Sex Joke Ignites Controversy in Dewey Beach

By admin | Published: March 10, 2010

By Rob Kunzig | Mar 9, 2010 | Cape Gazette

Dewey Beach Commissioner Diane Hanson said she’s considering legal action over a February incident in Town Hall a witness says was perpetrated by Commissioner James “Zeke” Przygocki.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the witness said the issue began when a mock invitation was hung in town hall, announcing the wedding of Hanson and town employee Mike Koston. The witness did not know who created the poster or how long it spent hanging. The poster riffed on an invitation to the Dewey Beach Winter Gala, superimposing images of Koston and Hanson over cursive script.

One weekday in mid-February, Przygocki entered town hall and presented Koston with a gift bag. Several employees gathered to watch Koston pull out a box of condoms and a card. The witness paraphrased the card as reading: Please wear these when you consummate the marriage, so you don’t propagate the species.
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Fourth Sussex Casino Plan Surfaces

By admin | Published: March 9, 2010

By Ron MacArthur | Feb 28, 2010 | Cape Gazette

Developers of the newest Sussex County casino proposal are betting on location, location, location to sell their idea.

A new casino proposal for Sussex County – the fourth concept to date – has been presented to members of the Delaware General Assembly. Unlike the other three proposals, developer Clinton Bunting is proposing a casino on state property – 10 acres of land in Delaware Seashore State Park near Indian River Inlet. Bunting, president and owner of Coastal Properties Investment LLC and Quality Life Consultants in Rehoboth Beach, and partner Ken Simpler Jr., chief financial officer of Simpler & Sons LLC, a Rehoboth Beach-based property management company, presented their plans for Delaware Seashore Resort & Casino to legislators Wednesday, Feb. 24.

As the list of proposed casino projects grows, the General Assembly ponders legislation to allow the expansion of casino gaming into Sussex County. The state’s three existing casinos are Harrington Raceway and Dover Downs in Kent County and Delaware Park in New Castle County.

Bunting, who worked for then-Gov. Tom Carper and is the son of Sen. George Bunting, D-Bethany Beach, said he’s confident the General Assembly will pass legislation and select a Sussex County location by the end of the session. Still, another casino is proposed for northern New Castle County.

Bunting says his proposal has by far the best location with as many as 20 million vacationers a year visiting the area from Rehoboth Beach to Ocean City, Md.

“It makes common sense to place a casino dead center in the heart of where the tourism is,” he said.

Bunting said two key features distinguish his proposal. The developers would provide 65 percent of gross revenue to the state, which is 50 percent more than the current 43 percent turned over to the state by existing casinos. In addition, Bunting said, 2.25 percent of revenues would be turned over to Sussex County.

Based on his calculations, the expected gross revenue from the operation would be $150 million, providing $3 million to $4 million to the county and up to $97 million to the state. The developers predict they would take in 20 percent profit.
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Dewey Beach Celebrates Million-Plus Budget Turnaround

By admin | Published: March 9, 2010

By Rob Kunzig | Feb 23, 2010 | Cape Gazette

Dewey Beach officials say the town performed a million-dollar budget turnaround, emerging from 2009’s $700,000 shortfall with more than $300,000 in its coffers.

The budget and finance committee convened Feb. 12 to discuss the calendar year-end financial status and plot the course for coming fiscal year, which begins Thursday, April 1. After committee Vice Chairman Don Ziegler read off the numbers, he congratulated the town for conquering last year’s $722,000 deficit.

“Thanks to a lot of hard work from the staff and the chairman,” Zeigler said.

Dewey owes its surplus to staff frugality and a few surprise revenue boosts. Town employees kept hours in check and trimmed expenses. Transfer tax revenue gleaned from the sale of Marina Suites condos and a new accommodations tax on rental properties yielded a combined $350,000, said commissioner and committee Chairman Marc Appelbaum.

But the biggest cash saver was information, he said. In past years, Appelbaum said, profit-and-loss reports came late and incomplete. Inefficiencies abounded. By the time officials realized they faced an abyssal deficit in late 2008, Appelbaum said, they were powerless to reverse course.

“There was very little accountability,” Appelbaum said. “A lot of money slipped between our fingers.” Read More »

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