Mt. Vernon, Va. –– The assistant to a Fairfax County supervisor who pulled an unpopular April Fools Day joke has resigned after six years at his post.
Ron Fitzsimmons on Sunday gave his resignation to Mount Vernon Supervisor Gerry Hyland. The resignation came 10 days after Fitzsimmons posted to his Facebook page –– Mount Vernon News –– that a chain of adult video and novelty stores, MVC, was looking to purchase the building that currently houses a Safeway grocery store in the Hollin Hall section of Fairfax County.
It was an April Fools Day joke, and no adult store was eyeing the area, officials later said.
But Fitzsimmons never let anyone in on the joke, and then removed the post from the page.
It caught the attention of business owners and the Mt. Vernon – Lee Chamber of Commerce, who complained and called the post inappropriate.
Fitzsimmons on Thursday afternoon issued an apology for making the post on his page, and apologized if some took it as offensive.
Fitzsimmons is said to have handed his resignation over voluntarily because he was looking to explore other opportunities, and not because of the erroneous Facebook post.
“On Sunday, Mr. Fitzsimmons on his own decided this was the best thing for him to do. Supervisor Hyland did not ask for his resignation,” said Hyland spokesman Brett Kenney.
Since 2004, Fitzsimmons worked in Hyland’s office as a part-time aide tackling housing issues, and issues having to do with the county park authority.
Fitzsimmons Facebook page is still active and polling residents about their options on local issues, such as Mount Vernon’s news county parks authority representative.
