The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 409

Sunday, July 1, 1990 The Philadelphia Inquirer 3-DC Fired Ridley Park official sues accuser Solowski refused to apologize for things he had said about Neely at council meetings. Members of the Borough Council, who are not involved in the civil suit, disclosed the filing at their work session Wednesday night. In an interview Thursday, Council President Bruce Gordon said Neely was fired for a "long list" of reasons, and not because of his involvement with the fund. At the council's February meeting, Solowski, of the 200 block of Park Street, charged that mismanagement of the borough police pension fund during 1987 and 1988 caused the fund to lose nearly $18,000 in interest and penalties resulting from late filing for pension aid from the state. The suit stated that Solowski false ly accused Neely of covering up mistakes in the police pension fund; not giving truthful answers to questions concerning the fund; missing the filing date of the actuarial report in 1988; and losing $13,719 from the pension plan because of late filing of the 1988 report.

In response, the suit stated that Neely was appointed borough manager in April 1988 and was not responsible for the late filing, nor did he lose any money with respect to the fund. Neely, represented by Ronald Kli-mas, former borough solicitor, also stated that Solowski's comments about his alleged involvement in the mismanagement caused Neely to "become extremely anxious and worried," leading to hemorrhaging of a gastric ulcer. The injury resulted in a "life-threatening condition" that required a hospital stay from March 28 until April 2, according to the suit. Neely missed about a week and a half of work before the April council meeting because of the bleeding ulcer, according to borough officials. He was informally removed from office at the May council meeting and was fired by resolution at the June meeting, on June 12, for "a failure to establish and maintain a good working relationship with council." The suit says Solowski's statements at the February meeting were made "in an endeavor to induce Ridley Park Borough Council to terminate INeely's employment with the bor I -r til ough." Solowski received a letter from Kli-mas dated March 22 threatening a suit if Solowski did not make a public apology to Neely.

The letter stated in part: "If you are man enough to apologize for each of the statements set forth above, this matter will be finished." At the April meeting, Solowski tried to respond to the letter, but was interrupted by borough officials. "This is public knowledge, I have a right" to respond, Solowski said, indicating his remarks were not going to take the form of an apology. Reached by a reporter on Thursday, Neely declined comment on the civil action. Solowski could not be reached for comment. Glenolden GOP has a change of heart By Dan Hardy Special to The Inquirer Things seem to have come full circle in the Republican party in Glenolden, as a group of Republicans who had lost control of the party in 1988 have regained it.

The new party chairman is John McVeigh 3d. He defeated incumbent party leader William Savage, 7-5, at the June 20 Republican party reorganization meeting. Jane McLaughlin was elected party co-chair. The vote was a turnaround from 1988, when Savage took control of the party from McVeigh, who had been chairman, saying that Glenolden Republicans were "ready for new faces." It was all the more surprising because only one new Republican committee member was elected this spring. Last year.

Savage fielded a slate of four candidates in the Republican primary who ran against McVeigh, who was then the mayor pf Glenolden, and two others Borough Council member William Reese, and incumbent tax collector Sarah Dougherty. McVeigh, Reese and Dougherty all lost. Only Albert Kelley, a fourth member of the Concerned Republicans of Glenolden, won against Savage's candidate. In recent months, however, a new consensus has seemed to develop within the party, as Glenolden Borough Council members who had been associated with Savage and McVeigh voted the same way on many issues, including reappointing Dougherty tax collector, after Arthur Lender, who had been elected, resigned. Asked why the Republicans had reversed themselves and voted (See GOP on Page 17) By Lisa Moorhead Special to The Inquirer Charles Neely is blaming resident Donald Solowski for his firing as manager of Ridley Park Borough.

It was Solowski, he said, who turned the council against him by falsely accusing him of mismanaging public funds. Now, he is not only out of a job, but the incident caused him to worry to the point where he ended up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer, he said. The allegations are contained in a defamation-of-character suit that Neely filed against Solowski in Delaware County Court. It seeks $20,000 in damages. The suit was filed June 8, after Boothwyn principal bumped from job By Cynthia J.

McGroarty Special to The Inquirer Like the player who gets left out in the children's game of musical chairs, Mary Ann Wilson was feeling left out last week after being bumped from her position as principal of Boothwyn Elementary School. Wilson was replaced by Constance Ryskamp, the Chichester School District's director of reading and federal programs. Ryskamp exercised her seniority after the school board eliminated her job last month, leaving the district with more players than seats. The board voted to abolish Rys-kamp's position for budget reasons, Board President Daniel T. Sculley said.

Ryskamp, who is certified as an elementary principal, then was reassigned to Wilson's position. The state public school code states that when an administrative position is eliminated, the administrator with the least seniority is bumped. Wilson said she was shocked and disappointed, adding that she had received a letter confirming her reassignment to Boothwyn shortly before the unexpected development. "I had every reason to plan on coming back," she said as she care-fuly removed from her office walls the letters and drawings that her students had given her. Wilson, 41, spent only one year at Boothwyn, but she said it had been satisfying.

"The community and staff were very warm and receptive," she said. Wilson said she would use her right of appeal. "Right now, I'm not seeking employment elsewhere," she said. "I'm going to court." Some district parents are support- Wilson, holding a child's poem in one of her classrooms, says she MKMiiiKBKMKKKKMiiMMiMHKMM Lacking seniority, Mary Ann Wilson is being replaced by Constance Ryskamp, whose reading director's post fell victim to Chichester district budget cuts. Special to The Inquirer BARBARA JOHNSTON will appeal the board decision.

test scores have improved in the last five years. Ryskamp became reading supervisor in 1979, and the position was raised to director of reading and federal programs six years later. Sculley, the school board president, said Ryskamp's job was one of three administrative positions eliminated in budget cuts for the 1990-91 school year. Wilson, who previously taught in the Chester Upland School District, was assigned to Trainer Elementary School in April 1989, when the district planned to reopen the school. In July, plans to reopen were scrapped, and in August, she was assigned to Boothwyn.

Ryskamp said she was approached a year ago to consider the principal's position at Boothwyn but had made plans for a sabbatical and withdrew her name from consideration. "I'm capable and have the credentials," she said, adding that Wilson was "within her rights" to appeal. Wilson said she felt no enmity toward Ryskamp, but "my attorneys feel Dr. Ryskamp doesn't have the right to bump me." background you have." Karen Avendano, whose two youngest children attend Boothwyn, said Wilson was "the best principal the school ever had." "She was the hope for a good foundation for the students. I was going to take my kids out of that school before she started.

"She was tops. That was one salary I didn't mind paying." The parents also disagree with the elimination of Ryskamp's position. Frenchelle DeGracia said she thought the reading program needed direction because of low national test scores. Ryskamp, who declared that she was "not too happy to hear about" the elimination of her position, said ing Wilson in her fight "She's going to win," said Fren-chelle DeGracia, who has two children attending Boothwyn. She said she and other parents would present petitions to the school board July 17 in protest.

DeGracia's husband, Richard, said Wilson was a casualty of politics in the district. "This is a slap in the face," he said. "The school district asked for leadership arid finally got it, and they turn around and make this decision without asking the parents." Richard DeGracia said Wilson had "turned the school around." "She wants to educate kids. She doesn't care what color you are, what.