Sex Joke Ignites Controversy in Dewey Beach

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.

The presentation was then re-enacted in the office of Town Manager Diana Smith, who was not present.

The witness said after hearing of the incident, Smith convened Town Hall employees and Dewey police for a meeting March 1. She reminded employees of the professional standards required of them once they enter Town Hall.

Hanson declined to comment on the incident, but she said she’s discussing possible legal action with her lawyer.

Przygocki also declined to comment. Mayor Rick Solloway issued a brief statement:

“I have reviewed the incident with our Town Manager Diana Smith, the Town Attorney’s Office, Commissioner Przygocki and Commissioner Hanson,” wrote Solloway. “This is an unfortunate incident, the details of which I will not review. This incident was between two commissioners of which I am a peer, a facilitator and a mentor. I will work to mentor these two commissioners through their differences to ensure our town governance process remains productive and responsible to our constituency.”

The agenda posted for the upcoming Saturday, March 13 town council meeting indicates Hanson will make a request related to Town Hall and other incidents involving Przygocki. Hanson declined to further describe her request.

Tensions between the two commissioners have simmered since Przygocki wrote a five-page letter criticizing Hanson for her ties to Citizens to Preserve Dewey (CPD), a political action committee dedicated to preserving the town’s 35-foot height limit. In the Dec. 15 letter, he accused Hanson of attempting to stack town committees with CPD members. He said Hanson had promised to sever ties with CPD, but instead she was acting as its agent.

“This is not a high school clique or a sorority slumber party,” he wrote. “We do not say one thing and do the total opposite. We are all adults!”

Przygocki also wrote, “You have not sent the message that the new town council has turned the corner and changed from its previous direction to a new way to conduct business.”

Hanson defended CPD, saying the group has labored long and hard on behalf of the town.

“Why would I distance myself from hundreds of property owners who have worked so tirelessly to preserve and protect the town – citizens who have given countless hours to preserve our 35-foot height limit?” she wrote in a Jan. 7 response.

She countered by pointing out that Przygocki’s wife, Stephanie, works for Bethany Blues, owned by Steve Montgomery, who also owns The Starboard, one of Dewey’s biggest bars.

“People worried that you might be tempted to serve the bar interests rather than the interests of property owners if you were elected,” she wrote. “Whose interests are you serving?”

Town attorney Glenn Mandalas declined to comment. Smith, who took over at Town Hall Feb. 1, did not return a call for comment.