One of the most offensive examples of arrogance toward the neighbors of New London Harbor Lighthouse by the New London Maritime Society, and there have been many, was when society President George Sprecace yanked one of their bushes out of the ground.

Sprecace, who didn't deny the incident when I later asked him about it, reached down and grabbed a bush the neighbor had planted to keep lighthouse visitors from trespassing on a narrow strip of property immediately adjacent to her living room window.

While she watched and asked him to stop, Sprecace yanked the bush right out of the ground.

He then sued the neighbor, trying to take her property by adverse possession. The meritless lawsuit later was withdrawn.

I bring up the outrageous bush-yanking incident to help make a point.

The society's arrogance toward the neighbors of the lighthouse, indeed all the residents of the city, has reached a point of no return, a dead end, and it's time for Sprecace to resign.

The society, bigger than one individual, is a valued community nonprofit, founded in the 1980s by then city historian Lucille Showalter, who had a vision of telling the rich story of the city's marine history from the magnificent stone Custom House on Bank Street.

Working with Showalter and the leading city citizens she assembled to help her, the city granted the new society a 50-year lease, commencing April 14, 1986, to use the Custom House as a museum.

I am sure that the gracious Showalter, who died in 2000, would be appalled at the behavior of her successor at the society, who is now suing the city for its zoning denials, asserting the society's lighthouse property on Pequot Avenue is federally protected and exempt from local authority, which it has generally ignored anyway.

In the course of suing neighbors and the city, Sprecace has attacked both with angry and harsh rhetoric.

"We will challenge the poor and lazy implementation of zoning regulations," Sprecace wrote in one recent rant, promising not just more litigation but an effort to entirely replace the zoning commission.

"Stay tuned," he ended the long, angry, complaining and threatening rant.

To any reasonable members of the society's board: You need to get rid of this man, and waste no more time doing it.

Residents now can blame Sprecace for the society's arrogance and its increasing financial peril.

Soon they will have to turn directly to board members and blame them.

Honestly, the fine organization founded by Showalter is spinning out of control, apparently spending with abandon on lawsuits with no good endings in sight.

The federal government gave New London Harbor Light to the society with clear instructions that it needed to acquire zoning approvals and be diplomatic with the neighbors, to assure public access.

Since Sprecace has burned so many bridges to zoning approvals and so angered the neighbors, it seems unlikely the society will be able to keep its promise to the feds.

Even more sad is the broken promises the society made in acquiring Race Rock Lighthouse, saying in 2012 they would protect and preserve the structure and initiate a full restoration with repairs to cracked masonry, lead and asbestos abatement and window repair.

The lighthouse, located in treacherous currents, also needs a new pier for landing boats.

The landmark stone lighthouse in The Race, off the western end of Fishers Island, has continued to deteriorate and is likely now at serious risk because of the society's broken promises.

That lighthouse should be taken back promptly from the society, before more harm is done.

The behavior of the society president may not violate the terms of the society's lease of the Custom House with the city, but it most certainly violates the spirit of cooperation the fledgling organization promised to maintain with the city.

The lease even specifically cites the goal of creating a maritime museum "of which the entire community can be proud."

I don't think an angry rant vowing to crush what is characterized as the city's inept zoning system is anything that makes anyone proud.

The society needs to summon the grace of Lucille Showalter and begin mending some fences.

I'm sure the neighbor who watched Sprecace yank the bush out of her yard doesn't believe he is the person to give a new, accommodating and negotiating face to the society.

This is the opinion of David Collins.

d.collins@theday.com