Richland — The Richland School Board today appointed its finance services director as interim superintendent while its investigation into Superintendent Jim Busey continues.

Rich Puryear, the district's longtime finance services director, will step into the interim role.

Busey told the Herald this week that the district previously investigated him for having a relationship with a district employee and found no issues but now is trying to remove him with a buyout offer.

School board Chairman Rick Jansons denied those claims and said the investigation never was finished. However, he said he could not talk more because the investigation is ongoing.

Busey was put on paid administrative leave Dec. 10, just days after knowledge of the district’s investigation of him became public in a Herald story.

See Saturday's Herald for the full story.