"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."
"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."
Valley Water's CEO Rick Callender has been on leave for about a year while a misconduct investigation into his conduct remains unresolved. Agency officials will not confirm whether the probe has concluded or disclose how much public money has been spent on the investigation or on paying the CEO. A spokesperson said Callender remains on leave and cited confidentiality limits. Board Director Richard Santos said portions of the investigation are ongoing and that he has seen partial findings but not the full report. Callender stepped aside after a labor union demanded an unnamed executive be placed on leave over a misconduct complaint alleging potential retaliation.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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