The city of Muncie says it is suspending two city employees for issues with a department’s financial accounting.  But as IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, officials aren’t giving many details.

In a statement, the Muncie mayor’s office is not naming the suspended employees or the department in which they work.

It says what it calls “inconsistencies” were found with a department’s accounting during payment processing with the City Controller’s office.  The city says it’s procedure is to suspend the two employees with pay while the State Police investigate.

The investigation comes at the same time the Muncie City Council has already begun public hearings to craft the next city budget.

This isn’t the first time Muncie has made headlines for inconsistent accounting.  A years-long FBI investigation into Muncie City Hall found, among other crimes, payments made for fake housing demolitions sent to a company partially owned by the then-city building commissioner.  Craig Nichols pleaded guilty in federal court and was sentenced to two years in prison.

In this instance, the city says it isn’t identifying the employees to protect their “privacy and reputation.”