Tuesday, March 11, SEIU 1021 filed a whistleblower complaint regarding the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors’ proposed purchase of the American AgCredit building at 400 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa. The whistleblower complaint was filed through the county’s Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Whistleblower Hotline Program.

According to the County’s own hired expert appraiser, the County has proposed overpaying for the building by as much as $19 million. These are funds that could be better spent on road repairs, homeless services, affordable housing, and other support for our communities. 

Sonoma County Code Article V, Section 2-56(b) states that: “The purchasing agent shall comply with all applicable statutes, ordinances and regulations [and] will secure the lowest price consistent with the quality desirable for the use intended and the needs of the requisitioning department.” 

The facts of this proposed building purchase indicate that this statute has not been followed, and that county public officials have appeared to violate their fiduciary duties as effective stewards of taxpayer dollars. 

In addition to the county proposing a gratuitous overpayment for the American AgCredit building, the proposed purchase has also been marred with scandal. On January 29, 2025, the Sonoma Board of Supervisors was set to vote on the purchase of 400 Aviation Blvd (which the County is currently leasing) until a conflict of interest issue caused the item to be pulled. 

This purchase is currently scheduled to be heard and voted on during the March 25, 2025 Board of Supervisors meeting. 

SEIU 1021 Sonoma County Chapter President Travis Balzarini said: “The $19 million that the county proposed we overspend on the American AgCredit building could instead be spent making our airport safer, caring for children and adults in crisis, repairing our roads, serving our veterans, and so much more.  We’re standing up for Sonoma County’s families and our employees by filing this whistleblower complaint.”

Read the Press Democrat article here.