By Rob Kunzig | Mar 16, 2010 | Cape Gazette
A sex joke she decried as demeaning and slanderous led Dewey Beach Commissioner Diane Hanson to call for the resignation of Commissioner James “Zeke” Przygocki, who said it was a simple joke.
After commissioners and property owners weighed in for and against the end of Przygocki’s 6-month-old term, the commissioner remained in his seat.
In an opening statement at the Saturday, March 13 town council meeting, Przygocki acknowledged the joke, which involved him presenting a box of condoms to a town employee. The joke implied sex between the employee and Hanson; Przygocki suggested the employee wear protection, as one witness paraphrased, to prevent the propagation of the species.
Przygocki said it was meant to be a simple joke, but he now realizes it was inappropriate.
“I assure you this will never happen again,” he said. He then urged the town to look past the scandal and focus on the coming months: “Let’s get to work on the summer of 2010,” he said.
Hanson urged her fellow commissioners to condemn Przygocki’s actions and support her call for his resignation.
“If this conduct took place within the walls of a private company, it would be grounds for dismissal of the employee,” she said. “I feel we need to hold our commissioners to a higher level of standards than the average employee in America.”
Commissioner Marty Seitz said commissioners are elected by the public, and regardless of their stance on issues, their seat on council must be respected.
“A person who is in office and cannot refrain from harassment of another commissioner should resign,” Seitz said.
Commissioner Marc Appelbaum was absent, but called town attorney Glenn Mandalas to weigh in.
Przygocki’s joke cannot be misinterpreted, Appelbaum said; it was uncalled for, and he should resign.
Some residents spoke in support of Przygocki, including former Mayor Pat Wright. Practical jokes have precedents in Town Hall, Wright said, recalling a rubber roach employees would hide in desks and restrooms. Town employees take such pranks with a grain of salt, she said.
“I know they love Zeke,” she said. “Stuff happens. Go forward.”
Several citizens burst into applause, but were silenced when Mayor Rick Solloway told audience members to refrain from clapping or comments out of turn.
“If you do not, I will ask the chief to remove you from this building,” Solloway said. “That’s your last warning.”
Former Commissioner Claire Walsh said the incident reveals political divisions most pretend don’t exist.
Walsh said she was asked to resign on several occasions, but while she called the charges against her trumped-up, she said Przygocki’s mistake was very real.
“This was not trumped up,” she said. “This was very bad behavior.”
Still, she encouraged Przygocki not to resign, and asked the town to move forward.
Former Commissioner Rich Hanewinckel said being a public figure is a hard job, and Przygocki’s joke only made it harder.
“It’s unfortunate that this town had to be made the laughingstock of the state,” he said.
Property owner Betsy Damos condemned Przygocki’s gag, but said worse things have been said publicly.
Outsiders will forget the incident quickly, she said, even if it lingers in the minds of citizens.
Town council lacks the power to oust a commissioner, but Hanson called for a motion recommending Przygocki resign.
The motion died for lack of a second.
While Seitz thought Przygocki should give up his seat, he later said the vote would have ended in a stalemate, with him and Hanson voting for and Solloway and Przygocki voting against. But he said Przygocki was not adequately censured.
“At a minimum, we should restrict his access to town hall,” Seitz said.
“I’ll work until this is adhered to. He’s not visiting town hall ever again, on my time on council. I don’t think there’s any argument with that.”
Hanson has previously said she was talking with her lawyer and considering legal action.
“I’m still looking into options at this point,” she said.
Przygocki declined to comment.