ATLANTA —
A review commission appointed by the governor has recommended that a Dougherty School Board member be removed from office until charges against her are resolved.
The Albany Herald reports (http://bit.ly/MFUA8C ) that the commission on Friday recommended the removal of Velvet Riggins, who has been indicted on felony school lunch fraud charges. A spokeswoman says Gov. Nathan Deal is considering the recommendation.
Riggins’ lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday. He told the Herald on Monday he hadn’t spoken to Riggins and didn’t have an immediate response.
Deal last month appointed Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, Henry County School Board member Erik Charles and Tift County School Board member Shawn Utley to review the charges to determine whether they impact Riggins’ ability to perform as a school board member. Deal is not bound by their recommendation.
Riggins was indicted on April 25 by a Dougherty County grand jury on two counts of theft by taking, public record fraud and providing false information to obtain free school meals for a child.
The indictment stems from two 2011-12 free or reduced-cost school lunch applications filed for her children at Robert Cross Middle Magnet School and Lincoln Elementary Magnet School. Riggins is accused of falsifying information on the applications.
Riggins term on the school board expires Dec. 31, but she is running unopposed for a new four-year term in the November election.
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