George F. Dixon III, president of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Board of Trustees, resigned Thursday at the board’s request.

The board has launched an investigation into reports that Dixon for years failed to pay healthcare premiums for insurance provided by RTA.

Dixon, appointed to the board in 1992 and president since 1994, signed up for healthcare through a program offered to all board members by RTA, which is self-insured. No other current board members are enrolled in the RTA healthcare plan.

Georgine Welo, mayor of South Euclid and an RTA Board of Trustees member, said the board was made aware of the questions about Dixon’s payments on Tuesday, March 27. With an internal investigation underway, the board requested Dixon’s resignation and accepted it in a meeting on Thursday.

“This comes as a shock to all of us who have known George for so long, and we’re profoundly disappointed,” said Mayor Welo. “Failure to pay for your health care would be a serious issue for anyone at RTA — particularly someone in a leadership position.”

Given that this is an active investigation, Welo said, the RTA board will not go into any more detail at this time but more information will be released when it is available.

“We know people will have many questions about this. So do we. We’re going to get answers, and when we do, we’re going to share them with the community,” Welo said.