INDIAN RIVER COUNTY– Indian River County School District Risk Manager Gerry Koziel has resigned his post effective March 23 after the School Board rejected Superintendent Dr. Harry La Cava’s recommendation for demotion.
Instead, the School Board said it preferred Koziel be terminated as a School District employee.
Koziel has been on paid administrative since an investigation into a sexual harassment complaint found probable cause that harassment did occur.
“This resignation is no admission of wrongdoing,” Koziel wrote in his letter of resignation to Dr. La Cava. “At all times during my employment, I successfully protected the interests of the District and carried out the full responsibilities of my position.”
In the investigative report, the School Board Attorney’s Office determined that there was probable cause that Koziel had sexually harassed a contract vendor under his supervision and had violated several School District policies.
Such policies include tampering with public records by changing the vendor’s invoices and delaying payment on at least one invoice, according to the report.
During the last School Board meeting, members resoundingly rejected Dr. La Cava’s recommendation to demote Koziel.
At the end of the meeting, the superintendent said that he would take their input under consideration and discuss the options with the district’s legal counsel.
Had Dr. La Cava recommended termination, there would have been a process to follow that would have given Koziel 14 days to request an administrative hearing prior to the termination.
