PUEBLO, Colo. -- Excessive salaries and nepotism are among the findings in a financial audit of the Cesar Chavez school network. Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High School are subjects of the audit.

Details of the audit conducted by the Colorado Department of Education, the Charter School Institute Pueblo School District 60 were released Wednesday.

According to the audit, former Chavez executive Lawrence Hernandez was paid $340,000 – more than twice the average salary for a person in his position. His wife, also an executive, received a salary of over $200,000.

Furthermore, the audit found that the couple hired more than 20 family members, and the staff accumulated nearly $400,000 in credit card charges during one year.

The audit has been turned over to the Internal Revenue Service and the Pueblo County District Attorney’s Office for further action. The audit came after both schools struggled financially and were late making payroll several times, said District 60 Board President Stephanie Garcia.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Chavez Board President Donielle Gonzales responded to the audit’s findings by reading from a prepared statement. Gonzales said the board already was aware of many issues within the audit, and already has taken corrective measures.

Gonzales added that the schools’ leadership has changed, and promised the schools will operate “significantly different” from how it has in the past.

Finally, Gonzales said the Chavez board will have no further comment on the audit until the entire document is reviewed. She gave no timetable for completing the task.