PASSING – Former Kamloops City councillor John DeCicco passes away
John DeCicco and one of his Barbershop Polls. That’s the Armchair Mayor in the mirror, taking the picture.
Former Kamloops City councillor John DeCicco died yesterday (Monday, Jan. 22, 2024). He was 79.
DeCicco served on City council from 1999 to 2011. During that time, council spearheaded construction of the Tournament Capital Centre, the McDonald Park neighbourhood rehabilitation and other major projects.
He was a City council representative on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board, and was also active for years in the Colombo Lodge and other community organizations.
He was known as much for holding court at his Continental Barber Shop on Victoria Street as for his direct involvement in local politics. The barber shop was a popular place for discussing the issues of the day as DeCicco worked away with his scissors and razors.
DeCicco’s Barber’s Polls were a popular fixture of local elections, whether municipal, provincial or federal. Customers would vote in the polls, which were known for their uncanny accuracy — they were often more accurate than those conducted by national polling firms.
He sold his barber shop and retired in 2015 after 34 years of keeping the hair of Kamloopsians looking tidy and stylish.
His passing was announced today at the weekly meeting of Kamloops City council.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
As John’s family and friends are grieving his death, now is not the time to bring up this matter.
LikeLike
Calloused at best. I agree, Bev.
LikeLike
Thank you Bev, John was my dad’s 1st cousin, a good man with some controversial beliefs. Now is not the time to bring those up, his wife, kids, grandkids and extended family are hurting right now. Rest in peace John
LikeLike
Hindsight is 20/20 and I think John should have recused himself on the grounds of his religious beliefs. Our Charter of Rights guaranteed him the freedom of religion, whether I or anyone else agreed with what his convictions were.
Instead, he was put on public display and shamed for his beliefs.
Thanks to John for his devotion as a person, a family man and a guy who tried his best to serve his community. For the error in judgement so many years ago, perhaps we can all find enough forgiveness to let him go from us in peace.
LikeLike
Unfortunately, some of us in the community primarily remember Mr. DeCicco as making homophobic statements as a member of council, stating that gay people “have a disease”, and voted against Pride Week in Kamloops.
With all due respect to the passing, in an era of reconciliation, it is disingenuous to omit this significant and controversial historical event for council, as it led to a BC Human Rights Tribunal complaint and made national headlines.
LikeLike