Sources tell Eyewitness News that the City of New Orleans’ embattled interim Chief Technology Officer Anthony Jones has resigned his position.  He reportedly made that decision Monday and is expected to officially step down this Friday, according to sources.

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Anthony Jones

Jones will return to his previous civil service position as Management Information Systems Director, Mayor Ray Nagin's office said in a press release. The city will name a permananent director for the technology division with 90 to 180 days, according to Chief Administration Officer Dr. Brenda Hatfield. On Aug. 4, M. Harrison Boyd will step in as interim director while the city continues its search.

For months, controversy has swirled around Jones and his office, especially regarding questions about his educational background and lack of a college degree.  Critics charged that he falsified his resume, with regard to his educational credentials.

Jones has also faced strong criticism for the way his office handled malfunctioning crime cameras throughout the city, and the city 311 hotline, which has faced complaints from citizens and city council members about poor or nonexistent service.

Jones, who earned $160,000 a year as Chief Technology Officer, has been in that position since March 2007.  Sources say he is expected to take another position in city government once he resigns.

This past week Eyewitness News reported on a Metropolitan Crime Commission investigation into Jones’ lack of a college degree.  Through an open records request, the MCC obtained two city applications filled out by Jones.  In one, Jones indicated he was six credits short of earning a Tulane University degree.  But on a 2005 application, Jones claimed to have been a Tulane student from 2003 to the present.   A university spokesman said Jones was only a student from September 2 through December 1, 1998. 

Jones’ second application, filled out in 2007, did not even mention Tulane, listing the University of Phoenix instead, saying Jones had earned a bachelor’s of science degree in business management.  On May 16, the MCC asked the city to launch an investigation into the discrepancies.  Two weeks later, city officials told the commission they were awaiting records from Tulane.  And the WWL-TV report on July 24 showed that officials claimed that was still the case, though Tulane confirmed it normally takes a maximum of three business days to obtain an official transcript.