Four Peachtree City public

works employees, including the top two managers, have resigned in the

wake of a criminal investigation into wrongdoing at the agency.

Bobby Thompson, the director

of the public works department and an 18-year employee of the city, resigned

Tuesday along with public works superintendent Chris Bowden and shop foreman

Cameron Bolden. Employee Paul M. Justus tendered his resignation Thursday.

None of them have been named

as suspects in the ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of

misappropriated funds and property at the public works department.

In an emotional resignation

letter, Thompson indicated remorse for his actions, taking culpability

for some of the alleged wrongdoing that went on at the public works department.

"I am very ashamed of

my actions," Thompson wrote. "... But I have to accept this

is the way it is. I must pay for what I've done.

"... I'm not a bad

person, but I've done a bad thing. I've asked my family to forgive

me, and God, but I know the city can't."

Thompson also said in his letter

that he endeavored to work hard for the city until the past couple of

years.

"I quit thinking about

what was right and wrong and allowed myself to get things on me which

took away any control," Thompson wrote. "I wanted so bad to

change things around (but) it couldn't be done because of what I

did."

Peachtree City officials have

appointed two interim employees to fill in the top management positions

at the public works department. Randy Gaddo, the city's director

of leisure services, has been named interim director of the city's

public works department. Also, Jim Miller, manager of the Kedron Fieldhouse,

has been named interim public works superintendent.

Tyler declined to comment on

whether any employees had resigned, been fired, suspended or disciplined

in connection to the police investigation.

Meanwhile, Peachtree City detectives

have been working around the clock, going through five years of purchase

orders and matching them up to the employee responsible for the purchase.

Records from paving companies and auto parts suppliers have also been

subpoenaed, officials confirmed.

The Citizen has also learned

that some accusations involved workers stealing packages that were delivered

to the public works and recreation departments and items being thrown

into the trash which were later taken out of the garbage by employees

who claimed the items as their own.

Police Chief James Murray confirmed

those allegations were "a part" of the investigation.

No one at the management level

in the recreation department has been targeted by the investigation, Police

Chief James Murray said. The recreation department was involved because

some of the items which turned up missing were taken from recreation department

property.

The recreation department is

adjacent to the public works department's location on McIntosh Trail.

The investigation by the Peachtree

City Police Department began after two seemingly minor incidents were

reported, according to a news release issued by the city late Wednesday

morning.

None of the suspects'

names are being released, and Murray noted he does not comment about ongoing

investigations. A "management restructuring" of those two divisions

has been implemented by City Manager Bernie McMullen to ensure operations

continue efficiently, officials said.

McMullen said failure to uphold

city ordinances and state law "cannot and will not be tolerated."

"No employee is above

the law, and we are determined to make sure the matter is resolved and

all those who have broken the law are identified," McMullen said.

McMullen said full information

on the investigation would be released to the public as soon as it is

deemed legal to do so.

"This is a matter involving

public funds and the public trust, and our citizens and taxpayers have

the right to know," McMullen said.

Police Chief James Murray said

when he notified McMullen about the investigation, he and the City Council

"wanted a full investigation to determine the scope of the problem."

When the criminal investigation

is complete, the results will be forwarded to McMullen for review, officials

said.

The city can seek restitution

for any misappropriated funds, officials indicated.

Until the matter is resolved,

officials are conducting a full examination of the departments' policies

and procedures "to identify what went wrong and prevent such occurrences,"

McMullen added.

- Staff writer J. Frank

Lynch contributed to this report