To restore trust, Sacramento County must release investigator’s reports on CEO Nav Gill
Sacramento County’s investigation into allegations of racism, sexism and discrimination against its chief executive, Navdeep Gill, was not supposed to take very long.
Yet the probe, sparked by complaints from eight senior public health employees, quickly expanded as dozens of county employees came forward with stories after the Board of Supervisors placed Gill on paid administrative leave in November.
We don’t know exactly what they told investigators, but we do know that Gill decided to resign without waiting for the investigation’s conclusion. Gill met with an investigator for his interview on Feb. 4 and announced his retirement the next day.
Speaking on background to share sensitive information, county sources said an outside investigator, Kramer Workplace Investigations, is drafting two separate reports detailing allegations that Gill presided over a tyrannical regime rife with bullying, sexism and racism. Gill, who spent 13 years at the county, had served as its top official since 2016.
For Sacramento to move forward — and for the public to know the truth about the man who managed a $6.4 billion budget — it is crucial that both reports are made widely available.
The gravity of this investigation cannot be overstated. In a letter to the Board of Supervisors in November, Gill’s accusers claimed that he fostered a toxic culture and retaliated with impunity. They alleged he often targeted women and people of color and quashed dissent. Over the years, some women abruptly resigned when there was no recourse for his sexist behavior, Gill’s accusers allege.
Despite these allegations, only Supervisors Patrick Kennedy and Phil Serna called for Gill’s resignation as demands for his removal mounted. Instead of losing his job, supervisors placed him on paid leave for over two months during the investigation. He continued collecting his nearly $400,000 annual salary and benefits.
Gill also drew strong criticism for his bad judgment and decision-making during the COVID pandemic. He flouted the county’s own public health order by holding an indoor staff meeting without mandatory masks. At least one person later tested positive.
He used $104 million in federal coronavirus relief funding to cover payroll for the sheriff’s department while county public health staff were denied overtime pay. Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye, head of the county’s pandemic response, told supervisors that she scaled down a $90 million funding request because her department felt it wouldn’t get approved.
None of this prevented Board of Supervisors Chair Sue Frost, who also defies COVID rules and believes racism doesn’t impact health, from heaping praise on Gill when he retired.
“Nav has been a dedicated servant for the people of Sacramento County for 13 years. Throughout that time, he has been instrumental in guiding the County through times of hardship and prosperity alike,” Frost said. “His level of commitment and invaluable institutional knowledge will be sorely missed and I wish him nothing but the best in retirement.”
Ann Edwards, the former head of Sacramento County’s Department of Human Assistance, has now replaced Gill as acting county executive. The county counsel’s office will determine how much of the final reports are publicly disclosed. Supervisors discussed the findings during a closed session meeting last week.
To restore public trust and provide justice for Gill’s accusers, the county must embrace transparency and accountability. This means sharing the results of the investigation with the taxpayers of Sacramento instead of trying to hide them from public view.
In the interest of transparency and accountability, The Bee Editorial Board would like to speak with any current or former county employee who can shed light on the allegations against Gill and the culture he fostered. If the county decides to hide the reports, it will be important to establish a public record of what took place to ensure it never happens again.