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Valley Water Board of Directors censures Director Rebecca Eisenberg, approves other disciplinary actions

March 14, 2024
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SAN JOSE — During a special board meeting on March 14, 2024, the Valley Water Board of Directors voted to censure Director Rebecca Eisenberg for misconduct and imposed other disciplinary actions.

The Board of Directors voted 6-1 to censure Director Eisenberg for mishandling confidential information. The Board also voted 6-1 to censure Director Eisenberg for discriminatory harassment, abusive conduct, and improper direction to staff, allegations substantiated in an independent investigation.

In addition, in a 5-2 vote the Board of Directors approved the following disciplinary actions against Director Eisenberg:

  • Remove Director Eisenberg from all roles and responsibilities representing the Board and District, including participating on any Board Committees.
  • Director Eisenberg must attend and participate in appropriate anti-discrimination training and behavioral management training within two months as a result of the finding regarding discrimination on the basis of national origin.
  • Director Eisenberg should not be allowed to meet with any employees who object to meeting with her.
  • Director Eisenberg should not be allowed to request any information directly from employees and must make any such request from a Board Appointed Officer.
  • The Board of Directors also requested that Director Eisenberg return the investigation reports to the Clerk of the Board.

The above disciplinary actions were based on recommendations in a memo from Directors Nai Hsueh and Tony Estremera.

“We look forward to moving past this issue and putting all our efforts toward our agency’s mission to provide Santa Clara County with safe clean water, flood protection and environmental stewardship,” Valley Water Board Chair Nai Hsueh said.

The censure regarding the mishandling of confidential information stems from an incident on Jan. 29, 2024, when Director Eisenberg removed about 2,000 pages of the unredacted confidential investigation regarding her behaviors from Valley Water headquarters. The details of the incident are outlined in a memo from CEO Rick Callender.

The Board also censured Director Eisenberg for misconduct related to an independent investigation into her behavior toward Valley Water staff and board members. Eight complaints were substantiated for discriminatory harassment, abusive conduct, and improper direction to staff.

 


Valley Water manages an integrated water resources system that includes the supply of clean, safe water, flood protection and stewardship of streams on behalf of Santa Clara County's 2 million residents. The district effectively manages 10 dams and surface water reservoirs, three water treatment plants, an advanced recycled water purification center, a state-of-the-art water quality laboratory, nearly 285 acres of groundwater recharge ponds and 333 miles of waterways. We provide wholesale water and groundwater management services to local municipalities and private water retailers who deliver drinking water directly to homes and businesses in Santa Clara County.