Citing health concerns as the primary reason, Richard S. Houpt announced Wednesday that he is resigning as president of Greenville council.

"I am beginning to feel the physical drain the past nine months have placed upon my health, and my physical condition is such that I may not be able to maintain the level of commitment to the position that future challenges present," said Houpt.

Houpt was alluding primarily to the borough's fiscal collapse, details of which surfaced earlier this year, and what figures to be a difficult, years-long recovery.

Houpt, 76, said he decided to step down after he suffered "another heart episode" on Saturday, about 10 months after his previous one.

While Houpt said he felt fine Wednesday evening, he said the narrowing of the gap between the episodes made his decision to resign as president a no-brainer.

"I decided I should get out (as president) before it kills me. The president is where people point all of the arrows," Houpt said.

Houpt, who was re-elected last year, said he will remain on council after a new president is appointed. Vice President Bryan Langietti would be first in line for the post. If he declines, council would elect a president from the remaining five members, all of whom took office for the first time in January.

Houpt said he believes he has accomplished all that he set out to do when he was reappointed president at the beginning of the year.

"Working with the new council and the new borough manager would have been a challenging task in the best of situations. We did not have ideal conditions, but I believe we are now working together as a dedicated team to bring order out of chaos," said Houpt, who has served on council since 1991.

"I can't say that I've enjoyed the entire experience but I have found it interesting, challenging and educational," Houpt said.

Houpt also served as council president during the mid-to-late-1990s, but stepped aside then because of heart problems.