POSTVILLE MAYOR RESIGNS

Robert Penrod resigns after city employees draft letter critical of mayor. Resignation, given orally, not official until put in writing.

Postville's mayor Robert Penrod walked out of a city council meeting tonight after orally resigning.

Penrod has been under increasing criticism from city employees, who drafted and circulated a letter late last week critical of the mayor's conduct of his office.

City council member Ginger Medberry confirmed Penrod's resignation when I spoke with her a few moments ago.

The resignation is not official until the mayor puts drafts a letter and delivers it to council members.

City council member Ross Malcom is the mayor pro tem.

Already upset about the letter, the mayor resigned when questioned about out of pocket spending.

Penrod purchased a Blackberry to save on cellphone minutes. The limit on out of pocket spending is $500. The Blackberry cost $600. The council refused to approve the extra $100.

At that point, the mayor angrily resigned.

The mayor has also been under criticism from activists trying to help Postville after the Agriprocessors collapse who charge he was slow to respond to the housing and utlity crises, and to have unresponsive to the needs of hungry former Agriprocessors workers.