Cindy Chavez, the Santa Clara County supervisor, who was offered the top management job at the county of San Diego before it was rescinded amid former County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher’s downfall, is now threatening to sue the county of San Diego after supervisors declined to consider her again for the job.
In a letter to Nora Vargas, the chair of the Board of Supervisors, Chavez’s lawyer, BJ Chisholm, demanded Vargas preserve records in anticipation of possible litigation. Chisholm accuses the county of “irregularities” in its search process and said her team has heard that Chavez’s race had come up in non-privileged conversations about the search process and that one of the supervisors told someone Chavez was not qualified.
“As a woman of color, Ms. Chavez is familiar with harmful stereotypes that undermine and disparage the qualifications of women of color in leadership roles, and she takes extremely seriously any attempt to undermine her experience, to question her race or ethnicity, or to judge her qualifications on anything other than their merits,” the letter reads.
Why it matters: The threat is yet another unprecedented step in an increasingly hostile standoff between Vargas and Chavez, and the supporters of Chavez, including the most prominent labor leaders in the county. They insist Vargas and the board give Chavez the job of chief administrative officer overseeing 18,000 county employees. Or at least they insist she get another interview and that someone like her is hired.
For three decades, the county has proudly touted its tradition of hiring professional managers with a focus on operational excellence for the top job. But progressives have pushed for an overhaul of county leadership that labor leaders expected would climax with the hiring of a leader that would implement policies fearlessly and cast away lower-level managers who didn’t deliver. Now they’re suggesting not hiring Chavez was not only a bad choice but potentially done illegally.
Thank You Scott Lewis, You are the MAN!
Hello, because of Cindy Chavez leadership. The Santa Clara Board of Supervisors filed a safety complaint and investigation on leaded av/gas. Cindy banned leaded av/gas at two airport to save the kids and there families from breathing lead. Cindy took on the Goliath of aviation. THE FAA and their cart girl the A.O.P.A.. Cindy’s win for her community resulted in an
“Endangerment Finding” by the EPA. This all happened since Nathan Fletcher departed. Supervisor Chavez would bring expertise to the position C.A.O. that nobody else could. San Diego County has 16 airports where the expertise is sorely needed. Supervisor Chavez has “Duty” to sue to protect whistleblowers. In response to Cindy prevailing the FAA has MANDATED the availability of leaded av/gas at every airport, except Santa Clara, in the 2024 FAA Re-Authorization Bill pending in congress. Cindy’s fortitude will be appreciated.