Oakland Tribune Partner Leaves Board in Dispute : Media: L.A. attorney Paul R. Greenberg steps down after 7 years.

In a sign of profound disagreement over how to rescue the financially strapped Tribune of Oakland, a Los Angeles lawyer who owns 20% of the company abruptly resigned from its board on Friday.

Attorney Paul R. Greenberg said in a brief statement that his resignation was prompted by disagreement with co-owner and Editor Robert C. Maynard over Maynard’s management of the paper and his plans to revamp it.

On Wednesday, the Tribune, which has suffered from declines in readership and advertising, announced plans to cut its 725-member staff by about 25% and consolidate operations to save more than $10 million a year. The overhaul was devised with the help of Durkee/Sharlit Associates, a Los Angeles consulting firm hired by the Tribune a month ago.

“I share Mr. Maynard’s goal that Oakland continue to have its own newspaper,” Greenberg said in the statement. “I wish the Tribune and its employees the best of luck in working out a survival plan and continuing to serve the East Bay community.”

In a telephone conversation, Greenberg said he thinks management of the company should be put into “stronger hands.” Asked what he would recommend, he said: “It doesn’t matter what my suggestion is. I’m not the controlling shareholder.” He said he hopes the newspaper will continue to operate rather than be liquidated.

Maynard, in a statement released late Friday, said: “I regret Mr. Greenberg’s resignation after seven years of service and appreciate his best wishes for our success.”

A Tribune employee noted that until recently Greenberg’s name had appeared on the newspaper’s masthead with the title of vice president.

“It went off about two months ago, mysteriously,” the employee said.

Maynard became the first black owner of a major metropolitan newspaper in the United States in 1983, when he and Greenberg bought the paper from Gannett Co. for $22 million.

One newsroom observer said Greenberg, 47, received his 20% stake in exchange for helping to arrange the financing.