MARIETTA - The Marietta City Board of Education accepted the resignation of an employee under investigation during a special meeting Monday.
Barbara Mincks, assistant treasurer and EMIS coordinator, submitted a letter of resignation to the district, which was approved by a 5-0 vote. The letter simply said she was resigning "effective immediately" and did not reference the investigations by the auditor of state's office and Marietta Police Department into the possible theft of public funds that led to her being placed on paid administrative leave last week.
"We gave Mrs. Mincks the opportunity to come and meet with us today, through her attorney," said board President Greg Gault. "She declined to take advantage of that opportunity today."
Contacted after Monday's meeting, Mincks' attorney, Rolf Baumgartel, said his client tendered her resignation because it would be easier for the school district than going through the process to terminate her, if that course of action was taken.
"It's a problem that the school district doesn't have to deal with anymore," he said.
Otherwise, Baumgartel said, it is too early to comment on the situation.
The district was notified Wednesday that the auditor's office had found information indicating Mincks had allegedly manipulated and falsified records in a way that suggested "a theft of public funds had occurred."
Brittany Elking, spokeswoman for the auditor's office, said the discovery was made in the course of the regular financial audit of the district, but that additional information could not be released because the investigation is ongoing. That stance was echoed by city police and district officials last week and on Monday.
