced.

Sure, Taylor takes pride in the new fire halls and the upgrades to the Otonabee Memorial Community Centre. Mostly, he’s delighted at how the township managed to pay off these projects without saddling taxpayers with more debt.

That’s enough of a legacy for him.

© Peterborough Examiner