FERRIDAY, La. — The Louisiana State Auditor’s Office is investigating the Town of Ferriday, looking into an alleged misappropriation of town funds by two clerks that have been fired in recent days.

During a special meeting held Monday — which was held without notifying the press, a violation of state law — the Town Council fired Town Clerk Ida Johnson for allegedly misappropriating funds, Town Attorney John Sturgeon confirmed Tuesday. Kathy Green, also a clerk at Town Hall, was fired last week, also for allegedly misappropriating funds.

But Sturgeon said town officials do not yet know how much money is supposed to be missing from town coffers.

Councilman Billy Rucker said he was among the town officials who met with representatives from the State Auditor’s Office Tuesday. And he confirmed that the misappropriation of funds is what the Auditor’s Office is investigating.

&uot;I was shocked to hear of it,&uot; said Rucker, chairman of the council’s Finance Committee. Montgomery did not return calls Tuesday.

Neither Johnson nor Green could be reached for comment.

State Auditor Dan Kyle said Tuesday his office is investigating the town but refused to say whether the probe is related to the alleged misappropriation of funds.

&uot;We have been investigating (the town) for a couple of of weeks. I can’t say what it’s about, but should release a report next week,&uot; he said.

Paul Scott, district director for the Seventh Judicial District Attorney’s Office, said no criminal charges will be brought against Johnson or Green until the State Auditor’s Office completes its investigation. &uot;We’ll let them do their thing before we do our thing,&uot;&160;Scott said.

Kyle said the current investigation has nothing to do with his office’s review of the Town of Ferriday last year.

That review, made public last August, revealed hit-and-miss tracking of tickets, lax efforts to collect water bills, conflicting accounting figures, violation of bond agreements, irregular inventories, and incomplete time cards and worker files.

The review was not an investigation, and town officials were not charged with any crimes. But Kyle said his office plans to conduct a follow-up of that review this year, possibly this summer.