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Resident presses mayor over social-media remark, mayor says comment was personal and apologizes for causing fear
Summary
At a public-comment period, resident Kate Telkie said a Facebook exchange—including a post by Luke Merrill and a mayoral reply—left her afraid for her children; the mayor said the post was on a personal profile, not an official statement, apologized for causing discomfort and offered to discuss it privately.
A resident publicly challenged the mayor on a social-media exchange during the Isanti City Committee of the Whole meeting, saying the mayor's online reply made her fear for her children's safety.
"So, the date of Charlie Kirk's murder, Luke Merrill made a post on Facebook... You replied that you're ready for a civil war," Kate Telkie told the committee, saying the remark left her afraid to send her son to school that day. Telkie identified herself and gave her address for the record.
The mayor responded that the comment appeared on a personal Facebook profile and not in any "mayor capacity," and said the phrasing was emotional reaction, not an official call to violence. "That's not exactly what I said... It's not in any mayor capacity," the mayor said, adding, "I apologize. It made you feel uncomfortable." The mayor also said the language reflected personal frustration and offered to discuss the issue with Telkie privately.
Telkie said she remained "terribly unsafe for my kids in this community" and urged the mayor to work on healing divisions rather than contributing to them. The exchange drew no formal action from the committee; the chair moved the meeting on to the next agenda item after the public-comment period ended.
The committee did not vote or direct staff on the matter during the meeting; the mayor and Telkie both suggested they would continue the conversation outside the chamber.
