PORT GIBSON – Claiborne County Administrator James Miller, suspended last month while officials investigated his involvement with a Vicksburg communications company, was given his job back Thursday following a 3-2 vote.

At the same time, Troy Kimble, a patrolman with the Vicksburg Police Department, was cleared of any wrongdoing while working as a consultant for the same phone firm, Delta Communications.

&#8220I was asked by this board to do an internal investigation,” attorney Mike Espy, a former congressman, said during a special meeting Thursday of the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors. &#8220I’ve done that, and I find two things – 911 never went down at all, although it was reported to the press; and there is no evidence of criminality at all.”

Neither Miller nor Kimble could be reached.

Espy’s comments were in stark contrast to those he made Sept. 19, when he accused Kimble of shutting off phone lines, including emergency lines, Sept. 7 after supervisors refused to pay fees reportedly owed to Kimble for work he did as a telecommunications consultant for Claiborne County.

The &#8220crisis” Kimble was accused of creating also triggered an internal investigation in Vicksburg by Police Chief Tommy Moffett as well as an inquiry by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. Additionally, Miller was suspended Sept. 14 without pay because supervisors were unable to find written agreements between the board and Delta Communications.

Miller has said he did nothing wrong and that his suspension was political.

Under state law, counties may act legally only through written agreements and make payments only when reflected by votes recorded in board minutes. Corporate vendors also are to be registered to do business in Mississippi.

The Secretary of State’s Web site listed no corporation actively chartered as Delta Communications.

After Espy announced his findings, Supervisors Martha Lott, Charles Shorts and Mott Headley Jr. voted to reinstate Miller with back pay. Michael Wells and Allen Burks dissented.

&#8220Why are we (reinstating) someone who had a terrible job performance?” Burks said. &#8220We have not served our people well.”

But that statement drew the ire of the other supervisors, and Burks was warned not to discuss Miller’s job performance in open session.

As for Kimble, he also denied doing anything illegal, insisting an invoice was given to the county Aug. 31 for $7,000 for work on Microsoft Exchange servers, and that he never disrupted 911 service. He did, however, temporarily shut down the county’s Internet service, Kimble said.

In Thursday’s meeting, Espy agreed.

&#8220He was belligerent, but he turned back on the Internet and e-mail,” Espy said. &#8220It was down for about two weeks. Telephones did go down for about 30 minutes and rebooted” later.

In Vicksburg, Moffett’s investigation centered on whether Kimble violated department policy by not having permission for a second job. He had also hinted at disciplining Kimble if Claiborne County charges were brought against him.

Moffett did not immediately return a message seeking comment. But Tuesday he said no action had been taken against Kimble.