The elected leaders of Silicon Valley’s largest water supplier granted themselves pay raises, arguing more compensation would entice younger people to run for elected office. Valley Water’s board of directors unanimously approved a 5% raise from $365.87 to $384.16 per meeting on Tuesday. The board members are paid per meeting and can only get paid...
Silicon Valley water agency flops on outreach ahead of sweeps
Santa Clara County’s largest water agency has begun banning homeless encampments on its property, reversing a commitment to let nonprofits and advocates do outreach prior to enforcing its new policy. Although Valley Water planned to start training nonprofit groups to provide information to homeless residents prior to enforcing an encampment ban on Jan. 2, that hasn’t...
Valley Water CEO accused of misconduct fights back
Valley Water CEO Rick Callender is lawyering up as the region’s largest water supplier investigates a misconduct complaint against him — and he’s filing his own claims of a hostile work environment. Lori Costanzo, an attorney representing Callender, is demanding Valley Water hand over Callender’s personnel file, including all records of background checks and investigations,...
Valley Water CEO on leave amid misconduct complaint
Valley Water CEO Rick Callender is on “voluntary leave” after one of his employees filed a misconduct complaint against him, according to agency leaders. The region’s largest water supplier is searching for an interim leader in Callender’s absence through April 1. Richard Santos, a Valley Water board member and one of Callender’s elected bosses, confirmed...
San Jose counts homeless people along creek ahead of sweep
San Jose officials have homed in on a stretch of waterway to clean up debris and ban homeless encampments. A 12-mile stretch along Coyote Creek is slated to be cleared of homeless people starting in January and an encampment ban will be reinforced following that. The areas include Tully Road to Capitol Expressway, O’Toole Lane...
Silicon Valley water district maintains hiring freeze
Silicon Valley’s main water supplier will maintain a hiring freeze in order to offset hundreds of millions of dollars in a budget shortfall. Valley Water officials instituted a hiring freeze in February for 72 job vacancies amid a $222 million budget deficit for the fiscal year ending in June. The skyrocketing price tags for projects...
San Jose plans tiny homes on Cherry Avenue
A long overdue agreement between San Jose and Santa Clara County’s largest water agency to build housing for homeless residents has been greenlit and is slated to break ground next month. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted on Dec. 3 to enter into an agreement with Valley Water to build a new tiny home...
Silicon Valley water district will fine people living on its property
Homeless people are barred from living along regional waterways owned by Santa Clara County’s largest water agency — and could be charged with an infraction or misdemeanor and face up to $500 fines if they’re caught camping there. The Valley Water board of directors voted 6-1 on Tuesday to enact the Water Resource Protection Zones...
Silicon Valley water agency addresses impact of homelessness
Santa Clara County’s largest water district is weighing how to address the hundreds of homeless people living along local waterways — including potential penalties for those camped on district land. Valley Water officials on Friday hosted the Unhoused People and Environment Summit featuring district staff, housing nonprofits and county officials to discuss challenges and how...
Silicon Valley water district candidates run for open seat
Self-proclaimed tech evangelist Bill Roth and former Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition leader Shiloh Ballard are competing for a seat on the Santa Clara Valley Water board of directors this November. Ballard and Roth are vying for the District 2 seat, the only competitive race, with Director Barbara Keegan terming out at the end of the year. Two other seats up...