Dewey’s political veterans suffered at the polls Saturday, Sept. 19: Incumbent Commissioner Rich Hanewinckel came in fourth, former Commissioner Dale Cooke came in fifth and incumbent Mayor Dell Tush came in sixth. “I just think the town was tired of the negativity,” Cooke said after the results were posted at town hall. “They’re tired of the old-timers, and Dell and I are old-timers.”

Razor-thin margins separated the results. Six votes separated Tush and Cooke, and four votes stood between Przygocki and Hanson. Just six votes stood between Hanewinckel and Przygocki’s seat on council.

Solloway won handily with 479 votes – 58 percent of the votes cast. An accountant and father of four, Solloway quickly gathered endorsements from business owners and the Dewey Beach Civic League.

Prior to election, Solloway was appointed to the board of adjustment and the public intoxication committee. “I actually left town for two hours to play in a softball game," said Solloway. "I believe my comfort level came from knowing I had let the community know who I was and where I would like to lead the town."

Though Przygocki and Solloway never shared a campaign sign, their names were paired on endorsements. On Saturday, they shared a campaign tent, offering cheese, crackers and candy to voters. Przygocki won 48 percent of the vote with 395 votes. Outside town hall, his wife Stephanie called friends and family. “We won!” she said. Przygocki, a pilot for United Airways, was unavailable for comment.

After a hard campaign and a harder year on council, Hanson seemed content with her victory. She said her primary objective was to get House Bill 50 – the town’s attempt to seal a height limit in its charter – passed in the Senate when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

“I still want to make sure HB50 gets passed,” she said. “That’s very important to ensure.” Hanson added she wants to work to improve the public face of Dewey with a marketing campaign. Political broadsides ignited the week before the elections, with political action committees (PACs) exchanging volleys while candidates sparred individually. Property and Business Owners United for Dewey (PBO), which endorsed Cooke, Przygocki and Solloway, attacked Hanson and Hanewinckel for fostering disharmony on council.

A candidate evaluation issued by Citizens to Preserve Dewey (CPD), which endorsed only Hanson and Hanewinckel, said Solloway and Przygocki were inexperienced in municipal government, while blasting Cooke for his role in the 2008 deficit.

“The deficit beat me to death,” said Cooke.

Hanewinckel said though he was disappointed in the results, he was glad to have a sudden abundance of free time.

“From a personal perspective, it frees up a lot of time,” he said. “I’m very proud of the campaign that I ran, and I’m proud of the two years that I’ve served and what I’ve done for Dewey Beach.”

Cooke and Tush both anticipated losses on election day – Cooke said he called it a week ago, while Tush said that two weeks prior, she told her husband Larry she hoped she wouldn’t be re-elected.

“None of my family wanted me to win,” she said, laughing. “My husband sure didn’t.”

Cooke said Przygocki and Solloway won their votes the right way – by meeting with and talking to property owners.

“They ran an absolutely wonderful campaign,” Cooke said. “Door-to-door, old fashioned.”

Commissioner Marc Appelbaum said the council has a new and pressing objective: making nice.

“Last year we accomplished a tremendous amount on council,” he said. “I think we need to accomplish a lot this year, but everyone needs to get along. We need to all work as a team to do a better job for Dewey.”

An organizational meeting is slated for 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Lifesaving Station on Dagsworthy Avenue. Hanson, Przygocki and Solloway will be sworn in, and council will select a new mayor.

After she steps down as mayor, Tush said she’ll have plenty of free time. Friends have suggested both a cruise and a trip to Cape Hatteras, N.C.

“I don’t know,” she said. “We’ll probably do both.”