Palmerston North City Council has confirmed that this morning’s scheduled meeting was delayed after Mayor Grant Smith became lodged inside a sousaphone during what officials are calling a “light-hearted team-building exercise that escalated faster than expected.”
The incident reportedly occurred shortly after 9am, when councillors gathered outside the council building for a brief game of catch intended to “boost morale, improve communication, and justify the existence of the wellness budget.”
According to witnesses, the exercise began normally with a tennis ball, before someone allegedly suggested using “something more Palmy.” Within minutes, a sousaphone had been introduced, a councillor had wound up for what one staff member described as “a suspiciously athletic throw,” and the mayor had somehow entered the brass section head-first.
“Councillor Bowen has a strong throw,” said one witness, who asked not to be named because they still have to attend infrastructure meetings. “There was a noise, a flash of brass, and then the mayor was just sort of there.”
Council staff initially attempted to resolve the situation using standard procedures, including calling facilities management, forming a working group, and checking whether the sousaphone was listed as a council-owned asset.
After 40 minutes of discussion, the council voted unanimously to “acknowledge the mayor’s current position” and begin exploring “a staged extraction pathway.”
A council spokesperson said the mayor remained calm throughout the ordeal.
“He was understandably surprised, but still able to provide leadership from within the instrument,” the spokesperson said. “At one point he asked whether the 2027 Long-Term Plan had been approved yet, which shows a strong commitment to governance under pressure.”
Emergency services were not called immediately, as several councillors believed the mayor could be freed “with a bit of patience, olive oil, and a clear strategic framework.”
However, the situation became more complicated when someone accidentally blew into the mouthpiece, causing what witnesses described as “a low, civic-sounding honk” to echo across The Square.
“It was the most productive thing to come out of council in weeks,” said one nearby resident.
The Palmerston North Brass Band has since offered assistance, although only after confirming the sousaphone had not been damaged.
“We are deeply concerned for the instrument,” a band representative said. “Obviously we also hope the mayor is okay, but sousaphones of that condition don’t just grow on trees.”
By midday, council had placed traffic cones around the area and issued a public advisory asking residents not to approach the mayor, play requests, or ask him to comment on parking.
Despite the incident, officials say the mayor is expected to make a full recovery and may return to public duties later this week, provided he can be removed without triggering a second committee hearing.
Councillor Bowen has declined to comment directly, but sources say he has been asked to “please keep both hands visible during future team-building exercises.”
Council says it will conduct a full review into the matter, including whether large brass instruments should be included in future health and safety briefings.
In the meantime, the mayor has reportedly requested that his next public appearance be held “somewhere without a marching band.”