A misconduct probe into the boss of Silicon Valley’s largest water supplier has dragged on for a year – with no answers as to what the agency has discovered — while he continues to collect paychecks.
A Santa Clara Valley Water spokesperson has confirmed CEO Rick Callender is still on leave. But the agency won’t say whether the investigation has concluded, or how much public money the agency has spent thus far to both investigate and pay its leader.
“Rick Callender is still on leave,” Valley Water spokesperson Matt Keller told San José Spotlight. “Valley Water must handle all HR and personnel matters with appropriate confidentiality and is unable to comment further at this time.”
Valley Water Board Director Richard Santos said portions of the investigation are ongoing. But he said he’s seen partial findings resulting from the probe.
“I have not seen all of it. That’s the issue. We’ve been able to see some of it but evidently there is more,” Santos told San José Spotlight.
He declined to share what he’s seen.
“I don’t know if all board members saw what I saw. I believe they had. We have to wait until we get all of the conclusions and then we go from there,” Santos said.
Callender, who did not respond to requests for comment, stepped aside last December, four days after the labor union representing most of the agency’s 850 employees publicly demanded an unnamed executive be placed on administrative leave over an employee’s misconduct complaint. The union cited fears of retaliation against the employee due to the unnamed leader’s stature and power over the agency. The union threatened to keep speaking publicly about the misconduct complaint until the executive stepped aside.
Officials previously described Callender’s absence as “voluntary.” Officials have not disclosed the nature of the employee misconduct complaint. One of the agency’s elected board directors, Rebecca Eisenberg, has said publicly the complaint is about “sexual harassment” and that more employees have since filed complaints against Callender.
“I do not believe that Valley Water has the right to exempt information about these allegations and the investigation from the public,” Eisenberg told San José Spotlight. “These allegations, as well as the sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation allegations, have been actively concealed by the District Counsel and the majority of the Board.”
Leaders of the employee union, the Valley Water Employees Association, are growing impatient with the protracted secrecy.
“The investigation began almost a year ago and Employees Association is still waiting for the results,” Salam Baqleh, one of the union leaders, told San José Spotlight. “Our members are frustrated about how long this is taking. We are hoping for a resolution soon.”
Santos said it’s not clear how much money has been spent on the probe thus far.
“I’m sure we’ll get eventually the total amount shared with the board,” Santos said. “When you have an investigation, it has to be thorough and you have to make sure it’s right.”
The Valley Water CEO was originally supposed to return to work between late March and early April. But the board of directors voted in March to extend Callender’s paid leave indefinitely.
Callender previously told this news outlet he planned to file his own claim against the agency over workplace retaliation and discrimination. He did not respond to questions about the status of that complaint.
Outside of Valley Water, Callender serves as president of the NAACP of California-Hawaii State Conferences. Following reports of Callender’s troubles at Valley Water, a colleague who worked under Callender at the NAACP filed a March 20 lawsuit against him over emotional abuse. Namely, the lawsuit included allegations Callender discreetly pushed the NAACP to ask for a public money sponsorship from Valley Water while he was in charge of both organizations. 
Callender became the first Black man to lead the agency in May 2020. Three women directors voted against his appointment at the time, citing allegations of sexual harassment he faced in 2008.
Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X.