PORT GIBSON – James Miller, more than two months after admitting he signed off on business agreements and payments to buy a new phone system without authorization, has resigned as Claiborne County administrator.

Mike Espy, attorney for the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors, said Tuesday he could not talk about Miller’s resignation.

&#8220It’s a personnel action, so I can’t comment,” he said.

James Johnston has been named interim county administrator, Espy said.

Miller could not be reached.

In January, Espy said Miller acted &#8220without due authority” when he authorized agreements and payments without a vote by supervisors, who later disclaimed knowledge of his actions.

But the actions were taken in good faith, Espy said, and supervisors were working with state Auditor Phil Bryant’s office to &#8220ratify” the situation. Spokesmen from that office have declined to comment on any investigation.

State law provides that any official who spends public money without legal authorization can be required to repay the treasury. Audit officials issue letters demanding repayment and, later, turn over files to the Attorney General’s Office, which has the option of criminal prosecution.

Miller, who was suspended in September pending Espy’s initial investigation of the county’s business ventures with communications companies, was cleared of wrongdoing in October by Espy and supervisors.

Amid the confusion, including a statement from Claiborne Sheriff Frank Davis that there was nothing wrong with the existing phone system and that the new system was unreliable, The Vicksburg Post requested minutes, bid notices, contracts and other records from supervisors Dec. 15. Supervisors turned the matter over to Espy who, after asking for more than the state-allowed 14 days, complied in full, providing more than 200 documents in January.

Those documents showed $250,000 or more related to its troublesome phone system was spent without bids or documentation.

Espy indicated the process of acquiring the phones began before his tenure, but he was satisfied neither Miller nor any other county official profited from the deal.

Espy, a former member of Congress and secretary of agriculture, was appointed interim attorney in March 2006 following the slaying of attorney Allen Lamar Burrell. The suspect in that case, fired former road manager Carl Brandon, is also accused of firing shotgun blasts the same morning into Miller’s home.