Rick Callender
Valley Water CEO Rick Callender is stepping down after being on paid leave for the past 14 months, the agency announced yesterday.
Callender, who makes a $512,886 salary, will retire as CEO on March 1 and stay on as a paid advisor for the next year, Valley Water’s announcement said.
Board member Rebecca Eisenberg, who represents Palo Alto, has said publicly that employees complained about Callender sexually harassing them. His attorney Lori Costanzo confirmed that Callender was under investigation.
Callender went on leave on Dec. 16, 2024, days after Salam Baqleh, a labor union leader representing most of the agency’s 850 employees, publicly demanded an unnamed executive be placed on administrative leave after a lower employee named the boss in a formal misconduct complaint.
The union cited fears of retaliation against the employee due to the unnamed leader’s stature and power over the agency. After the union threatened to keep speaking publicly about the misconduct complaint, Callender stopped showing up to meetings.
The leave was first described as “medical” then as “voluntary.”
“At no time was Mr. Callender disciplined or forced to resign or retire due to any reported investigations,” board chair Tony Estremera said in a statement yesterday.
A severance agreement between Valley Water and Callender wasn’t available yesterday.
Callender has worked for Valley Water since 1996 and was appointed as CEO in May 2020.
Valley Water collects property taxes and manages flood control projects in northern Santa Clara County.