Resignation

Charles F. Wagaman Jr., who has served as attorney for the town of Smithsburg for the past 13 years, has tendered his resignation. The resignation was announced by Smithsburg Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers during a town council meeting Tuesday night. Myers read a letter of resignation from Wagaman in which he said he had enjoyed working with the town's elected officials. Wagaman's resignation is effective June 30, or earlier if the town finds another attorney, Myers said.

CHARLES TOWN, W.VA. Jefferson County Schools Superintendent R. Steven Nichols confirmed Thursday that he has resigned to accept a superintendent's position in Staunton, Va. Nichols' resignation is effective June 30. The Staunton position offered "a very nice opportunity at the right time," Nichols said, but added, "I enjoy my work here very much. " Leaving Jefferson County is "one of the hardest career decisions I've ever made," he said. Nichols has served as Jefferson County superintendent for five years, a period that saw the system's student population grow by nearly 1,000 students, according to a Jefferson County Schools news release.

HANCOCK - Hancock's newest police officer has quit to take a job as a Frederick County (Md.) Sheriff's Department deputy. Police Chief Donald Gossage announced during Wednesday's Hancock Town Council meeting that Officer Bart Ruppenthal, 26, has resigned less than one year after he was hired. Gossage and Mayor Daniel Murphy said they wouldn't comment on Ruppenthal's resignation or the reasons for it. Reached after the meeting, Ruppenthal said he quit so he could go to work for the Sheriff's Department.

SMITHSBURG -- Smithsburg Town Council member Tom Chiarizia has resigned because of new job demands that make it impossible for him to serve on the council, Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers said Monday night. Town council members will select a replacement for Chiarizia, although it is not known when that will happen, Myers said. Myers said Chiarizia's new job involves working evenings, which conflicts with town council meetings. Myers said she received a letter of resignation from Chiarizia before the holidays and his resignation became effective around Dec. 31. Chiarizia was elected in 2006 and was serving a four-year term, Myers said.

Mayor explains resignation SHARPSBURG - Sharpsburg Mayor George Kesler said Tuesday morning he had been trying to hold off on retiring as mayor, but could no longer do so. Kesler said he resigned, effective at noon Monday, for personal reasons. He would not elaborate. Vice Mayor Sidney Gale, who is now mayor, found Kesler's letter of resignation at Town Hall before Monday night's Mayor and Town Council meeting. "I've been trying to avoid this for the past six months.

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. - Harpers Ferry Mayor Walton "Kip" Stowell would like Annette Hale to return to the council seat she resigned from earlier this month. "We've not accepted her resignation as such. We hope she would come back," Stowell said. The Harpers Ferry Town Council met Monday night with Hale, who resigned July 8, saying she did not believe the town properly handled the dismissal of a Harpers Ferry police officer. "She's been a good council member. We're holding it open.

By RICHARD F. BELISLE Staff Writer, Waynesboro WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Illness has forced Peter Downey, the first general manager of the new ice skating rink being built west of Waynesboro, to resign his post, said Carol Henicle, chairman of the board building the rink. Henicle, who is also executive director of the Greater Waynesboro Chamber of Commerce, said Wednesday that Downey's resignation is effective Oct. 31. He left Waynesboro this week to return to his native Connecticut to attend his daughter's wedding Saturday, Henicle said.

ANNAPOLIS tammyb@herald-mail.com Local lawmakers were stunned as news of Hagerstown Mayor Richard F. Trump's resignation filtered down to the capital. "I was completely and totally surprised by the news. I had absolutely no clue that this was going to happen," said Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington. "I wish him well, and I hope that we can replace him with someone that can provide a better Hagerstown, ultimately. I'm confident that we can, and I know that a lot of people are interested in making sure that happens.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- Greencastle Borough Councilman Christopher Grimm resigned his council seat Monday after just two years in the position. In a letter dated Feb. 2, Grimm tendered his resignation from council effective March 31. He cited increased responsibility at work as his reason for leaving the council. "I will resign my Borough Council seat in order to take on more responsibility at my employer," he wrote. "It has been my pleasure working with each of you and serving the borough, however, my priorities must shift in order to provide more time for my new role.

Steven Kenneth Spalding, 45, who was arrested last week on sex charges, resigned his county government job Wednesday, Washington County Attorney Richard Douglas said. cont. from front page The resignation was the result of negotiations between Douglas and D. Bruce Poole, Spalding's attorney, following Tuesday's closed session of the Washington County Commissioners, Douglas said. Spalding will receive no compensation from the county for his resignation beyond post-termination benefits given to all employees under county personnel policies and state and federal law, Douglas said.

Distance became a problem for Paul Easton. He hasn't lost the drive to coach basketball, but his drive to get to where he coached basketball was a little much. Easton resigned as boys basketball coach at Saint James last week following two years of commuting from his home in Herndon, Va. “Making a commute like this takes a toll on you and your family after two years,” Easton said. “It was a tough decision, with the passion for basketball I have, to make. It was more than just about basketball.” The Saints finished 13-14 with a toughened schedule this season following a 17-10 record in Easton's first year after succeeding Mike Brooks.

The executive director of the Berkeley/Jefferson Day Report Center said Wednesday that he is resigning from the position to take a job that is much closer to his Harrisburg, Pa., area home. Jason Castillo, who replaced Joe Sacchet in May 2012, is resigning from heading up the grant-funded alternative sentencing program to work for Avertest as a regional manager at a forensic drug testing facility in York, Pa. Castillo said the hour and one-half commute to Martinsburg and gas prices factored into his decision to resign from what he said has been the greatest job he has ever had. “I'm very sad to go,” Castillo said.

A Martinsburg attorney who has led efforts to preserve and redevelop the 19th century Baltimore & Ohio Railroad shops in Martinsburg for more than 15 years said it's time for the next generation to take over the project. Clarence E. “CEM” Martin III, who has chaired the Berkeley County Roundhouse Authority board since it was created in 1999, said Wednesday his resignation letter to Berkeley County Council President Tony Petrucci was delivered Monday. Martin's wife, Judy, who has served with her husband on the Roundhouse Authority for as many years, said separately Wednesday that she, too, had sent a letter of resignation to the county this week.

South Hagerstown High School Principal Timothy Dawson, who had been placed on paid administrative leave Feb. 6, resigned his post last Friday for personal reasons, Washington County Public Schools spokesman Richard Wright said Monday. Jeremy Jakoby, whose most recent position was supervisor of testing and accountability in the school system's Central Office, officially reported to South High on Monday as acting principal, Wright said. At the time Dawson was put on leave, Superintendent Clayton Wilcox wrote in an e-mail response to an inquiry from The Herald-Mail that, “Beyond confirming that he is on leave, I am not at liberty to discuss the matter further.” “We don't comment about personnel matters,” Wright said Monday.

After nearly six years as executive director of the Greater Waynesboro Chamber of Commerce, Carlene Willhide is leaving. Her last day will be March 22. She submitted her resignation to the chamber board Wednesday. Willhide said she is leaving her post to spend more time with her family. “I'm just going to be taking a little bit of a break. I worked the last 30 years full time in very demanding jobs,” Willhide said. “I'm going to take a little bit of time to just regroup and spend some time with my family.” Those family members include her husband Michael, her recently married daughter Meagan, son-in-law Chris and her great niece and nephew.

For the first time since Gregory XII stepped down from the Throne of St. Peter in 1415, the leader of the Catholic Church is resigning. Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step down took by surprise many local members of the Roman Catholic Church on Monday. He said that at age 85, he no longer has the necessary physical strength to lead the world's more than 1 billion Roman Catholics. “I'm very surprised. Yet, when I think about his age and frailty, he's one of the smartest men, so he knows what's best for the Church,” said Father John Lombardi of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Hancock, Md. “I am sad because I and many of the faith have a very high regard for Pope Benedict XVI,” the Rev. J. Collin Poston, pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Hagerstown said Monday.

While no formal vote was taken Thursday, the Jefferson County Commission dropped plans for a special election this year to replace former Sheriff Bobby Shirley, who was forced out of office after pleading guilty in a federal civil rights violation case. Commission President Dale Manuel estimated that it would cost about $200,000 to hold a primary in May followed by a general election in November. The commissioners appointed Jesse W. Jones, Shirley's chief deputy, to serve as interim manager following Shirley's resignation.

Jefferson County Sheriff Robert E. “Bobby” Shirley has tendered his resignation, Jefferson County Commissioner Patsy Noland said Friday. Noland said Shirley dropped off a one-sentence letter of resignation at her home between 5:30 and 6 p.m. “It says that he resigned as sheriff, effective immediately,” Noland said. Commissioners have yet to formally discuss Shirley's resignation letter, Noland said. Noland and newly elected Commission President Dale Manuel said they were unaware that Shirley  consented Friday to modified terms of release while federal civil rights allegations are pending against him. Shirley was placed on 24-hour home detention Friday and agreed to take leave of absence from his job, according to his attorney Kevin D. Mills and court orders.

The resignation of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Convention & Visitors Bureau's executive director apparently was in the works for several months. After more than six years on the job, Andrea Ball announced Thursday that she had resigned effective that day. When contacted about her resignation, Ball said Thursday that she submitted a letter of resignation to the bureau's board president April 25 that made her departure effective Sept. 21. “I am offering five months notice to give you an opportunity to find a replacement and to complete what I hope is a very successful Pickin' In the Panhandle 2012,” Ball wrote in a letter to Kim Reid that she released Thursday to The Herald-Mail.

Nigel Dardar said he will be “in the audience” at Wednesday's Hancock Town Council meeting instead of at the council table because he filed to run for mayor against incumbent Daniel Murphy. Dardar said last week that he recently filed to run in the Jan. 28 election. There is a town ordinance, however, that states a sitting council member who files to run must resign, he said. Murphy, the eight-term mayor of Hancock, said last week he had not filed to run for another two-year term, but will before the Nov. 30 deadline.