Eagle staff
Wayne Waldack
MARCO ISLAND — Two City of Marco Island employees accused Councilman Wayne Waldack of making inappropriate sexual remarks to them in October.
City Manager James Riviere sent a letter to the two employees, telling them to contact him if it should happen again, and that Waldack had been spoken with concerning the matter.
“I am saddened to hear of your experiences regarding inappropriate behavior on the part of Councilor Wayne Waldack,” Riviere wrote. “The City does not tolerate such actions.”
In a memo sent Oct. 28 by City Clerk Laura Litzan to Riviere, Litzan said she learned of the allegations Oct. 18 from another city employee. Litzan wrote that when she asked for an example of the conduct, she was told that Waldack told another city employee “she had beautiful eyes ... and the rest of her wasn’t bad either.”
When asked about the allegations, Waldack said he apologizes if any of his comments offended another person. He denied making the statement described in Litzan’s letter, but said he has complimented the appearance of female city staffers in the past.
“I don’t remember saying that,” Waldack said. “Anybody can make that complaint, and not have anything to back it up with. It’s all, I said, she said, he said, she said.”
When asked if the comment described in Litzan’s letter was inappropriate, Waldack said, “it could be, depending on the person you are saying it to, and under the terms in which you are saying it.”
Under city policy, sexual conduct of an employee in a position to influence employment decisions can be considered sexual harassment when the targeted individual’s reaction to such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting that individual.
The policy also states that all harassment claims must be taken seriously, and that any unwelcome physical, written or spoken conduct that is intimidating, hostile, offensive or uncomfortable is “unacceptable.”
City Police Capt. David Baer wrote a letter to Riviere on Oct. 28 documenting the “workplace harassment.” Baer wrote that two female staffers conveyed their concerns about Waldack, worried that if they complained their employment would be jeopardized, and “begged for anonymity.”
“Based on the facts supplied,” Baer wrote, “I cannot give specific dates nor a historical timeline, however it is clear that the conduct has happened more recently than not, and that the conduct seems to ebb and flow with some periods of time being more intense and others less so.”
The employees have remained anonymous, Waldack confirmed.
“I wasn’t told who it was. I guess they want to keep that confidential, and I’m alright with that,” Waldack said.
Waldack said that he lost his wife four years ago and that he is not interested in anyone else. He said he was just intending to make positive comments to women and wishes the situation “was buried.”
“I’ve not tried to make negative comments to people or suggestive comments, and if I did, all I can say is I was sorry for it,” Waldack said.
When contacted for this story, Council Vice Chairman Jerry Gibson said he was learning of the situation for the first time and described experiencing a rare moment of speechlessness.
“I’m shocked by it,” Gibson said, describing Waldack as a “teddy bear.”
“It’s not in his nature. I’ve never seen that side of Wayne,” Gibson said. “I’m certainly not going to pass judgment.”
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Comments » 71
marco826 writes:
Some ladies don't know how to take a compliment.
smiley writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
u2cane writes:
Judging by the grammatical errors I would agree with you smiley.
captnjimbo writes:
A simple flirt is harrassmant?
What next.
marco826 writes:
If this guy truly harassed these ladies, they need to come up with more evidence than this. In the old days a lady would simply slap a man for indiscretion. I suppose in todays world that would lead to a lawsuit. Either way, people need to resolve their own issues. Marcoislandwoman is over the top in her analysis in my opinion. Not enough facts. Everybody is too sensitive today.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
This is what things could turn into in a litigious, over sensitive society. Sexual harassment is totally unacceptable, in either direction. But what is the unwritten limit of complimenting someone today? The rules are not clear and can be interpreted in many ways. Sadly, it is the woman who has faced too much and the majority of this, unwelcomed behavior over the years.
There are several sides to this story that have to be cleared up. Taking one or another at this time is too premature no matter who one likes or dislikes.
People are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, but even that statement gets incorrectly used.....Namely OJ Simpson.
blogsmog writes:
If this was Keister, he would have been arrested, thrown in jail and kicked off the council by now... what a joke this city is...
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
You are absolutely correct on that!
1adam12 (Inactive) writes:
So much negative press lately for this Island. What a disappointment!
u2cane writes:
Geez, people have become way too sensitive and if they don't get their way they sue. What a joke. Klab, threaten legal action all you want, you are part of the problem just like this anonymous person claiming harrassment. Some people need to grow up.
jwputnam writes:
And how will you all respond when the City (that's you) gets sued for A FEW MILLION DOLLARS? Just curious.
So far, we have been lucky, but now that the problem has been exposed and the perpetrator remains in office and undisciplined, we have set ourselves up for a killing.
smiley writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
reallifeswfla writes:
Say goodbye to re-election Waldack.
You only were elected because you supported the sewer program and had all the condo onwers fearful of sewer rate hikes, if the program was cancelled, support you.
Go back to selling appliances at Bill Smith where you can harass the patrons.
Get a girlfriend!
Leave the poor women in City Hall alone.
If you looked like Connie Mack, they'd give you a pass.
Unfortunately for you, you don't, and they didn't
OldMarcoMan writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
happyhorowitz34145 writes:
Amen to that.
It's only a matter of time.
dc5799 writes:
Why did it take so long for this to surface? Any remark that waldak made to these two women is not a compliment it's an insult.
EdFoster writes:
Poor Wayne!
Last week he was a plagiarist; this week he's a sexploitationist. What's he gonna be next week? Poor guy just can't win! You'd think by now he'd have learned to keep his mouth shut and his pen and pants zipped. But he just can't help pretending to be what he's not: smart and sexy.
Ed Foster
P.S. What ever happened to his plagiarized Guest Commentary? Now you see it; now you don't. It was posted on this site for several days ... long enough to have attracted a couple dozen adverse comments. Now it's gone with no explanation. Obviously it was pulled by the Marco Island Eagle. Isn't the public owed an explanation for this highly unusual (dare I say unprecedented) behavior? As I recall, the Eagle endorsed him for the City Council. Don't they love him no more?
1Paradiselost writes:
The article you speak of was wrtten by Waverly Fitzgerald!
This is Mr. Fitzgerald letter.....
Dear xxxxxxxxxx,
Thanks for notifying me of this plagiarism. I have already contacted the editor and he has agreed to block this article from the web site. He was going to check to see if it appeared in any print editions of the paper and, if so, I imagine he would print a correction. I am satisfied with how quickly he responded to my complaint.
I do appreciate your letting me know about this.
Waverly Fitzgerald
You can reach Mr. Fitzgerald via email at..
waverlyfitzgerald@gmail.com
smiley writes:
I'll bet Klabber suggested removal of my comments. Wanna bet?
happy6 writes:
this ain't the first time ol wayne has committed plagiarism...last year he copied articles re. eco-friendly gardens and penned them under his name to the local rag...there have been others as well...ol wayne is just a poor, lost soul...and marco elected him...
liberator100 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
marcofriend writes:
Why did this take so long to post? Perhaps our city and/or police department decided it was better to bury. After all, I'm sure we just don't have these problems. Had it not been for the press asking through FOI, we'd never hear about this. I don't even know where to begin to point the blame, but it is truly a shame.
EdFoster writes:
Dear 1Paradiselost,
Thanks for repeating the information re the true author of Wayne's publication. If you remember the Guest Commentary and the postings following it, you will recall that I identified the source of the article as the first comment following Wayne's submission. However, that is not the point I raised yesterday. What I seek is an explanation FROM THE MARCO ISLAND EAGLE why they 1) posted Mr. Waldack's piece without checking it and 2) withdrew it along with the responses it received without explanation. I think the MIE has an obligation to inform its readers of what happened and why the entire incident apparently is now being suppressed.
Ed Foster
RayPray writes:
Very astute....
RayPray writes:
Everyone is sick of you ruining this site islandeye1#236971.
Clean your act up!
What a disgrace that mental midget islandeye1#236971 should start sexually harassing newcomer MARCOISLANDWOMAN this way!!!
ajm3s writes:
My suspicion is that the Marco Island Eagle has separate guidelines for retractions, those for printed vs those for the web. I guess traditional newsprint have usurped the impact of the illegitimate web based print.
I will go out on a limb and simply say that the editor of the Marco Island Eagle needs a refresher course in journalism. Professional journalistic protocol should not be dismissed for web based print, but I suspect that the Marco Island Eagle editor has a new set of standards. Plagiarism in traditional newsprint is to be acknowledged but not in web pages.
Unbelievable, in this day and age, journalism is now a forgotten discipline and the Marco Island Eagle has lost its way in maintaining its fundamental principles.
Aughhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
ajm3s writes:
Again, the bloggers bring to the fore what the Eagle wishes to dismiss, at least on the web.
Thanks
And they say bloggers have no life. I say some have more journalistic acumen then those that actually manage (i.e. editor) the Eagle.
EdFoster writes:
ajm3s,
I'm afraid that I agree with your analysis which is why I posted my question on this blogsite. But isn't it sad if you and I are correct? I'd be happier to be wrong on this one!
The American people are losing (have lost???) faith in the media, but a free and honest press is essential to the preservation of the American way of life. And I certainly agree with you that the same ethical standards must apply to the electronic media as to the print media. It won't be long before the print media is replaced almost entirely by electronic communications. If this transition is used as an excuse to further weaken what little ethical standards remain in the press, our country will be in deep doo-doo.
Ed Foster
Fossil writes:
Somehow, the Councilman's behavior doesn't surprise me.
ajm3s writes:
Ed:
If you look at media and advocacy websites that become embroiled in a faux-pas, the standard procedure is to remove questionable content immediately. I can understand advocacy sites because they are not held to the same standards as the press, but I am appalled when I see a media website, especially a web site that represents the press. I shudder when I see removal of material, commentaries or news analysis without retraction/correction issued, as a means of informing the public.
I have no answers, it is just an observation that I see more often than not. And all we can do as bloggers is to bring it to the forefront. And pressure Marco Island Eagle to act responsibly as a news outlet.
Or perhaps the Eagle is a reflection of the powers to be on this island. And this behavior is tolerated.
I tend to be optimistic, but it requires vigilance and prodding. And I generally find the comments by bloggers of the articles to be more enlightening and informative, than the article itself.
EdFoster writes:
Well, I guess I got my answer to what Wayne's gonna be this week. Drumroll please! A plagiarist. Plagiarist/sexploitationist/plagiarist. Sort of like a game of ping-pong with Wayne as the ball.
The following was written by Mary Fairchild and published on: http://christianity.about.com/od/holi.... Apparently good ole Wayne picked up most of it and (ahem!) republished it under his own name in the Eagle. It appeared in print and is still on the Eagle website at: http://www.marconews.com/news/2009/de....
Check it out quick before this one disappears too!
Time for the game to end, isn't it Wayne? I'm sure with your vast surfing experience you can find a nice letter of resignation to copy and submit to Chairman Recker.
Ed Foster
EdFoster writes:
islandeye1#236971,
Sure didn't take long, did it? The article was there when I posted the above blog at 10:15 this morning, an hour and 24 minutes before you couldn't find it! The original appeared in December 2009 so presumably it's in the paper's "morgue." Interestingly enough, two bloggers flagged it as plagiarism when it first appeared on-line.
One of the bloggers provided links to two websites that had carried the original (or versions thereof). Clearly, the Eagle does not check LTEs and Guest Commentaries for plagiarism, but I presume they do monitor bloggers to remove "improper" blogs. How then did they miss the accusations of plagiarism including links to the original writing? Not lookin' good for either Wayne or this Scripps newspaper! Methinks the Eagle will be mighty careful about printing anything that Marco's illustious councilman "writes."
The guy is a repeat plagiarist. Is he a repeat exploitationist? I don't know but it seems to me he has serious problems ... and so do the people of Marco Island as long as he sits on the Council!
Ed Foster
Avenger writes:
Whenever I read anything purportedly by Mr. Waldack, and the writing is coherent and logical, I know Wayne didn’t really author it. I then google a phrase from the article, and usually find the original from which he plagiarized. I recall posting a couple of times on some of Wayne’s past commentaries. I went back, and found the comment I left on the now deleted article that Mr. Foster referenced:
Written on None:
Don’t blame Mr. Waldack for the content of “his” commentary! Seems that he may have again used other people’s words without attribution:
http://mopsonthehill.wordpress.com/20...
http://christianity.about.com/od/holi...
Noting that I used the word “again,” I checked back a little further and found another of his LTE’s that he had lifted from someone else:
http://www.marconews.com/news/2009/ap...
Let’s see how long this article remains on the Eagle site.
ajm3s writes:
Notice to Eagle:
The folks are getting restless. Can we get a comment from editorial staff? Perhaps the editor can send us a note to remind us of the rules of engagement.
You were quick to remove all of K's comments. I suspect all of K's comments were not in keeping with the rules of engagement.
I am not here to support the commentaries of K, but I will not quietly allow the consistent lack of editorial acumen by this paper to go on without a cry of FOUL. You are more despicable than K's most base comments, since you do not even acknowledge plagiarism, essentially a falsehood, when reviewed by the management of your editorial pages. Worst than plagiarism is editorial staff removal without explanation, i.e. silence. Imagine, a newspaper that engages in silence as a means to address plagiarism.
You are free to remove our comments but you are IGNORANT of the rules and regulations of a fair and honest press.
Mr. Waldack is a plagiarist but the Eagle shows evidence of inept editorial leadership.
I expect a press that can show a hint of professionalism. I now cannot distinguish the incompetence of a Mr. Waldack from the editors of this magnanimous rag.
Your rebuttal is welcome here. But I suspect, you believe silence is louder and a fitting editorial comment.
Unbelievable!
EdFoster writes:
Thanks to Avenger, that's 3 and counting! The Eagle hasn't taken Wayne's sermon on saving water off its site yet but the link to the government article which it copied is dead. I don't know whether reprinting government information that is meant for distribution is "real" plagiarism, but at least Wayne could have said he based his article on government information. It would give him more credence; no one believes anything that appears with Wayne's by-line.
And in reply to MarcoIslandWoman: I'm aware that the article that elicited this thread is about sexual harassment in the workplace, but the Eagle removed Wayne's latest plagiarized Guest Sermon without explanation so there's nowhere else to post blogs questioning Wayne's fitness to serve on City Council.
Ed Foster
RayPray writes:
"All what they do [here] is pleasantness journalism."
>>> How could you make such an accusation?
Especially in light of, say, the cutting restaurant and Chamber of Commerce shenanigan exposes we get every week from Don Farmer?
"For some people Klabautermann was strong in his opinion."
>>> Who could that be?
"I have nothing to do with Klabautermann except we are from the same area."
"But his comments were great!"
>>> I'm sure most here would applaud Klabautermann as being right up there with H.L. Mencken, as far a Teutonic Journalism goes!!!
RayPray writes:
"Marco Eagle News is close to the roll of Alfred Hugenberg and his press empire in the 30s in Germany."
>>> Hugenberg -- Very apt.
"Even in the case of Wayne Waldack ...A public political figure accused as Plagiator and sexual Predator...."
>>> Waldack is a cipher and a joke.
>>> But look what social organizer Obama chose for our VP, that preening, self-important nitwit and persistent plagiarizer Biden.
>>> Incredibly, the establishment national press gave this scoundrel a pass on foisting big chinks of Neil Kinnock's speeches as his own work.
>>> What's even more striking is the target of Biden's intellectual theft!
>>> Kinnock has long been somewhat of a dented tea pot even in Britain.
>>> Nobody but tin ear Biden would have ever bothered to purloin the prose of Kinnock over the much more efficacious and moxie rhetoric of Maggie Thatcher.
>>> Every night we should pray for Obama's health to forestall that miserable fool Biden from ever coming to power!!
RayPray writes:
Looks like the cat has fleas.
dc5799 writes:
We are getting away from the original story. I don't care about klab or island woman. I know waldak is a joke and stupid but he is on our council. Will he be allowed to stay or be forced to resign?
I think he should be gone, he serves no purpose, has not a thought of his own.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
He has the same rights as any other elected official has or for that matter any other individual citizen has and that is a right of a fair trial. Not a trial of "opinions" or his level of intelligence stated by anyone on this blog. Right or wrong he was elected to his position, at which time his credibility or lack thereof, should have been considered by the voting populace. If they decided to block vote, as they did, we got what we got and have to live with it, like it or not.
If he is, in fact, guilty of what he has been accused of, and I do say accused and not proven or a result of some other "red herring" reason, then we must deal with the legal requirements of our society, which is by far one of the best, albeit, at times too liberal, legal systems in the world.
condoseller writes:
Did Mr. Waldack break the law when he copied the works of published writers? If not, he proved he is not ethical.
http://www.plagiarismchecker.com/plag...
Did he violate City policy through his unwanted comments to female employees? Surely other councilmen can investigate and arrive at some conclusion.
How will the rest of our City Councilmen address these charges at their next meeting?
EdFoster writes:
Recalling a councilor is not a simple matter as anyone who was involved with the recall attempt several years back will understand. (I stayed clear of that brouhaha!) However, I submit that Mr. Waldack can resign without admitting guilt to the sexual harrassment charges. He can resign simply because he understands that he has lost the confidence of the people he is supposed to represent. It is an honorable way to put an end to the predicament he finds himself in.
Ed Foster
Stilllaughing writes:
Wayne's true colors are finally surfacing. If he had any integrity he would resign but we all know that won't happen. He'll go out crying like a baby claiming this is CAVE dwellers conspiracy against him.
Maybe someone should ask his ex-wife Sandy why she divorced him. That may shine a little light on Mr. Waldack's offensive/deviant behavior.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
The question might come up is how will Waldack's position be filled should he leave it, for whatever reason?
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Wasn't it your so called Cave dwellers the people who block voted him into office? I still think there is another "red herring" out there, that has not come to light, as of yet.
Once again, these are accusations, which are very serious if they are, in fact, completely true.
Blogging that Mr. Waldack has exhibited offensive behavior is one thing anything else should be withheld until all of the facts are out.
Stilllaughing writes:
Actually it was the so called CAVE dwellers who were opposed to this puppet
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Sorry,
Not according to the district election statistics. Block voting was the word of the day because ALL of Arceri's boys got voted in.
liberator100 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
jwputnam writes:
No....you are misunderstanding. The so called "Cave Dwellers" were opposed to the STRP and certainly did NOT want to see an Arceri puppet elected. Arceri went to the condo dwellers for the bullet vote in order to "assure" them that they would not have to pay their fair share of the project.
In addition, the "bullet vote" was used in the last election to get Magel elected. Waldach was elected in the previous election.
I have to assume that you are very new on the Island.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Take a look at the Island voting statistics for the past two elections and see which districts the sewer support came from.
Condo owners were told to vote for STRP as if it did not occur then they and the hotels along Collier would have to foot the bill for the new sewer plant,etc. They were told to block vote to prevent this from happening.
The home owners on the island were never really convinced that the sewers were needed and their vote was mostly anti-sewer.
Are you confusing cave dweller with home owner?
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