MARIETTA - A Marietta City Schools employee is on leave while the possible theft of public funds is investigated.
According to a release issued by the district Thursday, Barbara Mincks, education management information system (EMIS) coordinator, "was immediately removed from the workplace and placed on paid administrative leave pending further investigation of the irregularities identified by the state auditor."
The district received information Wednesday from the auditor's office indicating Mincks, who works in the district financial office, "had engaged in the manipulation and falsification of financial records in a manner suggesting that a theft of public funds had occurred," the release says.
The release did not provide any specifics about what form the alleged manipulation and falsification took, when it happened or how much money might be affected. The release says the district will not comment publicly due to the pending criminal investigation and out of respect for employees' privacy.
Additional information was not immediately available from the auditor's office Thursday afternoon.
The district reported the situation to the Marietta Police Department. Capt. Jeff Waite said an officer had been assigned to the case but it would be premature to release any other information at this time.
A call to a number listed in Mincks' name was not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.
The district's release says "all available measures are being taken to secure the funds of the district and ... there will be no disruption of payroll or any other services provided by the treasurer's office."
