PONTOTOC COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) -- Positions that had been filled for years at the chancery clerk's office in Pontotoc County are now empty.
Chancery Clerk Gary Moorman confirms he fired several people Monday.
Word began to quickly spread about changes underway at Pontotoc County Courthouse.
"I just heard four people got fired," said one woman.
"I just heard there was supposed to be some firing," said one man.
Moorman said he would not give specifics surrounding the terminations. He referred further comment to the county attorney.
The attorney, William Wardlaw, said he has mixed feelings about the terminations because he knows the staff as well as the chancery clerk.
"I have a lot of respect for the individuals over there, and I have a lot of respect for Mr. Gary Moorman. I really do," said Wardlaw.
But speculation began to rise because the terminations happened around the same time state auditors were in Pontotoc performing an audit.
Officials with the state auditor's office said their audit was routine and the terminations had nothing to do with the audits.
County Board of Supervisors President Wayne Stokes said the timing of the termination and the audit were purely coincidental.
He said the audits are performed yearly and it had nothing to do with the firings. He would not comment any further on the terminations because it's a personnel issue.
Since the firings, the chancery clerk has relied on temporary workers until he can hire replacements.
Moorman said more than 50 people have applied for the positions.
