Harassment Investigation BURIED—CEO Walks With $500K

A man in a suit standing in an office looking out at a city skyline

A Silicon Valley public agency CEO accused of sexual harassment walked away with over $500,000 in taxpayer-funded compensation just days before investigators released findings, exposing how unelected bureaucrats escape accountability while hardworking Americans foot the bill.

Story Snapshot

Valley Water CEO Rick Callender received a $500K golden handshake and one-year paid advisor role after sexual harassment investigation
Callender spent 14 months on paid leave costing taxpayers over $1 million while allegations were investigated
Investigation summaries released days after departure announcement, with board claiming no discipline was imposed
Union leaders demanded action citing employee fears of retaliation from powerful executive’s “intimidation” culture

Taxpayers Fund Golden Parachute Amid Harassment Probe

Valley Water CEO Rick Callender stepped down March 1, 2026, after serving just six years as head of the Silicon Valley water agency, but not before securing a lucrative exit package. The board approved a one-year paid advisor role for Callender, whose CEO salary reached $512,886 annually, creating what critics call a $500,000 golden handshake funded entirely by property taxes. The departure came just four days before the agency released executive summaries of a sexual harassment investigation, a timing that raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in taxpayer-funded public agencies.

Union Intervention Exposes Power Imbalance and Retaliation Fears

Callender’s paid leave began December 16, 2024, after union leader Salam Baqleh, representing 850 Valley Water employees, publicly demanded administrative leave for an unnamed executive. A lower-level employee had filed a formal misconduct complaint naming Callender, but feared retaliation due to the CEO’s “stature and power.” Baqleh’s intervention forced the board’s hand only after threatening public statements. Callender immediately ceased attending meetings, with the agency initially describing his absence as “medical” leave before changing the characterization to “voluntary.” This sequence reveals how entrenched bureaucrats create cultures of fear that silence whistleblowers and protect the powerful.

Board Enabled Misconduct Despite Prior Knowledge

Public comments during board meetings revealed troubling allegations that the Valley Water board knew about harassment complaints against Callender before appointing him CEO in May 2020. Board member Rebecca Eisenberg, representing Palo Alto, became a vocal critic demanding accountability for harassment. However, Board Chair Tony Estremera maintained that Callender’s departure involved “no discipline or forced resignation,” directly contradicting the harassment reports from employees and union representatives. This contradiction exemplifies the lack of accountability plaguing government agencies, where officials protect their own while ordinary citizens bear the financial and social costs of misconduct.

Waste and Impunity Set Dangerous Precedent

The total taxpayer cost exceeds $1 million when combining Callender’s 14-month paid leave with his upcoming year-long advisor salary, diverting funds from the agency’s core mission of flood control in northern Santa Clara County. Public comments described Callender as a “narcissist” and “bully” who promoted loyalty over competence, creating what critics call a culture of “malfeasance and mediocrity.” Valley Water operates in one of America’s highest-cost regions, making the $513,000 CEO salary particularly galling to residents already struggling with California’s oppressive cost of living. The board’s refusal to release severance agreement details compounds concerns about transparency.

This case sets a troubling precedent for unpunished exits in public agencies nationwide. Demands from taxpayers include removing Callender’s appointed allies still employed at the agency, prohibiting non-disclosure agreements that hide misconduct, and implementing genuine oversight mechanisms. The incident highlights how unaccountable government bureaucracies operate outside the principles of fiscal responsibility and transparency that should govern any organization funded by hardworking taxpayers. As the investigation summaries reveal more details, California residents must demand reforms ensuring public servants actually serve the public rather than enriching themselves while evading consequences for alleged misconduct that would end any private-sector career.