<p>The inspector general was asked Monday to continue his probe of the state's technical colleges as four more college presidents reported having relatives on the payroll.</p><p>Mike Light, a spokesman for the Department of Technical and Adult Education, said the department specifically asked the inspector general to open a new investigation into the department's purchasing procedures and to take a new, broader look at its adult literacy program.</p><p>The request follows a series of revelations about the agency and some of its 34 schools.</p><p>Among other things, an initial investigation by the state's inspector general showed a high-ranking official of the department gave her sister's boyfriend a $72,000-a-year job he was not qualified to perform, then tried to fire him when the romance soured.</p><p>Last week, the president of the North Metro Technical College in Acworth removed his wife from the school's payroll, where she held a part-time position for which she held legitimate credentials.</p><p>At a mass meeting last Friday with technical college presidents, the agency's commissioner, Mike Vollmer, told them they would be held responsible for any ethical lapses on their watch and ordered them to report any relatives on the payroll.</p><p>In response, four colleges, in addition to North Metro Tech, showed relatives of presidents on the payroll, the agency said on Monday.</p><p>At West Central Tech in Waco, President Janet Ayers showed two sisters and a niece working for the college, one of them hired by her predecessor. One sister earned $44,917, the other was paid $34,680 and the niece earned $24,500.</p><p>President Robin Hoffman's daughter was on the payroll at DeKalb Tech.</p><p>At East Central Tech in Fitzgerald, President Diane Harper's sister and daughter-in-law were on the payroll. Her sister earned $26,487 and her daughter-in-law was paid $21,216.</p><p>At Heart of Georgia Tech in Dublin, President Randall Peters' wife was an adult literacy instructor at a salary of $35,616.</p><p>Light, the department spokesman, said the agency expects the relatives to be removed from the payroll and is waiting to learn how the presidents handle those situations. Some already have been removed, he said.</p><p>Meanwhile, with additional reports of potentially questionable situations coming from the public, he said the agency has asked the inspector general to take a new look at the agency.</p><p>Among other things, Light said, "we want them to take a hard look into administrative procedures of the agency," including its budgeting and purchasing operations.</p><p>Light said the director of operations, Brad Sims, has been placed on administrative leave with pay while that investigation proceeds.</p><p>"There is no belief of misdoing or mishandling of anything by Mr. Sims, but with the number of allegations coming forward, it's only fair to him and the agency he be placed on leave," Light said.</p><p>The department also wants the inspector general to continue looking into the adult literacy divisions, which was run by Jean DeVard-Kemp, who stepped down following the inspector general's earlier report.</p><p>___</p><p>Dick Pettys has covered Georgia government and politics since 1970</p>
