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TOWN OF NIAGARA It's been weeks since federal agents met privately with Supervisor Steve Richards to discuss what he described as "town business."

Other town officials have been in contact with federal authorities in the days since Richards' March 18 meeting, but that's not to say they have received any new information on the nature of the agency's interest.

"It's in the FBI's hands," said town board member Robert Clark, who told the Gazette he's met twice with federal investigators this year. "We'd like for something to happen for the town to be able to move on and for the people to stop worrying about it."

The FBI confirmed in March that federal agents and representatives from the state attorney general's office started conducting interviews with several town officials as part of an ongoing matter. The FBI has not identified the source of its inquiry, nor has it confirmed that the investigation is criminal in nature.

Also in March, Richards confirmed that he spent a couple of hours with federal and state investigators. At the time, Richards said the session was held behind closed doors and would confirm only that the meeting was held at the FBI'srequest to discuss "town business. Richards declined to discuss anything more about the meeting, saying only that he expected to hear from federal agents again.

During Tuesday's board meeting, Richards unveiled plans for a five-year capital project aimed at repaving 80 percent of all town roads. Hesaid he intended to see the project through to fruition, health permitting. Richards did not address the FBI's interest in the town, nor did not he respond to requests for comment from the Gazette on Wednesday.

Following a board meeting in May, Deputy Supervisor Marc Carpenter confirmed that he was interviewed by the FBI several weeks after agents first visited Richards. He said several other department heads and town employees have been interviewed as well. He declined to discuss the nature of his discussion with the FBI in detail, saying only that he was asked if he was aware of any inappropriate activities in the town and he indicated that he was not.

At the time, Carpenter said the town iscooperating 100 percent with investigators, stressing that there have been no criminal charges filed against anyone at this point.

On Wednesday, Carpenter said he has not been contacted by anyone from the FBI since his previous interview.

"There is absolutely nothing from the time when I was interviewed back when and I haven't heard anything," he said.

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Town of Niagara waits for word on FBI 'interest'