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Kelowna city councillor apologizes for ‘inappropriate comment’ made at public hearing

Charlie Hodge made the comment during a public hearing Nov. 15.
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A Kelowna city councillor is apologizing for a comment he made during a Nov. 15 public hearing.

During a discussion about a 19-storey apartment tower planned for Bertram Street, it was brought up that the building would have bike storage on an upper floor, off of the main level, in an effort to deter theft.

“If I wasn’t a wise, veteran councillor I’d suggest that the solution to the bike theft in our apartments is a machine gun nest,” Charlie Hodge said at the meeting. “I won’t go there because I’m a wise, veteran councillor.”

Laughter was heard immediately after Hodge’s comment, but it was unclear who it came from.

The apology, however, came almost two weeks later when Hodge announced at Monday’s (Nov. 28) council meeting he would be speaking at a Nov.29 public hearing.

Tuesday evening, the veteran councillor did make a specific apology for the comments he made at the Nov. 15 public hearing.

“During the last public hearing I made an inappropriate comment regarding bicycle theft that I regret and that I apologize for,” he said. “This was an off-the-cuff comment that I realize now was a mistake and I take full responsibility. Again I apologize to the public and to my council colleagues. I apologize. I’m sorry.”

Mayor Tom Dyas thanked Hodge for the apology and adjourned the meeting.

Hodge garnered 11,374 votes during the 2022 municipal election just 156 votes more than Maxine DeHart, the eighth city councillor to be elected.

READ MORE: City of Kelowna seeks to steer youth away from ‘gang life’


@GaryBarnes109
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com

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Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Recently joined Kelowna Capital News and WestK News as a multimedia journalist in January 2022. With almost 30 years of experience in news reporting and radio broadcasting...
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