While his call for an apology didn鈥檛 officially hit the agenda, Coun. Stephen Hammond accepted one proffered during Victoria council鈥檚 Feb. 5 committee meeting.

Robert's Rules allowed for Mayor Maryanne Alto to have Coun. Jeremy Caradonna address the motion, as the person involved.

Caradonna took that opportunity to read a statement, apologizing to Hammond and secondarily to Coun. Marg Gardiner and council as a whole for statements made during the Jan. 23 committee meeting.

That day, Hammond put forward a motion to "put a stop to one-sided advertising regarding the referendum" and voiced concerns about the advertising for the pool project. It was a motion Gardiner supported, and Caradonna strongly disagreed with.

His comments that day included calling his fellow councillor a liar, and subsequently, Hammond posted a late motion calling for an apology on the Jan. 30 committee meeting. It didn鈥檛 make the agenda but later appeared at the Feb. 5 meeting where Alto allowed Caradonna to first address the issue.

鈥淭he debate became overly personal and I take responsibility for, and lament my use of ad hominem comments 鈥� in particularly the use of the words liar, fishy and other comments that were offside. Specifically, I wish to retract my expression that Coun. Hammond is a liar. He is not,鈥� Caradonna said.

鈥淚n that debate, I fell short of my own expectations.鈥�

He reiterated concerns that council should avoid criticizing staff and maintain integrity, noting concerns regarding the referendum could have been raised months ago. He noted his comments were 鈥渙ver the top and offensive in the choice of wording.鈥�

鈥淧lease do accept my sincere apologies,鈥� he said.

Hammond accepted the apology, removing the item from potential discussion on the agenda.

鈥淚 believe the apology was sincere,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 look forward to continued better decorum in the future.鈥�

鈥� with files from Bailey Seymour