Health Issues Behind Chambers' Resignation

Following his from the Great Valley School Board Monday night, Bruce Chambers said his health was behind the decision.

He declined to share publicly the health issue that led to his resignation. His term was due to expire in December 2013.

"The board was not functioning well. Add that on top of the difficult issues we have, and the stress was not worth it for me," Chambers said.

Chambers, who retired from a long career in the US Postal Inspection Service in 2001, was elected to the school board in 2009, representing Region 1. He served as board president through 2011 and then as legislative liaison to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

Board member Ted Leisenring, who voted against accepting Chambers' resignation along with Phil Foret and Mary Ravenfeld, said he was "still reeling" from the news, and that Chambers had lead the board during its most critical budget crisis in district history.

"Without him we would not have gotten the union to contribute $1.8 million and we would not have started the process of looking at the budget in the future so we know what we have to do today,' Leisenring said in an email. "His 'five year look' spreadsheet showing deficits in the future is the most important guideline we have today."

Nikki Salvatico, a first-grade teacher in the district and president of the Great Valley Education Association—the teachers' union—said, "I wish him all the best. I'm grateful he worked with us to come to an agreement."

Chambers' was one of the more vocal members of the board, even after stepping down as president. His businesslike approach to the district's affairs sometimes clashed with other members' views, but he was always prepared to argue his point. At the Dec. 2011 meeting, for example, he asserted that , based on a narrow interpretation of the law that would have disqualified most school districts with considerable reserve funds.

"He caught flak for pointing out the real numbers, but Bruce's efforts were always on behalf of the students," former Chester County controller Joe Carpenter said in an email.

School board president David Barratt, who announced the resignation at the start of the June 11 meeting, said Chambers, "like him or not," brought knowledge and public awareness to the board's activities.

School board vice president Stephanie Gunderson, who traded terse words with Chambers as recently as the May 21 meeting, praised Chambers' dedication to the job.

"He gave an incredible amount of time to the board," Gunderson said at the Monday board meeting. "You could call him at any hour of the day."

Chambers said he does not plan to attend future school board meetings. Asked if he had any preferences for his replacement, he simply said that was the board's decision.

The district is currently accepting applications for candidates to fill Chambers' term.

[Edited 6/14/12 7:20 a.m. to reflect that three members of the board voted against accepting Chambers' resignation.]