The former administrative secretary of the Garner fire department is the focus of an investigation into thousands of missing dollars, according to a memo from the Garner town manager.
In a letter given to town leaders Jan. 14, Town Manager Hardin Watkins said that an audit of the Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department showed that $10,000 was missing from its treasury.
Watkins said in the letter that he learned from Garner's deputy police chief, Eric Copeland, that employee Amy Moore was under investigation. The letter also said Fire Chief Phil Mitchell had wanted to press criminal charges in the case but the independent department's board of directors advised against it as long as Moore repaid the money.
She offered to do so, the letter said.
Moore has not been charged in the case. Garner Police Chief Brandon Zuidema said police are preparing for a criminal investigation.
Earlier this week, Mayor Ronnie Williams said an investigation revealed the department was missing "substantially more" than $10,000 over a period of several years.
In the letter, Watkins said he learned that Moore was allowed to remain in her post through Feb. 1 and then be fired. Mitchell needed Moore to help with a grant application and a budget proposal before her employment ended, Watkins wrote.
Moore is no longer a fire department employee, said Capt. Matt Poole, who answered the phone at the department Thursday. Town leaders, who have declined to release the name of the worker suspected of embezzling money, said the employee has resigned.
Town officials announced this week that auditors realized money was missing during an audit of the fiscal year that began in July 2008.
Councilman Gra Singleton said town leaders should have been notified about the missing money sooner. "A courtesy phone call would have been nice," he said.
The fire department is independent of the town, although it is almost entirely funded by tax dollars from Garner and Wake County.
Fire department officials met with town leaders, a Wake emergency management official and auditors earlier this week. Town leaders said they don't know how long an investigation will last.
