Resignation

The Gibbsboro Board of Education on Tuesday night accepted the resignation of member Timothy Dombrowski, effective next week. The board was also informed that it could no longer use the services of Joseph Greene Jr. as solicitor because Greene is being awarded a judgeship. Dombrowski said he was resigning after six years' service on the board because he is moving out of the municipality. Because his term will expire in April, the board will not appoint anyone to complete his term.

Paul Maggioncalda, Berlin Borough's superintendent of schools, resigned abruptly last night, one month after the school board had renewed his one- year, $54,590 contract. Maggioncalda cleaned out his desk yesterday and submitted his resignation to the school board about 7:30 p.m. His resignation is effective Oct. 31, but the board relieved him of all duties last night. He will continue to be paid until Oct. 31. Maggioncalda said in his resignation that he was leaving to "pursue other professional opportunities.

Police Chief Craig Rickard, whose department has been sharply criticized by the Borough Council, has resigned and been replaced by a top aide. Mayor Greg Wall said yesterday that he had "reluctantly" accepted Rickard's resignation during a meeting Friday morning and that he had appointed Sgt. Albert DiValentino acting chief. Councilman Fred Fellmeth described the resignation as Rickard "falling on the sword for the transgressions of a minority of officers in the department.

Two-term Hainesport Mayor Michael J. McMullen's resignation will be officially ruled upon at Tuesday's Township Committee meeting, township officials said. McMullen's letter of resignation, slated for review by township solicitor Bennett E. Bozarth, was entered into the record last Tuesday at a committee work session. Committee members were reluctant to act on the resignation, according to Committeeman Charles W. Gray. "We're not quite sure how to handle this," he said. "We just want to know the legal way to do it. " Township officials said McMullen abruptly walked out of an April 11 committee meeting when resident George Gauvry, a Zoning Board member, accused him of a "lack of leadership.

The head of the agency in Camden that has the power to buy or take private and public land for development submitted his resignation last week. Thomas Roberts, 50, executive director of the city's Redevelopment Agency, said the resignation is effective June 30. "It's been 12 years," said Roberts. "It's time for a change. " The powerful agency has the ability to designate developers for projects within the approximately 10 redevelopment areas of the city, take land by eminent domain in those areas, and transfer property without posting it on a competitive city auction.

The head of public safety at the Delaware River Port Authority resigned Tuesday amid growing criticism that he gave his daughter a DRPA E-ZPass to commute to college in Philadelphia. The resignation of Michael Joyce comes as the DRPA falls under increasing scrutiny from Pennsylvania and New Jersey politicians. They are calling for greater financial oversight and reform at the transportation agency, which manages four Delaware River bridges and the PATCO commuter line. Joyce did not return a phone call for comment.

The Magnolia Council last night unanimously accepted the resignation of borough tax collector Maria Capuzzi. Capuzzi said in a letter received by the council Tuesday that she wanted her resignation retroactive to March 19. She did not give a reason in her letter for quitting, but she had been under fire from the council. Contacted at her home after last night's meeting, Capuzzi declined to comment on her resignation. Last month, Capuzzi said she had not been to work since the middle of February and had failed to attend three council meetings called especially to discuss her job performance and alleged record-keeping problems in the tax collection office because of "nervous tension, stress and pressure" related to her job. At that time, Mayor Catherine M. Quigley said Capuzzi had continued to use a record-keeping method that the council twice last year asked her to change.

The Haverford Township Board of Commissioners has agreed to try to "clear the air" concerning the resignation last month of Justine Hocker as director of the township library, but it has fallen short of asking her to reconsider her resignation. The commissioners were presented Monday night with a petition, containing more than 170 names, that urged Hocker to remain as librarian. The petition revived questions about her resignation, which many township observers said they believed had been forced by John Toal, a member of the library board of trustees.

Woodlynne's police chief and a patrolman have submitted letters of resignation to the borough council, which unanimously accepted them at a meeting Thursday night. Mayor William Terrell said that the resignation of Police Chief Wilmer B. Wood is effective March 12 and that Patrolman Louis Hannon's resignation is effective Feb. 24. Terrell said he thought that morale problems were common in the police department and blamed poor management for the problems. Wood said in an interview yesterday that he thought the department was being effectively run. Wood has been a member of the department in the Camden County town for almost 12 years and has been chief since November 1982.

Herb Greenwood, vice chairman of Tredyffrin's board of supervisors and a longtime advocate of township parks, has resigned because of health problems, the board announced at its meeting last night. "This is the hardest letter I've had to write," began Greenwood's resignation letter, dated Oct. 10, to board chairwoman Judy DiFilippo. "But I can no longer do a credible job. " Greenwood, who suffers from lung cancer and emphysema, has been absent from the board since he was rushed from an supervisors meeting to Bryn Mawr Hospital with a collapsed lung on Aug. 18. "Herb Greenwood is a great guy, and it's a real loss to the township to have him in the position where he has to resign because of health reasons," said Supervisor Paul Olsen.

The Philadelphia firefighters union said Tuesday that Commissioner Lloyd Ayers and his two top deputies should resign, blaming them for a lack of leadership and tactical errors that led to the deaths of two firefighters last month in Kensington. The leaders of Local 22 said the incident commander failed to establish a "collapse zone" around the vacant, century-old mill that sparked into a spectacular five-alarm blaze April 9. The two firefighters — Lt. Robert P. Neary, 59, and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney, 25 — were killed when one of the mill's five-story walls fell on an adjacent furniture store, where they and two others were doing a routine check.

David Martin, Germantown Academy boys' lacrosse coach, has stepped down after eight seasons, the school announced Wednesday. Martin, who will remain at the school in the physical education department and as coed golf coach, resigned with a record of 89-71 at the Fort Washington school. He led the Patriots to a 10-10 record (4-6 Inter-Ac League) in his final season. "It is just my time to step aside," Martin said in a statement released by GA. "I have been coaching lacrosse for more than 35 years, and I feel like this is the right time to step aside and let someone else take over.

The Philadelphia firefighters union said today that fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers and his two top deputies should resign for a lack of leadership and tactical errors that led to the deaths of two firefighters last month in Kensington. The leaders of Local 22 said the incident commander failed to establish a "collapse zone" around a vacant, century-old mill that sparked into a spectacular five-alarm blaze on April 9. The two firefighters - Lt. Robert P. Neary and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney - were killed when one of the mill's five-story walls collapsed on an adjacent furniture store, where they were doing a routine check.

HARRISBURG — The document prosecutors filed Friday is 75 pages long. But it boils down to a striking accusation: That a sitting judge effectively stole her way onto Pennsylvania's highest court. So reads the presentment filed by the Allegheny County district attorney, charging state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin with directing and condoning the use of taxpayer-funded staff to fuel her 2009 campaign for a seat on the court. No sooner were the charges announced than the court moved to strip Melvin of her judicial duties.

AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan's prime minister resigned suddenly Thursday, just six months after he took office with a pledge to push for political reforms, and was quickly replaced by a veteran politician known to be close to the king. Jordan state TV announced that King Abdullah II, an absolute ruler, issued a royal decree accepting Awn al-Khasawneh's resignation. A government official said Abdullah named Fayez Tarawneh as a successor. He served as premier more than a decade ago, when Abdullah assumed power.

The vice dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania resigned Thursday, one day after he was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into his false claim to have a doctoral degree. Penn announced the resignation of Doug E. Lynch, who has been a top official in the education program since 2004, after The Inquirer raised questions about his academic background Wednesday. Lynch said on his resumé that he received the degree from Columbia University.

The vice dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania resigned Thursday, one day after he was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation about his false claim to have a doctoral degree. Penn announced the resignation of Doug E. Lynch, who has been a top official in the education program since 2004. Lynch has claimed on his resume that he received the degree from Columbia University. A faculty website repeatedly referred to him as Dr. Lynch.

THE UNIVERSITY of Arkansas says the former mistress of fired football coach Bobby Petrino has resigned her position with the program. The school announced in a news release Tuesday evening that Jessica Dorrell had stepped down as the football team's student-athlete development coordinator. Athletic director Jeff Long said the decision was mutual and that there are no immediate plans to try to fill the job. The university says Dorrell, 25, will be paid approximately $14,000 to settle "all matters between the parties.

AUTUMN Adkins Graves, the first African-American and first female president of Girard College, will leave the school in June, she said Tuesday. Graves, 39, presided over a difficult stretch for the private North Philadelphia boarding school founded by 19th-century merchant-banker Stephen Girard for orphan boys. Serious money problems forced the school to enroll fewer students, lay off staff and end a weekend residential program. Graves said that family concerns led to her decision to step down.

State and federal elected officials considering running for city offices could soon be required to resign before becoming candidates. City Councilman Jim Kenney introduced an amendment Thursday to the city's Home Rule Charter that would apply to such candidates as congressmen running for mayor. Should the proposal pass, the decision to change the charter would be left up to voters in November. Kenney said the change would "level the playing field. " Currently, those who hold city offices must resign before seeking other city offices.