The Monroe County School Board, with its members split on what to do with employees who failed to prevent the apparent theft of public money by a school administrator, will hear its options for employee disciplinary action today.

Richard Fechter, an investigator the board hired to sample thousands of employee credit card receipts, interview employees and track financial records, will present his final findings.

Latour "L.T." Lafferty, an attorney specializing in public corruption who the School Board hired to advise its members during the investigation, will weigh in after Fechter summarizes his report. When Fechter released his preliminary report in June, Lafferty suggested the board wait until the final report before making any decisions on discipline.

At least two School Board members said they are concerned about having acting Schools Superintendent Mike Henriquez involved in the process, as he is among the department heads who Fechter faulted for failing to catch the alleged theft by former Adult Education Coordinator Monique Acevedo.

"Mike would normally work with our attorney to craft the recommendations for the board for the disciplinary action against employees," School Board member Steve Pribramsky said. "But I really don't think it's appropriate for Mike to do this. He's the most honest guy in the world, but he's an integral part of the report."

Board member John Dick said an interim superintendent, which Gov. Charles Crist has promised since he suspended Schools Superintendent Randy Acevedo on June 11, should be the one who determines punishment.

"The problem is Mike is from the previous administration," Dick said. "I like him fine, but the governor has got to appoint a new superintendent so we can have him give us direction on employee punishment, if there is any."

In his preliminary report, Fechter named several department heads who he said should have discovered and reported more than $180,000 in missing cash and at least $118,000 in suspicious purchases charged to the district credit card issued to Monique Acevedo, wife of Randy Acevedo.

Administrators named as culpable in that report included the Acevedos, Henriquez, Finance Director Kathy Reitzel and purchase card administrator Linda Walker. Before being named acting superintendent, Henriquez, was deputy superintendent under Randy Acevedo, and the direct supervisor of Monique Acevedo.

Reitzel told investigators she warned Randy Acevedo 18 months before his wife resigned that she was making personal purchases on her school district credit card, and reported it to authorities in late February. Reitzel was faulted for not reporting it earlier.

Walker was in charge of ensuring department heads hand in their district credit card receipts and documentation of travel expenses or other purchases. She was faulted for failing to ensure that policy on credit card reporting was followed, including some situations in which credit card holders failed to turn in receipts for months at a time.

Fechter's report is important for reasons other than disciplining employees, School Board member Steve Pribramsky said.

"Richard is quantifying the (credit) card losses," he said. "We want to provide that to the state's attorney so the judge can include it -- if Monique is found guilty -- in her restitution, if he decides to do that.

"We also need that figure for our insurance claim, so we can maybe get it back that way," Pribramsky said. The district also could use the dollar amount in a civil lawsuit against the Acevedos if it decides to sue, he said.

Board Chairman Andy Griffiths and member Debra Walker declined to comment, and member Duncan Mathewson did not return phone calls Monday.

jguerra@keysnews.com