Former Water District CEO Beau Goldie Using Staff to Organize His Golf Course Retirement Party

Beau Goldie’s long kiss goodbye just won’t end. The former CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, which provides drinking water to 1.9 million people, retired under semi-duress in January (he received a six-figure severance check) after actions he took on multi-million dollar projects started getting increased scrutiny. A week after he called it a career, district employees were stunned to find him still coming in to work to kick it by the water cooler and talk shop—for three days straight. Execs told Goldie to knock it off and go home and everyone thought that was the end. But what about a retirement party?! The 31-year district employee is scheduled to have a swank send-off March 24 at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club, and he apparently still has district staffers organizing the shindig. An invitation forwarded to Fly notes that attendees should send $60 to Goldie’s former admin, Sylvia van Diemen, and mail it to the Water District’s address. If people have questions, they’re directed to call van Diemen while she’s working on the taxpayer’s dime. In a phone call, van Diemen insisted that Goldie paid for the invitations, stamps, envelopes and labels, and district spokesman Marty Grimes suggested any public funds being used were de minimis. Holding a party at a water-guzzling golf course during a drought, however, is about as tone deaf as it gets for a former water district CEO. Grimes pointed out that Cinnabar was named a “Water Saving Hero” by the district and has taken noteworthy steps to curb its water consumption by more than 30 percent, so yeah. Meanwhile, the district board appointed Norma Camacho to the interim CEO position Tuesday night, selecting the chief financial officer over executive colleagues Jim Fiedler and Jesus Nava, the latter of whom has been part of Beau’s informal party planning committee along with board clerk Michele King. When Fly asked van Diemen if it could attend the party, she laughed and said our name wasn’t on the list.

Beau Goldie Retirement Party

 

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15 Comments

  1. A Party!! Nothing surprises me here!!! From last nights video of the Board of Directors meeting, 3/8/2016 (Meeting starts 22:40)
    https://scvwd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

    AND THE WINNER FOR THE LEAST CONVINCING PERFROMANCE GOES TOO….

    “Oh I’m sorry- I don’t know why I am messing up tonight; maybe it was because we had some technologies issues tonight so I’m kind of blanking out on it.”
    (“I think your right” someone shouts surrounded by laughter) Item 8.1 Audio Visual Upgrade!!” COME ON DOWN!!!

    From the opening comments on Fluoridation in our drinking water (errr..Can we have a say on what poison we want to drink?? Thank You!) to this item… I wondered if I was watching a episode of Foul Ups, Bleeps and Blunders!!!??? LOL ..Wow!
    And did the IT Manager really say “ the equipment …even thought not failing due to the good work of the av staff….”? Prior to this meeting, they stated the system has failed.

    Hey if I can hear that online what is the problem in the room? ( “the sound box??” haha why not call it Boom Box!!??) Those meetings have agenda handouts for the public and I am certain they have hard copies at the Dias for all members. Perhaps their ipads have replaced the hard copies?? Reading the agenda, no one seemed to ask the important questions. Furthermore out of date documents were submitted and goes unnoticed by all. The conversation on this item left allot to be desired.

    Black Electrical tape ( as mentioned by the director “does not indicate state of the art communications”) SHOULD NOT be a factor in a Full Audio Visual System Upgrade disguised as HD Broadcast with our tax payer monies of 600k either (Watch item 2.1 from 2014 . Link below ). At the end of the day WE ALL KNOW it will not just be 600k!!

    http://scvwd.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=1182&meta_id=127582

  2. Be sure to add the district pa, maybe even they will ask a tech to shift hours to tape, set up screen, pa, podium, facilities and other unit pitch in time during work hours. / what’s a real scam is another loss was passed on to the taxpayer, as they think hd, and enhanced viewer experience(what does that mean skype, twitter feeds, rss) sure they want to deal with the public more, like last nite passed another 1-2 million enhanced boardroom, broadcast ready for the 12 that watch. another sad day more tax, more bombs, more death and more lies.
    tt

  3. I suggest those offended call Sylvia Van Dieman @ 408-630-2207 during SCVWD business hours. Beau Goldie arranging his own retirement party and asking those invited for money to fund it seems rather sad and pathetic. What a pity!

  4. I watched the latest Board Meeting 3-8-16

    Least convincing presentation award should go to Director Keagan . ” I don’t know why I’m messing up tonight… It’s Due to technologies issues tonight” Item 8.1 Boardroom HD broadcast system .. Come on down!!

    Let’s staff blatantly present wrong info without any of the Directors taking them to task about . The agenda package has contradictions, do they not read this?

    What is clear at the District is they don’t care about tax paying citizens voice, thank you ladies for speaking against fluoridation all these years ( can we have a say in what poison we drink ?? Thank you very much)

    What is heard loud and clear with these meetings is , We don’t care about your voice and we will spend your monies how we see fit!
    Thank you for your votes and your public funds!

  5. I don’t see the problem. Retiring officers everywhere – down to the unit supervisor – get going-away or retirement parties. And who else to organize but those in the office? This one seems a little more lavish than most but then Goldie was head of a large organization. And we know golf courses use water, so what’s the big deal there? They, like car washes use water to stay in business, employ people, and provide us a service that most of us willingly use. This whole thing, seems to me, a mountain and mole hill scenario. Someone needs something … anything written.

    • And disregard everything else that San Jose inside has reported on in the recent past. You can’t bring yourself to acknowledge that it seems. Yeah let’s Party!!

    • I agree. Everyone deserves a party when they stay with a company this long. San Jose Inside needs something else to write about.

      • Blue collar folks who committed minor transgressions and we’re shown the door didn’t get parties. They had too much pride. If you’re fired it should be embarrassing.

  6. The best thing that could happen with this situation is that the SCVWD employees show some integrity, some concern for and loyalty to the taxpayers who pay their salaries, and not show up for the party. Sadly, that will not happen.

  7. How about honoring someone who served this community for 31 years under less than an ideal circumstances? You really think taxpayers own public employees? Get real. Without competent public employees this will be nothing but a third world country.

  8. you don’t honor theifs, criminals, and the world would be a better place if we looked up all white collar criminals. He stole from the taxpayer, with blessing of some directors and upper staff, they to need to go. You maybe have watched the political theater played out on 3 8 16 with keagan at the helm and the new ceo fell right in line, no different than golden boy…..

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