A fifth employee of Peachtree

City's Public Works Department has resigned in the wake of a criminal

investigation into missing equipment and money.

Curtis Benson, who was the

support services manager, resigned effective Friday with a brief letter

to city officials.

Last week, four others in the

public works department resigned as city officials scrambled to rebuild

the department with interim leadership while the criminal probe continues

to unfold. Department Director Bobby Thompson, superintendent Chris Bowden,

shop foreman Cameron Bolden and employee Paul M. Justus also resigned

last week.

Randy Gaddo, the city's

director of leisure services, has also taken on duties as director of

the public works department. Jim Miller, the director of the Kedron Fieldhouse,

has been reassigned to the public works department as superintendent.

The investigation, spearheaded

reports relating to the public works department, according to Police Chief

James Murray.

Detectives are looking back

through five years of purchase orders, matching them up to the employee

who ordered the equipment. Records from auto parts dealers and a paving

company have also been subpoenaed by officers.

In his resignation letter,

Thompson apparently took much of the blame for improprieties that occurred

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 said in his resignation

letter.

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